Randolph FFA wrapped up their fall competition season by celebrating wins at national events. The Livestock Evaluation team earned a bronze medal at the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, marking a major achievement for the chapter. Nick Beaver, Taylor Hayes and Grady Steward each received a bronze rank, and Katrina Schrantz earned a silver rank.
"We were the only ones from New York," FFA Advisor Miss Hitchcock said. "We were competing against all 50 states who also are taking their best, and out west, they live it. It's a tough contest. It's a lot of really talented kids. But they did it, and we made it."
The students made the most of their trip by scheduling as many activities as possible. Along with a stop at Ohio Tech for a career day, they also visited Shaffer's Goldrush in Indiana to learn more about the hog industry.
"It's a great experience to travel and see different things," Miss Hitchcock said. "On the ride out there, a bunch of the boys kept saying, 'I've never seen a field this big in my whole life.' You get put in the Lucas Oil Stadium, and it is jam-packed with kids only wearing FFA gear. You're just walking down the street, and there's Indiana, Illinois, South Dakota and Wisconsin."
Randolph FFA also found success outside of Indiana this fall. In September, they participated in the Big E in Massachusetts, one of the largest agricultural events in the Northeast. The Dairy Evaluation team – Taylor Costa, Kaleb Durow, Aryana Sears and Sadie Steward – secured second place, with Durow and Sears finishing in the top ten. Bryson Pitts, the only tractor driver from New York, placed seventh overall.
"I think the kids should be really proud of that," Miss Hitchcock said. "They put in time at practices this year, and I think that was a big step. They showed up and got to experience it for the first time for most of them. Three farms opened up their farms to us so we could prepare, so we got a lot of community support."
With fall competitions now behind them, FFA students in Randolph are busy planning for the rest of the school year.
"We don't have a slow time," Miss Hitchcock said. "The community really showed up for 'Touch the Truck,' which went really well. We hosted an FFA Thanksgiving and invited other schools in the district. Dec. 7 is the Christmas parade in town, and we always have a float. We just did a virtual judging contest, so we'll see how they do. Olivia Shawley went to an FFA leadership event in Albany to promote youth education in agriculture, and she met the head of the Farm Bureau. So, there's always something."