The Appomattox Senior and Appomattox Middle FFA chapters traveled to the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to participate in multiple statewide Career Development Events (CDEs) and Leadership Development Events (LDEs) June 8-11, 2026. CDEs assess the knowledge and skills of FFA members on various agricultural topics. Participating in these events allows FFA members to develop industry-driven career skills. Middle school chapter members participated in the Middle School Mechanics and Plant Science contests. High school chapter members participated in the Junior and Senior Agricultural Mechanics, Avian Bowl, Extemporaneous Public Speaking, Farm Business Management, Hippology, Floriculture, Nursery Landscape, Horticulture, Prepared Public Speaking, and Veterinary Science CDEs. The members of each team spent several weeks of their summer vacation studying and preparing for these events.

Both AMS and ACHS FFA were recognized with the “100% Membership Award” for ensuring that every agriculture student is also an FFA member. This was made possible through the generous support of the Appomattox County Farm Bureau. The high school chapter received a gold rating in the public relations award and AMS earned a silver rating. ACHS was named the winner of the Southeast Area Chapter Forestry and Wildlife award. Chapter Reporter Lorelei Holt prepared a scrapbook detailing chapter events over the past year that earned a gold rating. AMS FFA earned a bronze rating for the superior chapter contest. Appomattox Senior FFA also received a gold rating in the superior chapter contest, earning the opportunity to attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, this October. Additionally, the chapter was the state champion in the Strengthening Agriculture and Growing Leaders divisions of the contest. ACHS FFA was crowned the Southeast Area winner in Building Communities. The chapter was also declared the overall top chapter in the state.

Remi Evans, Brandon Jennings, Eleanor McCann and Myles Putnel represented AMS in the Middle School Mechanics Event. Members completed a written test covering shop safety, the use of hand and portable power tools, and basic woodworking information, identified woodworking tools, completed measurements and calculation activities, interpreted project plans, performed a practicum related to sanding, and demonstrated their project layout skills. Evans and Jennings each earned a red ribbon rating. McCann and Putnel earned a blue-ribbon rating. Putnel was the 8th high individual. The team placed 3rd in the state.

Evans, Jennings, McCann and Putnel also participated in the Middle School Plant Science contest. Members completed a written test on topics related to plant reproduction and development, gardening, planting and maintenance procedures. They also identified garden, landscape and interior plants, seeds, fruits and vegetables and horticultural equipment and supplies. Students completed a practicum on indoor plant selection and care and on identifying horticultural practices, along with a series of problem-solving activities pertaining to plant care and problem diagnosis. Jennings earned a yellow ribbon rating, Evans and Putnel earned a red ribbon rating, and McCann earned a blue-ribbon rating. The team placed 8th overall.

Liam Anderson, Rose Broyhill, Kendall Harris and Cameron Slayton participated in the Junior Agricultural Mechanics contest. Each student completed a written exam about mechanical skills, identified common agricultural hand tools, performed downhand arc welding, wired a single-pole light switch, and calculated common problems related to small engines, concrete, electricity and wood working. Slayton placed 8th. Anderson was the overall highest scoring individual and won a prize pack sponsored by Arc3 Gasses of Farmville. The team placed 3rd.

Landon Elder, Kendall Harris, Pierson Harvey and Cameron Slayton participated in the Senior Agricultural Mechanics contest. In this competition, participants were required to demonstrate their arc welding skills by performing a butt-joint weld and applying knowledge of agricultural electrification. Additionally, the team completed various problem-solving tasks and answered test questions related to machinery, electricity, compact equipment, structures, and environmental and natural resources. The team finished in 6th place overall, and Elder achieved recognition as the 8th highest individual scorer.

The Avian Bowl CDE involves a team-based round of trivia questions and an individual test that assesses members’ knowledge of poultry management and sciences. ACHS team members included Ethan Dowdy, Landon Elder, Pierson Harvey and Chloe Wilson. Harvey was the 10th highest individual and Dowdy placed 9th. The ACHS team placed 5th overall in the quiz bowl tournament.

Chloe Wilson earned the opportunity to represent the Southeast Area in the State Extemporaneous Public Speaking Leadership Development Event (LDE) finals in March. Wilson drew speech topics out of a hat and had 30 minutes to prepare a 4–6-minute speech and deliver it to a panel of judges. Wilson spoke about the important role that women play in production agriculture. She answered questions from a panel of judges. She placed 5th in the state contest.

