Olney FFA Does Itself Proud!

The FFA students at Olney, Illinois have been making a good showing in the local and the annual state contest for more than a decade, and last year they went down at the state contest by one point in a real nail-biter.  Their instructor, Jamie VanDyke pushed them hard this year and they won the state contest by 167 points.  They just came back from the national contest in Kentucky, and they made a great showing, taking Fourth Place nationwide. 

National FFA Forestry CDE Results

LOUISVILLE- Winners of the National FFA Forestry Career Development Event (CDE) were

announced Friday at the annual awards banquet. The event was held in conjunction with the 87th National FFA Convention & Expo in Louisville, Ky. Mr. John Allen Bailey of Georgia served as superintendent of this year's event. The top ten individuals and the national winning team members received cash awards to recognize their success in the event. The cash awards and the forestry event are sponsored by Husqvarna and John Deere as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. The National FFA Forestry CDE is a competitive event that tests students' skills and knowledge in the area of forest management. Event components include a general forest knowledge exam, tree identification, timber cruising, tree/forest disorders identification, a chainsaw practicum, forestry issues interview, and a team activity. Each team competed at local and state levels for the privilege of representing their state at the National FFA Convention & Expo. This event, held at Bernheim Forest in Clermont, Ky., is one of many educational activities at the national convention in which FFA members apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations.

*** Olney FFA placed 4^th in the nation***

Top Placing teams:	Top Placing Individuals:
1st. Kathleen FFA – Florida	1st Tyler Dupree – Kathleen FFA- Florida
2. Pocahontas FFA – West Virginia	2nd Brevyn Foreman - Kathleen FFA - Florida
3. Calvin FFA- Louisiana	3rd Emmett Lee – Kathleen - Florida
4th. Olney FFA – Illinois	4th Kyle Trott – Alvirne FFA- New Hampshire
5th.Alvirne FFA – New Hampshire	5th Matt Rao – Pocahontas FFA – West Virginia
6th. Cossatot River FFA – Arkansas
7th Carroll County FFA – Virginia	6th Matthew Runyon – Olney FFA - Illinois
8th Grand Canyon FFA – Pennsylvania	7th Rich Saddler – Cossatot River FFA - Arkansas
9th Grand Rapids FFA- Minnesota	8th Tom Powers – Smith Agricultural FFA - Maine
10th Vallivue FFA – Idaho	9th Joshua Goins – Calvin FFA - Louisiana
	10th Emily Schilling – Olney FFA – Illinois
	15th Tanner Scherer – Olney FFA - Illinois
	43rd George Boehl – Olney FFA – Illinios

Personal Thanks to Forester Wade Bloemer for jumping in and running the contest at Sam Dale lake this year, while I was out of state.  You made this win possible, Wade!

Photo Credit: Jamie VanDyke