Twenty Clay High School Environmental & Agricultural Technologies students earned THIRD PLACE TEAM in the District One FFA Agronomy Career Development Event held recently at Woodmore High School in Elmore. 109 students from seven counties in northwest Ohio participated in this competition. 

These students were tested on their ability to identify common crops and vegetable plants and seeds, as well as over 40 weeds common to Ohio, and insects, and plant diseases. They also were tested on their knowledge of soil conservation, plant fertility, insect and disease control, and pesticide use. Finally they completed a team activity which included determining plant variety selection and fertilizer needs, interpreting soil test results, selecting appropriate pesticides, and determining expenses, returns, and potential profit associated with growing a specific crop grown at a specific location. 

The Clay High School students on this team were: Samantha Miller, who was fourth place individual, Stephanie Frederick was 6th place individual, Matthew Gibbons was 7th place individual, and Bradley Breeden was 9th place individual. Also on the team were Daniel Wiedmann, Morgan Bourdo, Maggie Mullen, Amanda Tolliver, Austin Cortez, Lee Papocchia, Crysta Sellgren, Jeremiah Berger, Javier Salazar, Mackenzie Myers, Ashley Tolliver, Clay Laws, Nate Foster, Kevin Witt, Triston Rodriguez, and Celeste Duran.

Instructor, Mr. Charlie Schneider, teaches Agronomy as part of his Environmental & Agricultural Technologies Program at Clay High School. Students used the knowledge they learned during class and after-school practices to prepare for the competition, and to prepare for college and careers relating to botany, turf management, landscaping, entomology, soil science, conservation, pesticide application, environmental sciences, and wildlife management. 

The Environmental & Agricultural Technologies Program is one of eleven Career Technology Programs at Clay High School. Career Technology students may chose from many career paths without leaving their school district. They are trained for skilled employment immediately out of high school, or immediate enrollment in post-secondary education, including apprenticeship and Associate through Bachelorette and Masters Degree. Over 55% of the students at Clay High School are served by Career Technology Programs, which are funded through local, state, and federal taxes, including federal Perkins funding.

Twenty Clay High School Environmental & Agricultural Technologies students competing in the FFA District One Agronomy Competition were:
Back row: Kenzie Myers, Samantha Miller, Austin Cortez, Bradley Breeden, Morgon Bourdo, Crysta Sellgren, Dan Wiedmann.
Middle row: Triston Rodriguez, Kevin Witt, Clay Laws, Nate Foster, Jeremiah Berger, Matthew Gibbons.
Front row: Celeste Duran, Amanda Tolliver, Maggie Mullen, Stephanie Fredrick, Javier Salazar, Lee Papocchia, and Ashley Tolliver.