FFA members compete to see who is the best
Sparks lit up Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s Agriculture Mechanics lab, where the FFA Area X Applied Agriculture Engineering Contest was held.
The event kicked off at 9 a.m. on March 24 and allowed the competing students the chance to showcase their various mechanical skills. Over 125 students gathered at the lab to compete for the opportunity to represent Area X at the state level.
“It’s an opportunity for both these high school students who are joining us today to apply their technical skills, but also our college students, having the opportunity to lead,” says Dr. Chumbley, a professor of Agricultural Education and Mechanics.
The contest involved teams of three-to-four members to display their skills in four sections: sawing, welding, oxygen and propane cutting, and blueprint interpretation and layout. There is also a written test, with a maximum score of 100 points to be earned upon participating in this event.
The event is still relatively new, with college students such as Naitssa Ramirez stating, “It’s good to see the students that are in high school doing it, because I never knew how to do it in high school.”
Because these students were handling dangerous equipment, safety was a top priority for the student leaders assisting with the event. One student leader, Jillian Olvera, said that if a student didn’t have their glasses on, they could “get them on, or get them out.”
With the students being so young, some even being in the eighth grade, making sure they didn’t hurt themselves or others was key. At the sawing, the oxygen and propane cutting section, each student had a student leader supervising them to make sure the high schoolers were staying safe and within the guidelines of the competition.
The event helps teach the students about teamwork and working fast and efficiently. The students had 20 minutes for each section, within which they learned how to interpret building plans, wire electric fixtures and even determined the direction of water flow.
This helps them to work fast on their feet and be able to solve any problem that is thrown at them while working in a stressful field. This event also let the students grow and learn what the future could hold, with a student leader, Culton Allen, stating that he hopes “that these kids find their passion.”
