The East Knox FFA recently competed in the State FFA Forestry Career Development Event held at Hocking College on Aug. 25, where they placed second out of a field of teams from across Ohio. (The results of the event have just become official so they are just now being released.) Eight members of the East Knox FFA competed in this event with the top four scores counting as the team score. The top four scorers were Dylan Springer – fifth, Andrew Poff – seventh, Hailey Frazee – ninth and Nic Steinwender – 15th out of 124 individuals. Other members were Ryan Hubbell – 21st, Colvin Guthrie – 33rd, Hayden Baker – 55th and Nate Cunningham – 111th. The team will receive a banner for its top five state finish, and the top 10 individuals will each receive a plaque at the annual Ohio FFA Convention next May in Columbus.
The Forestry Career Development Event is an activity designed to demonstrate students’ skills in the area of Forestry Management. Students complete a 45-question online test over the forestry Industry, identify tree species, identify forestry tools, complete a timber cruise to determine the volume and value of sawlogs in a woods, perform a timber stand improvement practicum, complete a chainsaw part identification and trouble-shooting exercise, and conduct a forest diseases and disorders identification practicum.
The team will represent Ohio next September at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
This year’s second-place finish in the State FFA Forestry Career Development Event marks the 30th year in a row (dating back to 1993) that East Knox FFA has placed in the top 10 teams in the state contest and the 21st time finishing in the top five in Ohio. They won the state in 2020, 2013 and 1999 and have finished fourth more than any other, placing at nine times.
