Buckingham County Middle School competed in two events recently at the first Southeast Area Future Farmers of America (FFA) Middle School Rally.

“Teams from Buckingham placed second in the small animal care career development event and the agri-science mechanics and technology event, which was held Wednesday at Charlotte Central Middle School,” according to a press release.

“The FFA small animal care career development event concentrates on the identification, health and nutrition of household pets. Participants also demonstrated their knowledge of scientific terms used in the animal care industry, new technologies in animal care, ethical concerns related to animal welfare and career opportunities related to small/companion animals. Small animals include cats, dogs, rabbits, aquarium fish, guinea pigs, birds and other small household animals.”

According to the release, the contest consisted of four individual events and a team activity. “The individual events are a written test, breed identification, feed and equipment identification and skill assessment performing a task such as reading nutrition labels, selecting a pet, use of equipment and training. In the team problem-solving activity, members were presented with a written problem, such as caring for a pet, pet health, determining cost and reading product labels.”

“The Agri-Science Technology Mechanics event challenges students to explain and demonstrate safety practices, read and interpret directions, identify and use basic woodworking hand tools, select and use measuring devices, perform measuring skills and solve problems.”

According to the release, the contest consists of four individual events and a team activity. “The individual events are a written test, tool identification, measurement activity and a laboratory skills assessment performing a task, such as project layout, and/or project construction and completion. In the team-problem solving activity members were presented with a written problem such as identifying tools necessary to construct a project, creating a bill of materials, determining board feet, and determining total material and cost for construction of a specified project.”

Two small animal care teams from Buckingham competed in the event. Team A consisted of Connor Bohanon, Adreah True and Bryan Bartlett. Team B consisted of Justin Aldridge, Alicia Bartlett and Dameon Pillois. Team B placed second overall.  Individually, Aldridge placed third, Bohanon placed fourth, True placed fifth and Pillois placed 10th. Sherry Dorrier coached the team.

The mechanics team consisted of Hunter Tyson, William Grant Martin, Francisco Palacios and Timothy Smith. Individually, Tyson placed third, Grant Martin and Palacios placed eighth and Smith placed 10th. Andrew Schmitt, Henry Paris and Dorrier coached the team.