Grundy Area FFA takes top honors

It’s been a busy start to the month for members of the Grundy Area Vocational Center [GAVC] agriculture program and Grundy Area FFA.

GAVC students were named the top raking team at the regional Envirothon competition and will move on to the state contest in May.

Envirothon is a problem- solving natural resource competition for high school students in grades 9-12 throughout the United States and Canada.

Teams of up to five students work together on a written exam and a practical in the areas of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and current environmental issues that change each year. For 2023, the fifth topic is adapting to a changing climate.

The winning team will compete next at the Illinois Envirothon competition on May 3-4 at the University of Illinois’ Allerton Park. There will be 15 other teams contenting for the title.

At the state event, teams will also develop and present a problem solving oral presentation to a panel regarding the current environmental issue, this is in addition to the written exam and practicals.

The Illinois Envirothon winner will move on to compete in the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada from July 23-29.

Grundy Area FFA was named the Land Use Council 3 champion at the regional contest held March 6 at Seneca High School. The council is comprised of chapters from 14 programs that include Kendall, LaSalle, Livingston, Seneca, Ottawa and Newark to name a few.

Grundy Area FFA further reports it competed in the Section 7 FFA vet science career development event [CDE] and the meat evaluation CDE on March 1.

Cassie Fuhrman, a student in the ag program, placed in the top 10 with the meat evaluation team taking fourth place overall. The vet science team finished the contest in sixth place.

The GAVC ag program and Grundy Area FFA are overseen by instructed/advised by Brandy Biros.