Members from the Nursery & Landscaping team for Marysville FFA pose for a picture after winning the State Contest on March 31st. The team took 1st place in the Surveying and Grading & Drainage events, and 2nd in Paver Installation. Team members Ryan Cook and Morgan Kessler also received 100% scores in the Skid Steer Operation course. Three members placed in the top 10 individuals overall: Isaac Knowles - 3rd Individual, Morgan Kessler - 7th Individual, and Ryan Cook - 8th Individual. Pictured above from left are team members Blake Kessler, Morgan Kessler, Ryan Cook, and Isaac Knowles. The team moves on to compete at the National FFA Convention this coming fall in Indianapolis. Congratulations!!

The Marysville FFA Nursery and Landscaping team took top honors in last week’s state competition, placing 1st overall, earning the opportunity to represent both Marysville and the state of Ohio in the National Contest to be held in October. Team members Isaac Knowles, Morgan Kessler, Ryan Cook, and Blake Kessler competed in specific events to demonstrate their skills in the area of landscaping installation including tasks such as laying patio pavers, surveying construction sites, operating a skid steer, and grading and drainage of landscaping areas. The two day event was held March 30-31st at Tolles Technical Center in Plain City. The competition started with 38 teams proving their knowledge of plant identification, pest and weed identification, and reading a design plan, with only the top 10 being called back to compete at the finals round of hands on events. With the support of several industry sponsors, students were able to literally show their skills by completing a variety of hands-on demonstrations for evaluation by professionals working in each of the respective fields. Employees from Benchmark Landscape Construction, Environmental Management Inc., and Bobcat Enterprises were on hand to grade the students on the accuracy of their work, and safety while on the job. Not only were students being judged on their workmanship, they were also judged on their communication skills, as they also had to explain what they were doing to their judges every step of the way. Other sponsors included Davey Tree Expert Company, Hidden Creek Landscaping Inc., Willoway Nursery, and the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association.

The team did very well, and earned multiple awards. The team received 1st Place in the Surveying Event with members Morgan Kessler and Blake Kessler, and they also received 1st place in the Grading & Drainage Event with members Isaac Knowles and Blake Kessler. Members Morgan Kessler and Isaac Knowles also did an amazing job in the Paver Installation Event, placing 2nd as a team. The Skid Steer team of Morgan Kessler and Ryan Cook also received 100% scores in their event, missing the 1st place award by just seconds, as the tie was decided upon by time to complete the course. Three members of the team walked away placing among the Top 10 Individuals overall, including Isaac Knowles 3rd Place Individual, Morgan Kessler 7th Place Individual, and Ryan Cook 8th Place Individual.