The Tyrone Area FFA Chapter Farm Business Management (FBM) Team won first place in the Pennsylvania State FFA Farm Business Management Career Development Event (CDE) and captured bronze level ranking at the national level.

The journey to the national competition began in May when 25 Tyrone Area FFA chapter members competed in Pennsylvania’s virtual FBM competition. The team was composed of Garin Hoy, Rayann Walls, Leo Veit, and Claire Fisher.

When the final scores came in, Tyrone’s Team placed first in the state and earned a spot to compete at the National level in October. Kaitlyn Houck ranked 1st in the state, and Garin Hoy ranked second.

“Farm Business Management helps students learn business skills and apply them to their daily lives and future. This Career Development Event, also known as a CDE, helps students collaborate and work in teams of four individuals through communication and decision-making skills,” said Rayann Walls.

The event was very different from the previous year.

“We all sat separately and completed the test by ourselves, online,” said FFA member Claire Fisher.

The team portion of the event was eliminated from the state competition because of CDC regulations and school limitations on traveling to one location in the state.

Mid-summer, the team was notified they would be competing again virtually for the written portion of the test which was conducted on August 17.

“I found this to be the most frustrating part as our team didn’t have time to practice [because] we were under the impression the event would be helped in person in Indianapolis,” said FFA advisor Tiffany Hoy. “I am proud of this young team and their bronze level ranking as we went into this event with little to no training.”

The team is headed to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, in October to learn more about agricultural business operations, develop leadership skills, and tour agricultural industries while listening to motivational speakers.

“The hardest part of the FBM tests was trying to memorize all of the vocabulary and formulas and then performing under pressure,” added Leo Veit. “Yet, even with that, this event provided me with lifelong lessons which I will carry with me long after graduating from high school.”