With Career Development Events or CDEs starting up, two Frenship FFA teams are already dominating the competition. CDEs build on what is learned in agricultural classes and encourage members to put their knowledge into practice. These events are designed to help a member prepare for a career in agriculture by testing and challenging the student's technical, leadership, interpersonal, and teamwork skills as well as their knowledge of the subject matter.
The Applied Ag Engineering competed at South Plains College for the area competition. This year, students were required to complete activities prescribed by South Plains College in SMAW welding, Oxy-Acetylene cutting, and a blueprint interpretation in addition to the written exam.
Frenship’s team, consisting of seniors Miguel Ojeda, Merek Vela, Joaquin Mankin, and Teage Braden, had a strong showing at the contest, finishing 2nd overall. Vela earned recognition as the fifth highest individual in the Area 1 contest. With this achievement, the team secured their spot at the state competition, where they will compete against the top 36 teams from across Texas.
The Tractor Technician team recently concluded their season at the state contest during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The contest spanned two days, with only the top 10 teams advancing to day two after completing the components and written test portions.
The Frenship team successfully made it to day two, where they worked together to diagnose and repair five intentional malfunctions in identical tractors within 30 minutes. Parker Dickens, Elijah Jones, and Westin Hill demonstrated their expertise and skills, earning 8th place overall at the state contest. Dickens was also recognized as the highest individual in the component portion of the contest, earning multiple tools and toolboxes valued at an estimated $5,000.
The Frenship FFA continues to excel in student competitions and looks forward to maintaining its successful streak throughout the remainder of the CDE competition season. With their continued dedication and skill, these students are poised to achieve even greater success in the months ahead.
Congratulations, Frenship FFA teams!