SULLIVAN, Ohio — On March 20, FFA members from Black River, Firelands, Wellington, Lorain County JVS and Vermilion toured the Ross Expo Center at the Lorain County Fairgrounds, a state-of-the-art facility supporting agricultural education and events.
After the tour, members gathered for dinner where 11 students gave short presentations. Their speeches highlighted hands-on learning, leadership and career preparation. The evening featured a panel discussion led by Representative Joe Miller, with Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge and Representative Rodney Creech. They discussed Ohio’s agricultural future, challenges for young farmers and education’s role in the industry. Black River attendees included Addison Flynn, Caleb Howard and Emma Macfarlane.
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WEST SALEM, Ohio — Northwestern FFA competed in the General Livestock Judging Career Development Event at the Ohio Beef Expo March 13, evaluating breeding and market classes of beef cattle. Team members included Addy Connelly, Emma Connelly, Makenna Connelly, Triston Flinn, Jaycee Reed, Gabi Riedel and Alivia Welch.
WEST SALEM, Ohio — Northwestern Wayne FFA attended Career Development Events at Miami Trace March 8, competing in Dairy Foods and General Livestock Judging. Mallory Gilbert, Brooke Hershey and Chloe Starcher participated in Dairy Foods, while Addy Connelly, Emma Connelly, Makenna Connelly, Triston Flinn, Gabi Riedel, Alivia Welch and Ruger White judged livestock classes.
WEST SALEM, Ohio — Nine Northwestern-Wayne FFA members competed at the Marysville FFA Alumni Judging Invitational March 1 in Dairy Cattle, General Livestock and Dairy Foods. Chet McNeil, Landon Ellerbrock, Ray Sloan and Jake Howman judged dairy cattle, while Triston Flinn, Addy Connelly and Makenna Connelly participated in General Livestock. Brooke Hershey competed in Dairy Foods.
WEST SALEM, Ohio — Twelve Northwestern-Wayne FFA members attended the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute Career Development Event Invite Feb. 22, competing in Dairy Cattle and General Livestock. Dairy Cattle participants included Jake Howman, Landon Ellerbrock, Grady Ellerbrock, Jamison Gilbert, Chet McNeil and Ray Sloan. The General Livestock team featured Addy Connelly, Emma Connelly, Makenna Connelly, Alivia Welch, Triston Flinn and Gabi Riedel.
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HOWARD, Ohio — Four East Knox FFA members won the state finals of the Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event on March 26 at Delaware Area Career Center. The team — seniors Ariana Talbott and Aiden Kapper, sophomore Ava Page and freshman Madisyn Frost — will represent Ohio at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in October. The team will receive a banner for their first-place finish at the Ohio FFA Convention on May 1-2 at the Ohio Expo Center. This marks the 25th year an East Knox FFA Nursery/Landscape team has placed in the state’s top 10, winning the event nine times, including six of the past eight years.
HOWARD, Ohio — On March 26, East Knox FFA member Laureyah Neely competed in the State FFA Dairy Handlers Career Development Event held at the Ohio Exposition Center in Columbus in conjunction with the Ohio Spring Dairy Expo where she finished fourth in the state event. The top five will represent Ohio at the Eastern States Exposition in Massachusetts in September. Neely is the seventh East Knox FFA member to place in the top 10 in the state Dairy Handlers CDE. Being a freshman, this is her first year competing in the Dairy Handlers event.
HOWARD, Ohio — Six East Knox FFA members competed in the State FFA Milk Quality & Products Career Development Event March 22 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, placing eighth. The team included senior Ariana Talbott, juniors Joey Lively and Ariel Atkinson, sophomore Rylan Winkler and freshmen Nealie Oliver and Madisyn Frost.This is the 17th year an East Knox FFA team has placed in the state’s top 10.
