‘It’s so much more’ than farming. SLO High students are national FFA champs
For the second time in seven years, San Luis Obispo High School has won a national championship in veterinary science at the National FFA Convention.
And the school’s agriculture communications team took home second place while becoming the first team to represent the state of California in the ag communications category.
The event took place Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 in Indianapolis.
San Luis Obispo High agriculture education teacher Anna Bates said the accomplishment was the result of months of dedicated training, extensive travel and beating out dozens of other teams nationwide at the state and national levels.
The veterinary science team edged out 80 teams in California and 45 teams in the national competition.
“We just remained confident in what we were doing and just tried to do the best we could by focusing on our goals without worrying about the other teams,” said Camille Rowlands-Rees, a San Luis Obispo High ag communication team member.
Bates said that San Luis Obispo High students were even recruited by colleges, including graduate schools, and companies at the event.
“It’s pretty amazing that these students, most of them juniors, already are being recruited,” Bates said. “This was hands-on learning and it doesn’t just set them up to be vets. They could be doctors, lab researchers, business and marketing professionals and more.”
SLO students challenged with practical knowledge
The veterinary science event included tests, exercises, 15-minute research presentations, essays and knowledge exams in front of experts, which “even veterinarians wouldn’t be able to ace,” Bates said.
Students had to present on antibiotic stewardship, the role of the veterinarian and the veterinarian-client-patient relationship in using antibiotics in livestock.
Meanwhile, the ag communications team developed a 40-page media plan outlining Templeton High School’s tractor pull event as part of its competition, which involved a 15-minute presentation; simulated press conference and a 90-minute practicum.
They designed multimedia and social media messaging strategies, and worked with budgets to promote the event, including developing apparel.
The veterinary team included Sydney Cusick, Elyse Evers, Megan Fragasso, Grace Greenelsh and Liz Lua.
The ag communications group consisted of Rowlands-Rees, Allison Dierks, Bella Marden and Avery Noblitt.
Marden, a senior, said she came away from the experience with a better idea of a potential college major. She developed a webpage for the event, among other duties.
“I really liked design and everything I learned through social media promotion,” Marden said. “I hope to use that, and I hope to go to Cal Poly because it’s such a great school with a great agriculture communications major.”
More than just farming
San Luis Obispo High’s veterinary science team previously won in 2014. San Luis Obispo High graduate Luke O’Leary served as the national FFA president this year, giving a farewell speech at the event.
Students said public speaking and writing are among the invaluable skills they’ll take away from the competition, along with meeting other FFA students from states such as Montana, Minnesota, North Carolina and Texas.
“Sometimes people have this impression that what we do out here is just farming or playing with animals,” Bates said. “It’s so much more than that.”
Local veterinarian Marissa Greenberg of VCA South County Animal Hospital in Arroyo Grande helped guide the students in their efforts, sharing coaching duties with Bates. Both women were also advisors in the 2014 championship year.
“These high school students have studied and mastered vet school level information,” Greenberg said. “The time and dedication it takes to compete at this level, and win, is extraordinary and this was a very special team of students that accomplished this. It makes me proud to know that each of these girls could easily go get a job at any vet clinic.”
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