Junior team wins state championship

The Polk County High School FFA participated in the 2012 North Carolina FFA Dairy Evaluation Junior and Senior Career Development Event on Nov. 14-15, in Rowan County, N.C. Senior team members include Kristin McCraw, McKenna Callahan, Lauren Searcy and Maranda Pack. The senior team placed eighth out of 64 teams in the senior division. Junior team members include Daniel Walker, Destinee Schlabach and Caleb Brown.  The junior team won firstplace in the western region and in the state. There were 51 teams in the junior division.

At the state event, participants are scored based on how well they apply dairy cattle evaluation skills learned in the classroom. Each team evaluates six classes of dairy cattle and defends the reasoning behind their evaluation to a panel of judges. Participants also complete a written test and work collaboratively to select appropriate herd composition.  Completing these activities successfully requires a good understanding of animal science, herd management, public speaking and problem solving skills.

The highest scoring senior team in the state event is eligible to compete in the national FFA event at the National FFA Convention in 2013. The top three teams and high scoring individual will be recognized during the 85th North Carolina FFA State Convention in Raleigh on June 18-20, 2013.