HOWARD — East Knox FFA recently competed at the State FFA Forestry Career Development Event held at Hocking College on Sept. 28 and placed first among teams from all over Ohio.
Eight members of East Knox FFA participated in the event, and the top four scores counted as the team score. Individually, out of 235 participants, Dylan Springer placed second, Arianna Talbot third, Aiden Copper fifth, and Hayden Baker eighth.
Other East Knox team members were Peyton Finch – 25th, Curtis Divan – 27th, Blake Elliott – 48th and Kylie Griffith – 146th. The team will receive a state championship banner and the top 10 finishers will each receive a plaque at the annual Ohio FFA Convention in Columbus next May.
Forestry Career Development Events are activities aimed at demonstrating students’ skills in the field of forestry management.
Students complete a 45-question online test on forestry to identify tree species, identify forestry tools, complete a timber cruise to determine the amount of logs in the forest, and determine bearing and distance. Complete the compass course lab to read and interpret terrain. Create a map and practice identifying wood products.
The win at this year’s State FFA Forestry Career Development Event marks the 33rd consecutive year (since 1993) that East Knox FFA has placed in the top 10 teams at the state competition and the 22nd time they have finished in the top . five in Ohio;
In addition to this year’s state championship, they have won state championships in 2020, 2013 and 1999, finishing in fourth place nine times more than any other team.
The East Knox FFA Forestry Team will represent Ohio at the national competition to be held in Indianapolis next October (2025) in conjunction with the National FFA Convention.
