By RINDY METCALF

Staff Writer

Local high school students took part in the department of agricultural sciences’ annual Area One Future Farmers of America Career Development Event March 26 held at Tech Farm.

Dr. Gary Kennedy, department head and an associate professor of agricultural sciences, said the purpose of the event is to prepare students for a career in agriculture.

“The overall idea behind [the event] is to help students develop in different areas of agriculture,” Kennedy said. "Even though some students may not get a career in these areas, the competition is to give them an education and background in them."

Kennedy said each contest in the event is related to agricultural commodities and food production.

High school students were able to participate in events such as the meat science contest, where they had to identify different cuts of meat and the poultry-judging contest in which the students evaluated live birds, eggs and other products.

Kennedy said, “It’s a good opportunity for any student involved because [the event] relates agriculturally-applied-type projects no matter what they do.”

Kennedy also said the event encompasses fields of study from animal judging to welding.

Jordan Guice, Area One FFA chapter president, state vice president and a senior at Ruston High School, has participated in the career development event every year for four years and was a contestant in the livestock raising and judging competition.

“Through the career development events, not only do you learn about a specific career field, but you also learn how to work with a team and gain the experience of being a winner or a loser,” Guice said.

Guice said he placed in the top four in the competition and will be going to the state competition April 30 held at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Hilari French, vice president of Block and Bridle and a junior animal science major, said she and other members of Block and Bridle, the university agricultural club, served many purposes throughout the day.

"Many were group leaders who led the competitors around the area, keeping them in the order they needed to go," French said. "Others were in charge of the actual animals being judged."

French also said the hardest and most time-consuming job was tallying the scores throughout the day.

"[The] participants were the actual judges, judging the animals, meats and dairy products," French said. "They were ranked by the way their judging corresponded to our officials' judging."

French said she had never been to an animal-judging contest before, but this one was a great experience for her.

"I found it to be very informative and a learning experience," French said. "I enjoyed leading the competitors around and learning from them."