Walnut Grove HS Crushes the FFA State Competition

Last week, FFA traveled to Macon to compete in the Agriscience Fair. Maddie Glaze and Caileigh Goldstein were highly rewarded at the state level, along with many others from WG and YMS. 
by Ansleigh Hester

Maddie Glaze: State Proficiency Finalist 
Maddie Glaze, a junior at WG, was awarded the State Proficiency Finalist. It was awarded based on her SAE project. “Maddie raises Dubia Roaches as a contract grower for reptile food [as her SAE project],” Mrs. Kelly Shaw, sponsor of WG’s FFA chapter and Agriculture teacher, says. 
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Glaze placed third in the state, which is a huge honor for her and for the WG FFA chapter. 
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“I was a little disappointed [with the results of her competition]. My proficiency was made up of a comprehensive application of all my work in my Specialty, animal protection SAE,” Glaze shares.

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Caileigh Goldstein: State Star Award 
Caileigh Goldstein, a senior at WGHS, competed in the State Star Contest and came home with the award. The competition is based on the student’s SAE and participation in FFA. 
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“It is the highest award a student can receive because it is a product of their whole FFA experience,” Shaw explains.

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​Honorable Mentions
In the Youth Middle School (YMS) FFA group, Luisa Alarcon and Alainna Sharp placed first in their competitions at the Agriscience Fair. 

Birdie Smoot and Sydney Harper (WGHS students) won the plant systems competition, Marleigh Compton (WGHS student) and Lusia Alarcon won the environmental and natural resources competition, and Alannia Sharp won the social systems competition. 
They will be competing in the national competition in Indianapolis. 

Hannah Morris, Carlyn Tripp, and Scarlett Parsons received State FFA Degrees. Lulu Smoot placed second, and Addy Sheffield placed fourth in their competitions. 

​FFA Activities Outside the Competition
The YMS and WGHS FFA organizations had fun inside and outside the competition.
 
“In addition to competing, we attended the award sessions, heard from a keynote speaker, Ink Johnson, visited the career fair and expo, and had some fun visiting The Bass Pro Shop,” Shaw says. 

Shaw and the group also ate at their favorite Mexican restaurant while in Macon. “There’s a super good Mexican restaurant down there, and it has become a tradition for us to eat there the first night we stay in Macon,” Glaze states. 


Performance and Group Achievements
Shaw believes that some students underperformed and didn't achieve their best. She explains, “I know that they will come back to dominate next year and learn from their mistakes, which is a win. Sometimes it takes tough results to find the determination necessary to be a champion.”
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The WG FFA chapter also earned the Gold Emblem Chapter honors and placed among the top 10% of FFA chapters statewide.