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Clymer Future Farms Competes In Convention

The Clymer Central School Future Farmers of America student organization recently took second place in the Food Science Contest in Syracuse. Four Clymer students will travel to Springfield, Mass. in September in a follow-up competition. Submitted photo

CLYMER — Placing second and qualifying for a follow-up competition, the Clymer Future Farmers of America recently touted its success at a school banquet.

Four Clymer students traveled to Syracuse in attendance of the 94th Annual State Future Farmers of American convention. Those students will now travel in September to the Eastern Regional Conference in Springfield, Mass.

“It’s pretty big,” said Aaron Dennis, Clymer Central School agriculture teacher.

The competition in May had students compete in the Food Science contest, where Clymer took second. Students were asked to identify aromas in various foods; complete a written test on food safety, labeling and nutrition; and create food product from ingredients and then create a name, label the product and identify nutritional information. Students are then asked to sell their recently concocted product to a panel of judges.

“This is serious business for competition,” Dennis said of the Syracuse event.

The convention also allowed the Clymer students to participate in leadership seminars, district meetings and vote on FFA business matters. They also were able to hear from Gian Paul Gonzalez, motivational speaker, on what it meant to be “All In,” the title of his address.

Dennis described the students as “go getters” and individuals who will likely make an impact on their communities in the future.

“The students in this contest worked on their own time during study halls and during breaks to work on learning the different areas of the contest because they were that into it,” he said. “It was their drive and their determination that got them there.”

The four Clymer students finished second, only behind students from John Bowne High School in New York City, the largest FFA chapter in the state. Clymer is one of the smallest and the most-western chapter in the state.

“I think it’s very ironic,” he said of the comparison between both schools.

Dennis, who serves as the Clymer FFA adviser, said the district’s agricultural program has a significant role in giving students a hands-on learning experience through teamwork, problem solving and communication. Utilizing the classroom, the greenhouse and the workshop at the school, students explore the hands-on learning experience, Dennis said.

“Clymer Central School has one of the oldest active FFA Chapters in New York State,” Dennis said. “Chartered in 1939 the Clymer chapter has been shaping student lives through Agriculture Education and promoting leadership and personal growth through students involvement in the FFA Chapter.”

At the banquet, the district celebrated 80 years of the program’s history. Howard Cornell, former Clymer agriculture and FFA adviser, and Dr. Jeff Perry, Cornell University professor, spoke at the ceremony.

“Everybody is excited. Everybody is proud of them,” Dennis said.

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