Uniontown FFA'ers go to nationals

Uniontown High School FFA instructor Kevin Gleason (from left) poses for a photo with Koltan Schaaf, Reed Gleason and Alexandrea Miller during the 82nd National FFA Convention. The three students are members of the UHS FFA Chapter who represented one of 42 teams that participated in the 2009 National FFA Livestock Career Development Event Oct. 21-24 in Indianapolis, Ind. (Submitted photo)

Members of the Uniontown High School FFA Chapter were one of 42 teams that participated in the 2009 National FFA Livestock Career Development Event. The competition took place Oct. 21-24 in Indianapolis, Ind., during the 82nd National FFA Convention.

Participants in the event were asked to demonstrate their ability to grade market class steers and hogs according to market grading standards in the United States. Competitors evaluated classes of breeding and market beef, sheep and swine. They also gave oral reasons for the selections they made.

The National FFA Livestock Evaluation CDE is sponsored by Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Merial, and the National FFA Foundation. It is one of 23 different national events that use the fun of competition to connect classroom learning and careers.

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 506,199 student members who are preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. Members represent 7,429 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

For more information, visit www.ffa.org.