FFA class is an agricultural elective based on the National FFA organization or Future Farmers of America. Taught by Mrs. Barkley and her dogs, Stone and Stella, FFA covers topics in animal care, management, and plant cultivation. The classes are split into small and large animal sciences, FFA leadership, and FFA club.
At the fair, the group’s display on hydroponics won first place. Hydroponics is the process of growing plants without soil; plants can be grown in sand, gravel, or liquid with nutrients added manually but cannot be grown in soil.
On Sept. 24, there was a fall contest at the fairgrounds covering agronomy (the science of crop production and soil management), floriculture (the cultivation, or purposeful growth, of flowers), poultry, vet science, and nursery landscape (the design of the layout of garden plants). Newport had students placed in floriculture, poultry, and nursery landscape. In floriculture, Adison Geer received first place, Emmaly Plank was the recipient of second place, Megan Foltz won third place, and Gracyn Shutt achieved seventh prize. Carter Young received eighth place in poultry, and Shelby Wagner won fourth place in nursery landscape.
Wagner, along with Ryan Domanski, Peyton Eisenhart, Adriana Finton, Kriztofer Granados, Madyson Keefer, Kylie Reed, Hailey Turner, and Emma Whisler was the first group of Newport students to attend FLC, the Fall Leadership Conference. Those nine students are applying for their first jackets through Pennsylvania FFA alumni. If selected, they will be given jackets at the Farm Show.
A few of Newport’s soon-to-be alumni are applying for their keystones. Kylah Conrad, Jozi Cook, Evan Fleisher, Geer, Plank, and Shutt, if selected, will receive their degrees in January at the Farm Show.
