The Buckingham County Middle School (BCMS) FFA had 65 students attend the State Fair of Virginia. The Educational Exposition at the fair is designed to educate youth about all the Commonwealth has to offer in a setting unlike any other. Virginia’s Largest Outdoor Classroom provides students an opportunity to experience agriculture, history, technology and natural resources firsthand.

In addition to all the exhibits at the fair, students in Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes had the chance to showcase what they have learned by competing with other schools through the SkillsUSA program. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. Nine BCMS students were a part of the competition at the fair. These agriculture students competed in Forestry Field Day. The team events included two-man crosscut saw, water accuracy, pulpwood log toss, log rolling, and cutting a log with a bow saw. The team placed seventh overall. Team members included Holden Tyson, Eli Bryant, Cameron Newton, Hunter Branch, Ethan Martin, Jake Carter, Jordan Dorrier, Camden Allen and Nathan Shippee.

BCMS also participated in the Junior Foresters event held at the fair. The Junior Foresters team included members Jordan Dorrier, Emma Staton, Camden Allen, Daniel Farrish, Gwyneth Mitchell, Hunter Branch, Jake Carter and Jacob Palmore. The event, run by the Virginia Department of Forestry tests students’ knowledge and skills in a variety of activities. Participants had to identify trees from leaf samples, identify disease and insect problems, and identify tools used in the forest industry, as well as measuring trees to determine lumber volume and estimating land area.

Courtney Agee and Justice Steger also participated in the Agricultural Demonstration competition on the junior level. Contestants performed demonstration topics that dealt with agriculture within any of the following areas: Plant and Soil Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Marketing & Agricultural Business, Natural Resources Management & Environmental Science, and Agricultural Engineering. Following the demonstrations contestants answered questions about their topics. Agee and Steger performed a demonstration on how to assemble a pet first-aid kit. They placed fifth overall in the junior division.