COTULLA FFA

Premier Leadership, Personal Growth, and Career Success

Cotulla FFA Members Place 11th in State Contest

  Huntsville- A third place finish at the Area X FFA contest just was not good enough for the returning members of the Cotulla FFA radio broadcasting team - Bianca Muriel and Ben Hollon - and they vowed to do better.  Adding Caitlyn Storey as a third team member and working hard paid dividends.  The 2009 team from the Cotulla FFA won the district contest, placed second at the Area 10 Radio Broadcasting Contest and placed 11^th at the state competition.  The Radio Broadcasting team competed in the State Leadership Development Events (LDE) on December 4^th and 5^th, 2009 at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

  The top 20 teams in each contest - 2 teams from each of the 10 FFA Areas - competed at the state contest.  There were 2 preliminary heats of 10 teams on Friday with 5 teams from each heat moving on to the finals on Saturday.  The radio broadcasting contest is designed to allow students to simulate a radio information broadcast, allowing for six to eight minutes of air time.  The contestants are in one room and the judges are in another, listening on a speaker.  The teams are judged on technical broadcasting skills, voice quality, enunciation, enthusiasm, and ability to hold the audiences attention.  "This was our 5^th time to qualify in radio broadcasting to the State FFA Leadership Contest, and that is something not a lot of FFA chapters can claim." said Teddy Byrd, Cotulla FFA advisor.  "The leadership contests are structured different than the judging contests in the spring.  You have to place first or second in the area contest in your respective event to qualify for state.  In the spring contests placing in the top five will qualify.  Because you have to win to advance, there is lots of pressure at the area contest.  I am proud of all of our area qualifying and state qualifying teams.  At the State contest, we have the opportunity to compete against the best in the state, regardless of school size; and as results show, we have some of the brightest, most intelligent students in the state.   It shows the caliber of students we have at Cotulla High School.  Our students can hold their own with anyone in the state." 

Team member Bianca Muriel said "After 2 years of being 3^rd at the area contest, I was determined to advance to the state contest.  We didn't do as well as we would have liked at the state contest, but it was still an opportunity that lots of FFA members never get to experience.  When we found out that 622 teams started the contest at the district level, it really put things in perspective.  It is really a big deal to be 11^th out of 622!"

Caitlyn Storey, the newest member of the team said "My learning curve was pretty steep because Bianca and Ben had a years worth of experience on me.  But hard work and lots of practice paid off in the end.  This is my first year to be a member of the Cotulla FFA , but I wish I taken an ag class when I was a freshman.  I know that it's a great accomplishment to compete at state."

At the district level there were 622 teams that competed statewide.

    To get to the state contest the teams had to win at the district and area level.  Not every team made the trip to the state contest.  The Greenhand Creed Speaker, Christian Sanchez, placed second at district and 12^th at area.  Shelly Maldonado competed in the Job Interview Contest, and place 3^rd at district and Caitlyn Storey was 4^th in the Senior Creed Speaking Contest.

  Leadership Development Events provide FFA members with the opportunity to employ knowledge and skills acquired in agricultural science and technology classes at their local high schools in a competitive setting.  A total of 12 LDE Contests were held at the state level with 240 teams/students participating in the events. 

The Texas FFA Association, with more than 72,000 active members, is the largest affiliate of the National FFA Organization with more than 970 local chapters.  It is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to making a positive difference in student's lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.  The national organization has 7,241 local chapters located throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

For complete contest results visit www.judgingcard.com.  For more information about the Texas FFA please contact the agriculture science and technology teacher at your local high school or the State FFA Office at (512) 480-8045.

Cotulla FFA Members Attend Area X Greenhand Camp

  October 5, 2009

Mathis - Almost 400 first year FFA members from 23 different schools participated in the 2009 Area X Greenhand Camp on October 5 at Camp Zephyr in Mathis.  The camp was facilitated by the Area X FFA officer team and their advisor Mia Balko.

Greenhand Camp is a day long camp designed for first year FFA members.  At this camp students became more familiar with the FFA and got to meet other first year FFA members from all around the area.

While at this camp, students were broken into groups and attended sessions put on by the Area X officer team.  Sessions included FFA Basics, Communication & Diversity, Public Speaking, Goal Setting, FFA Competitions and Teamwork & Cooperation.  FFA members also learned about FFA official dress and ways to get more involved.

Cotulla FFA members that attended the camp were: Carlos Sanchez, Matt Gutierrez, Krishele Romero, David Costilla, Caitlyn Storey, Sara Reese, Jo Jo Tellez, David Garcia, Dessirae Ayala, EZ Garcia,  and Kharri Bustamante.  

The Texas FFA is one of the nation's largest state FFA Associations with a membership of more than 62,000 and approximately 985 FFA chapters. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the Texas FFA Association and career development events visit www.texasffa.org.

COTULLA FFA MEMBERS COMPETE IN PLANT AND RANGE CONTESTS

Members of the Cotulla FFA competed the past 2 weeks in the district and area plant identification contest. Members participating include Bianca Muriel, Shelly Maldonado, Nick Talbert, Mark Garza, Ben Hollon, Dessirae Ayala, EZ Garcia, Valerie Perez, Vanessa Perez, Caitlyn Storey, Katrina Gallardo, Monik Valles, Stephani Davis, Matt Gutierrrez, David Garcia, Sara Reese, Kharri Bustamante, and Carlos Sanchez.

The contest consists of 60 native and introduced agriculturally significant plants that the team members must categorize. After properly identifying the plant, the students must also know certain characteristics of the plant - growing season, introduced or native, grazing value, grazing response and habitat. Area X has a list of 85 plants that are found in South Texas that the contestants must be able to recognize.

Competition is divided into 2 categories - the greenhand contest which consists of only first year ag science students and FFA members, and the chapter contest which includes everyone else. One thing about FFA contests and competitions that not everyone is aware of is that we compete against every school in our district and or area regardless of size. At the district level the Cotulla FFA is competing against schools from Laredo and Eagle Pass as well as schools our same size. At area competition Cotulla has to contend with schools like Victoria, Calallen, Mission, and Sharyland.

The first year members - the greenhands - Dessirae Ayala, EZ Garcia, Caitlyn Storey, Matt Guttierez, David Garcia, Sara Reese, Kharri Bustamante, and Carlos Sanchez - placed 3rd at the district contest in Jourdanton and 9th at the Area X Contest. Dessirae Ayala was high individual on the team at both contests.

The chapter team members - Bianca Muriel, Shelly Maldonado, Nick Talbert, Mark Garza, Ben Hollon, Valerie Perez, Vanessa Perez, Katrina Gallardo, Monik Valles, and Stephani Davis - placed 4th at the district contest and 6th at area. Bianca Muriel was the high individual for the team at the district contest and Shelly Maldonado garnered that honor at area.

FFA's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Local, district, area, state and national activities and award programs provide opportunities for student to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom as they develop career pathways and discover school to work transitions.