Nearly 500 Future Farmers of America students from over 35 schools gathered at Oglethorpe County High School for Area 2 Career Development Events, testing their skills in agriculture and leadership.
For senior Callie Bridges, the floral design competition at Oglethorpe County High School was both a test and an opportunity to showcase her small business. The contest required a timed arrangement, an identification exam and a written exam.
“I get my practice in because I have my own floral shop,” Bridges said. “I make arrangements for funerals, birthdays. I’ve done a couple weddings … and also do homecoming.”
Her preparation paid off. Bridges won the senior division of floral design.
“It’s given me an outlet to be more creative, because without FFA, I really wouldn’t have gotten into doing flowers,” she said.
Nearly 500 Future Farmers of America students from more than 35 schools traveled to Oglethorpe County High School on Sept. 25 for the Area 2 Career Development Events, testing their skills in agriculture and leadership.
Oglethorpe County’s central location made it an ideal host, said Jordan Paul, one of Oglethorpe County School System’s two agriculture teachers.
“We’re supposed to host 492 students here from over 35 different chapters, which is really impressive when you think about how many people are coming from different locations,” she said.
The Georgia FFA Association has more than 80,000 members across 391 chapters, making it one of the largest state associations in the country, according to the Georgia FFA Association website. These contests focused only on Area 2, stretching from Northeast Georgia to Covington, Paul said.
Dozens of career development events are offered annually, from floral design to farm mechanics, giving students hands-on practice that can lead directly to careers.
“Those are competitions that students can compete in to show off different types of skills and knowledge in agricultural areas,” Paul said.
OCHS hosted four contests: floral design, ag technology and equipment, environmental natural resources and meats evaluation. Paul said the events mirror the diversity of agricultural careers.
“One in three individuals, once they graduate high school (in Oglethorpe), have an agriculturally related job,” she said.
Though uncertain about her next steps after high school, Bridges said agriculture will remain part of her life. Her family operates a beef cattle farm, and she hopes to continue with both livestock and flowers after graduation.
Paul said Oglethorpe County will host two more competitions before the end of the school year.