FFA competitions are in full swing as Welding III students have been to San Antonio and Dallas, while student judges competed in Jacksboro.
Tanner Hash, FFA sponsor, is pleased with how his welding students placed in San Antonio for their first meet of the year.
“In San Antonio my students placed well enough to get out of their group,” Hash said. “However, they didn’t place fifth individually in Austin, so they couldn’t advance any further.”
Junior Zayne Foster, FFA sentinel, entered the competition with a smoker.
“I constructed a smoker out of propane tanks and used a cutting torch to make the circular shapes on the sides of the smoker,” Foster said. “Welding on the inside of the barrel was the most difficult step of the process because of the awkward positioning.”
The wildlife judging contestants each have individual outlooks on what they need to improve on.
“I really need to work on the techniques portion,” Kade Nogle said. “Game laws, gun handling, and fishing limitations are what I really struggle on.”
Other sophomores have different priorities.
“I placed high, but I know that I could have done better if my quiz, Sophmore Zoey Bates, FFA reporter, said.
The sophomore-heavy group needs to be more well rounded according to Hash.
“They did well for their first meet, but they need to work on fundamentals if they want to achieve a higher placement,” Hash said.
Foster agrees with his sponsor.
“As an upperclassmen I feel responsible for how some of the younger students placed,” Foster said. “With the prior knowledge I have, I feel competent enough to give the underclassmen some more tips.”