By MACKENZIE KEPHART
Moapa Valley Progress
The Southern FFA Zone Competition was hosted at the Bunkerville Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 8. Over 100 FFA students from southern Nevada attended the event.
Competitors included FFA chapter members from Canyon Springs, Lincoln County, Moapa Valley, Mojave, Pahranagat Valley, Sandy Valley, Steptoe Valley, Virgin Valley, West Career and Tech Academy and White River.
The Conference is meant to prepare FFA members for the Nevada FFA State Convention coming up in March. At the competition, students participate in various events and competitions that resembled those they will face at the State Convention.
The Southern FFA Zone Competition hosted events that involved floriculture, environmental and natural resources, milk and dairy quality, agricultural mechanics, veterinary medicine, horse evalution, speaking events and meats evaluation.
The speaking events comprised of three different competitions. These are the most important at the local event because an FFA chapter may only send one speaker for each speaking event to the state level.
The first event was Creed speaking, in which first year FFA members must recite the FFA Creed by memory and answer questions pertaining to the creed.
Next, the prepared public speaking event ensued in which competitors must write their own six to eight minute speech, recite it and answer questions about their speech. Moapa Valley FFA member Cassidie Jones placed second overall in the competition.
Extemporaneous speaking was held next. These speakers are given a topic upon which they must speak after 30 minutes of preparation. They must then answer questions on the topic after the speech.
Workshops were held for agricultural mechanics, veterinary medicine and environmental and natural resources. A presentation was held for veterinary medicine and students received a GPS class for environmental and natural resources and were taught how to use GPS coordinates.
Cheese identification was held for milk and dairy quality.
Floriculture participants created round mug arrangements to be graded, and did an identification class.
Students who participated in the meats competition identified different cuts of meat and their specie.
Horse evaluation students graded both geldings and mare classes, and did an identification class.
The conference serves an important purpose to FFA students. The different competitions give students a chance to see where they stand with other FFA chapters and members. The events allow students to see what areas they are weak in and need to strengthen themselves in before the high stakes competition of the Nevada FFA State Competition. If students win as a first place team, they can then compete at the National FFA Competition.
