Four members of the East Knox FFA recently competed in the state finals of the FFA Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event (CDE) on March 29 at Delaware Area Career Center in Delaware.
The team, consisting of seniors Dustin Springer and Jon Cisco and sophomores Dylan Springer and Hayden Baker, finished first in the state event after the day of hands-on competition. They will now represent Ohio in the National Event on Nov. 1 and 2 in conjunction with the 96th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In the event, competitors had to program an irrigation control panel, repair an irrigation line, install a sprinkler head, calculate a landscape maintenance estimate, lay sod, operate zero-turn mowers, plant and stake a tree and operate commercial mid-size walk-behind mowers. Individually, Dylan Springer finished first, Baker placed second, Dustin Springer was third and Cisco finished sixth out of 273 competitors. The first- and second-place students in each of the hands-on event finals were also recognized with East Knox contestant Dustin Springer placing first in both zero-turn mower and commercial walk-behind mower with a perfect score of 100 out of 100 in both events.
To qualify for the finals, the team completed two online phases of the competition on Jan. 17 and Feb. 7, where they took a written test, identified specimens and completed practicums.
Participants had to identify 80 specimens of deciduous trees and shrubs, needled evergreens, broad-leaved evergreens, annuals, perennials and groundcovers with both common and scientific names. They also had to identify 40 specimens of weeds, insects and diseases, equipment and supplies and turf found in the nursery and landscape business. In addition, contestants completed a landscape drawing practicum, interpreted a pesticide label and completed a material safety data sheet (MSD) practicum. From this part of the competition, the top 10 teams advanced to the finals.
The nursery/landscape event is an educational activity designed as a practical method of teaching students to perform hands-on skills and to identify various horticultural plants, weeds, insects and diseases that affect the nursery and landscape business. The team will receive a banner for placing first in the state at the Ohio FFA Convention on May 4-5 at the Ohio Expo Center. The top 10 individuals also receive a plaque for their efforts. The contest awards are sponsored by the Ohio Green Industry Association (OGIA). This is the 23rd year that an East Knox FFA Nursery/Landscape CDE Team has placed in the top 10 in the state. They have won the event eight times, including the past four years in a row and five out of the past six years.
