Tech Students Reap Honors at FFA convention

It was a sister act for two Cape May Tech FFA members recently at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Holly Toft and her sister Hanna, were awarded gold medals in the National Agriscience Fair for their project dealing with the effects of run-off pollution on water hyacinths. Hanna is the state treasurer of the FFA; she was the salutatorian of the Class of 2008 and is now a student at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Silver medals went to Valerie Robertson for “The Dirt on Soil-less Mixes,” Alec McAlaren and Dana Oberkofler for “Sweating Plants” and Eric Revelli for “Controlling Cannibalism in Baby Chicks.” Katie Mumford won a bronze medal for “Earthworms, Friend or Foe?” All students who competed in Indianapolis were successful at the state level before moving on to national competition.
The Cape May Tech chapter was selected from a pool of 630 candidates nationwide as a three-star rating, the highest chapter rating in FFA. The chapter was ranked number two in the entire state earlier this year and earned a gold rating. The three-star award recognizes FFA chapters for developing a program of activities that provides opportunities for members to excel in one of three areas: student, chapter or community.
Nine students, along with chaperones, attended the convention of 56,000 students from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Holly Toft, chapter vice president, noted the many advantages offered by participation in FFA and its convention, which include building confidence in public speaking, previewing colleges with scholarship opportunities, and meeting other FFA members. She described the scene at the convention as “a sea of blue jackets everywhere in Indianapolis.”
The chapter officers attended the November board of education meeting to thank board members for their support of the FFA program and to present them with a photo from the convention.