The Farm Business Management Career Development Event provides a competition that fosters information assimilation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills necessary to successfully manage a farm or pursue farm business management careers. Ethan Dowdy, Layton Firebaugh, Autumn Harris and Lorelei Holt represented ACHS. During the contest, participants were required to evaluate a farm’s balance sheet, cash flow statements, profit and loss statements, futures contracts, and investment options and to complete a partial budget. Holt placed 5th, Harris placed 4th, Firebaugh was 2nd highest individual, and Dowdy placed first in the state event. The team placed 1st in the contest and will represent Virginia at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, later this fall.

Appomattox Primary School teacher Jean Moore helped coach the hippology team from ACHS. Hippology is a competition that tests participants’ knowledge of the equine industry. Contestants completed a written exam covering various topics related to horses, including breed identification, horse leg conformation, color patterns, and anatomical features. Additionally, they participated in events assessing their understanding of horse feeds, tack, measurements, parasites, and more. The senior team, which included Brycen Bender, Kat Broyhill, Chloe Dejong and Montana Moore, performed well in the senior event.

Christian Dawson, Lainey Hamilton, Lexi Ranson and Rylee Stratton participated in the state Floriculture event. This contest required students to complete a general knowledge exam and identify plants and equipment. Students also had to identify pests, disorders, and diseases of plants. Each participant demonstrated their skills in flower arranging and potting of young plants. Overall, the team performed exceptionally well, placing 11th in the competition.

Dawson, Hamilton, Ranson and Stratton were also members of the Nursery Landscape CDE team. Each participant completed a written exam covering basic horticultural principles related to the production, marketing, usage, and maintenance of landscape plants and turf. They were required to identify various plants, pests, disorders, and beneficial insects. Additionally, each student participated in an estimating practicum that tested their ability to interpret landscape drawings. The team placed 8th in the event. Virginia FFA offers a unique opportunity to showcase schools that compete in both the Floriculture and Nursery Landscape CDEs. The Horticulture contest is an opportunity to identify the top horticulture programs in Virginia. Appomattox placed 6th.

Earlier this spring, Savannah Jones qualified to represent the Southeast Area in the State Prepared Public Speaking finals. Jones authored an 8-minute speech entitled “Mental Health in the Agricultural Industry.” After delivering her speech, she fielded questions from a panel of judges. Jones placed 2nd in the state event and has qualified to represent Virginia at the Big E Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts, later this fall.

The Veterinary Science CDE assessed students’ knowledge in various areas of modern veterinary practice, including pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, general animal care, identification of pet breeds, veterinary equipment, and parasites. The Appomattox team, consisting of Brycen Bender, Kat Broyhill, Rose Broyhill and Chloe Dejong, completed the written exam, identification, and math components of the event. The team did well in the event.

Gracie Covington, Autumn Harris, Pierson Harvey, Savannah Jones and Chloe Wilson received their State FFA Degree, the highest degree that a state association can bestow upon its members. Attaining this level of membership demonstrates these members’ superb record-keeping skills and FFA participation. Jones was recognized as the Southeast Area Star Farmer and Southeast Area Star in Agricultural Placement for her outstanding Supervised Agricultural Experience projects.

Savannah Jones also earned recognition as a state proficiency award winner. This program aims to honor students who excel in work-based learning projects as part of the Supervised Agricultural Experience program. Jones was named the state champion in the Outdoor Recreation category. She is the educational director and assistant manager at Dark Leaf Farm. She has been instrumental in developing the agritourism operation, training employees, operating agricultural entertainment stations, and managing the pumpkin crop and corn mazes.

Appomattox County will be represented on the 2026-2027 Virginia FFA Officer team by Savannah Jones as State Vice-President. She is the daughter of Bruce and Joanne Jones of Concord. Jones is the second female from Appomattox to serve as a Virginia State FFA Officer, the first being Dani Hodges of Spout Spring. The last state FFA officer from Appomattox was Jacob Dinterman in 2019-2020.

Appomattox FFA members would like to thank the many individuals involved in making this trip possible. We express our sincerest thanks to the Appomattox FFA Alumni and all the sponsors who provided scholarships to members to participate in these events. Without their help, our dreams would not have become a reality. We are thankful to Tom Cardwell and Karen Spicer, who provided transportation. Many local individuals, organizations, and businesses also worked to help prepare students for the competitions. Individuals or organizations wishing to sponsor the chapter’s trip to the National FFA Convention should call FFA Advisors Elizabeth Duncan, Dani Hodges, Cassie Long or Ed McCann at 434-352-8396.