James River Digs Up Another FFA State Championship

Strasburg, VA – While most students in Botetourt County spent Election Day relaxing on their day off school, five members of the James River FFA Chapter were up before the sun to travel to Strasburg, Virginia for the 2018 Virginia FFA State Soils Evaluation Contest. Members of the senior soils team included Ellie Holter, Bailey Marshall, Jacob Fowler, and Andrew Newcomb. Audrey Fleming represented the chapter as a junior competitor. By sunset, the teams returned to Botetourt County with the state championship title after placing first in the senior level event. Individually, Ellie Holter placed 1st and was named the individual state champion, Bailey Marshall placed 7th, Jacob Fowler placed 8th, and Andrew Newcomb placed 16th. These combined scores brought James River FFA to the top of the standings earning them the Virginia FFA Soils Evaluation State Title for the first time in James River FFA’s history. Ellie, Bailey, Jacob, and Andrew now qualify to participate in the National Land and Homesite Evaluation Contest this Spring in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Additionally, Audrey Fleming placed 4th in the state in the junior event.

During the FFA soils event, participants visit four soil sites to identify topsoil and subsoil texture based upon USDA classification, topsoil thickness, and the slope of the area. Members take this knowledge and use it to identify runoff and permeability rates, soil amendments needed, overall land classification, and percentage of soil loss due to erosion in the area. Finally, participants examine the land and make homesite recommendations for the impact these factors will have on building a home foundation, trees and shrubs, waste lagoons, septic tanks, and roadfill. The FFA soils evaluation event prepares students for future careers in the field of natural resources and conservation while giving students lifelong skills that they can use as a future homeowner.

Special thank you to David Fowler, Chip Lawrence, and Matt Peyton for providing soil sites for the James River FFA team to practice at. Follow James River FFA on social media to stay updated on this teams experience in Oklahoma this Spring as well as to see all that James River FFA is doing to grow leaders, build the community, and strengthen agriculture

–submitted by Zach Wakeman

Photo: JRHS soils team included Ellie Holter, Audrey Fleming, Jacob Fowler, Andrew Newcomb and Bailey Marshall