Staff Reports

Cordele Dispatch

For 24 FFA members long hours of practice paid off as they competed in the Area 5  Floral Design Career Development Event held at Pelham High School.  Placing first in the junior division competition, and receiving a gold ranking, was Crisp County High School FFA member Haley Kendrick.  Haley was trained by their agriculture education teacher Eric Dixon, Area 5 workshop specialist, Mrs. Trisha Lastly and her mother.

Georgia Florist Association is the educational sponsor for this competition.

The FFA Floral Design competition consists of a written exam, identification of florist plant and equipment and hands on skills test in creation of a given floral design. The competition is based on the educational objectives of the Georgia Agriculture Education horticulture curriculum and standard practices in the horticulture industry.

The purpose of the career development event is to connect students with what is taught in the classroom to practices utilized in the floriculture industry. Additionally, the competition promotes academic achievement and competence for students who seek a future in horticulture industry.  \

This event is one of the many educational activities in which the FFA members apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations. The Georgia FFA Association has the third largest FFA membership in the nation with over 42,000 members.  FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.