NORTHEASTERN ASSOCIATION OF STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE NEWS

The Northeastern Association of State Departments of Agriculture convenes the following 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Delaware Department Of Agriculture

FFA Students Place

First in Forestry Challenge

Odessa High School in Townsend placed first among six Delaware high school FFA chapters that squared off at Brecknock County Park at the annual “Forestry Career Development Event (CDE),” a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry tools and knowledge, and math-related abilities. Each team consisted of four students who answered both individual and team-based questions. Led by their instructor Jeff Billings, Odessa also fielded the event’s individual overall winner, Natalie Holdren. The event was held in cooperation with the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service.

Schools represented this year were Odessa, Woodbridge, Smyrna, Christiana, Middletown and Sussex Central. Delaware Forest Service TrainerEducator Ashley Melvin developed the curriculum and organized the event, which tested student knowledge in six separate skill areas: tree identification, equipment identification and troubleshooting, timber stand improvement, compass and pacing, board-foot volume estimation, and an individual written examination.

Odessa High School will now go on to represent the First State against teams from all over the U.S. as part of the four-day National FFA Convention scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

According to the FFA, Career Development Events help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market.”

There are 26 CDEs, covering job skills in everything from communications to mechanics. Some events allow students to compete as individuals, while others allow them to compete in teams.