Twenty-seven members of the Tyrone Area FFA Chapter recently competed in the State AgriScience Fair at the 102nd Pennsylvania Farm Show. Of those who competed from the chapter, twenty-five were individuals and one team of two competed in almost every category and division.

First-place Tyrone FFA winners were Rayann Walls, Jillian Williams, Kaitlyn Houck, and Wade Hendrickson.

Other Tyrone students who placed in the top three in individual categories were Olivia Beck, Karly Diebold, Garin Hoy, Grace Peterson, Randi Williams, Libby Buck, Tyler Gutshall, Kaylee Updike, Lyndsey Fleck, and Catie Ewing.

In the group category, Tyrone’s Madelyn Diebold and Paige Kephart placed second.

“I was excited to get the chance to move on to the state competition and compete this year,” said junior Libby Buck.

In order to be able to compete at the state competition, members must present their projects at the chapter level and be recommended by their judges that they move onto states. At the state level, the members also present their project to judges and are graded on their presentation and lab reports. 

“It was fun to be able to go back to states again this year and I’m happy I placed so well,” said junior Wade Hendrickson. 

Over 100 competitors from more than 15 FFA chapters across the state competed in the AgriScience Fair. The four Tyrone Area FFA members who placed first in their categories are given the chance to submit for prequalifying to the National FFA AgriScience Fair in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

“I was very nervous to present at states, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. I’m very excited that I placed first in my category out of so many good competitors,” said freshman Rayann Walls.

The placings of the Tyrone Area FFA Chapter members that competed are listed below:

Food Products and Processing Systems

Division 3-

First Place- Rayann Walls

Third Place- Olivia Beck

Fifth Place- Michael Chronister

Seventh Place- Nathan Cisneros

Division 5-

Second Place- Karly Diebold

Third Place- Garin Hoy

Fourth Place- Abraham Black

Sixth Place- McKenna Yaudes

Plant Systems

Division 3-

First Place- Jillian Williams

Second Place- Grace Peterson

Third Place- Randi Williams

Fourth Place- Justin Jackson

Division 5-

Second Place- Libby Buck

Division 6-

Second Place- Madelyn Diebold and Paige Kephart

Power, Structural, and Technical Systems

Division 3-

Second Place- Tyler Gutshall

Fourth Place- Trinity Lingafelt

Fifth Place- Joshua Patterson

Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems

Division 3-

Fifth Place- Dylon Brower

Division 5-

Third Place- Kaylee Updike

Fourth Place- Brody Rizzo

Animal Systems

Division 3-

Seventh Place- Evan Boone

Ninth Place- Emma Bartel

Division 5-

Third Place- Lyndsey Fleck

Social Systems

Division 3-

First Place- Kaitlyn Houck

Second Place- Catie Ewing

Division 5-

First Place- Wade Hendrickson