NorthWood High School sent two teams and one individual on Oct. 25-27 to Indianapolis to compete in the 2017 National FFA Convention. The vet science team consisting of Brenna White, E.J. Weirich, Megan Nunemaker and Taylor Martin completed a series of skill stations, a math practicum, a general knowledge test, a breed and equipment identification, a skit demonstration and a written essay.
The tractor restoration team consisting of Antonio Lopez, Brad Hochstetler, Colton Mast, Nate Martin, Travis Royster and Zac Royster restored a Farmall 350 by completely tearing apart the transmission, replacing the gears, rebuilding the motor, replacing piston sleeves and crankshaft bearings, and repainting the tractor.
Finally, NorthWood's first individual competitor, Grace McCoy, competed in the leadership development event titled Employment Skills. She filled out an application and created a resume, cover letter, thank you card, and business cards and then completed a face-to-face interview and phone call interview.
The results of the National FFA Convention competitions were that the vet science team was awarded seventh place overall, and Grace McCoy placed 21st in the nation. The tractor restoration team was part of the top 12 presenting at national convention
The 2017 National FFA Convention hosted 67,006 members, advisors and guests, and it was an incredible experience for Amy Beer and Lana McCoy to lead 13 NorthWood individuals throughout the convention that hosted agriculture company and college booths and agriculture companies.