The East Knox FFA of East Knox Local Schools announced that four members competed in the state finals of the FFA Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event on March 26 at Delaware Area Career Center in Delaware. The announcement was made in a press release on March 31, 2025.
According to the East Knox FFA, the team, consisting of seniors Ariana Talbott and Aiden Kapper, sophomore Ava Page, and freshman Madisyn Frost, finished first in the state at the event. The competition included hands-on tasks such as programming an irrigation system, repairing irrigation lines, laying sod, and operating commercial mowers. In individual results, Talbott finished first, Page placed second, Kapper took fourth, and Frost placed fifteenth out of 253 competitors. The team will now represent Ohio in the National Event in October at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
To qualify for the finals, the team participated in two online phases earlier in the year. These phases involved written tests, specimen identification, and practicums. Participants identified 80 specimens of plants and 40 specimens of weeds, insects, diseases, and turf. Based on their performance in these events, the top ten teams advanced to the finals.
The Nursery/Landscape event is designed to help students gain practical skills and knowledge in horticulture. It focuses on plant identification, pest management, and various landscape practices. The East Knox FFA team's success marks their twenty-fifth year placing in the top ten with nine state championships—six within the past eight years. They will be honored at the Ohio FFA Convention in May.
East Knox Local School District is located in Howard, Ohio. It is home to the East Knox FFA Chapter which supports student development through agricultural education and leadership opportunities. The chapter recognizes achievements such as American and State Degrees and is led by a 2024-2025 officer team including Dylan Springer as President and Hayden Baker as Vice President. The chapter also organizes events like fruit and strawberry sales to support its activities.
