Cadillac, MI — The 2025/26 school year is off to a busy start for the Wexford-Missaukee FFA students at the Career Technical Center in Cadillac. Throughout October, FFA students have taken part in the Region 6 Decathlon contest, FFA broiler contest, and the National FFA Convention and Expo. Decathlon took place at the Ogemaw County fairgrounds on the 14th of October. Decathlon is a Region 6 tradition in which approximately 200 students compete in 10 stations, working in teams of 3, and are tested on their knowledge of veterinary science, forestry practices, floral tools, and more. The Wexford Missaukee chapter had four teams finish in the top 10. Their top team placed 2nd overall and consisted of Emmett Keeley (Cadillac), Hayden Petitt (Mesick), and Kath Dickinson (Manton).
On October 22nd, four students headed to the annual State-wide broiler chicken contest in Fowlerville. These flocks were raised over 5 weeks by the agriscience class at the CTC, with several students raising their own birds at home. The goal of this contest is to enhance students' knowledge in agricultural processes and gain real-world experience by raising the highest-quality chickens possible within the given time frame. Students are required to submit a written report on their five best birds, and are scored on the quality of the finished birds and the content of their written report. With seven entries present, the Wexford Missaukee FFA Chapter earned three Gold awards and one Silver, with over 95 entries for the day.
The National FFA Convention was held in Indianapolis during the last week of October. Eight members of the Wexford Missaukee chapter were in attendance. While in Indianapolis, students were able to speak with multiple colleges, employers, and companies at the Expo and attend on-site workshops on leadership topics. Students participated in a rodeo and attended the opening session at Lucas Oil Stadium. Over 65,000 FFA members and guests registered for the event.
“It’s been a very busy fall for us”, says instructor Mark Johnson. “But these experiences are critical for our students and mean a lot to the program. We try to fit in as much as we can, and give students a variety of experiences as part of the program.” For more information, contact instructor Mark Johnson at mark.johnson@wmisd.org or call (231) 876-2239.