Santa Fe High School’s FFA Food Science Team is now preparing to compete in the National FFA Convention and Expo in the fall thanks to their win at the state level.
The team, made up of seniors Sam Nichol, Taylor Batten, and Jerick King and junior Naomi Cooper took first place in the Florida Food Science and Technology Career Development Event. According to the FFA website, the Food and Science Technology competition “focuses on developing skills needed in the food science and technology industry through various individual and team activities.”
At the state contest, the SFHS team had to develop and present a food product, complete food quality and safety activities, otherwise demonstrate their knowledge of food science, safety and product development. The students came up with Rip+Run, a package of four individually-wrapped trail mixes, which they then presented to a panel of judges from the University of Florida’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.
Three team members were among the top six highest-scoring students in the state competition, with Cooper second, Batten third and King sixth.
All four of the students are enrolled in Santa Fe High School’s Academy of Veterinary Assisting, one of the district’s highly-successful career technical academies.
In practice sessions leading up to the national competition, team members will continue to develop sample food product and hone their presentation skills. That includes team members who will be graduating from Santa Fe this year. The students have been working with local food scientist Molly Sims to prepare.
“This type of success doesn’t just happen,” said Brian Skipper, director of the Academy of Veterinary Assisting and the school’s FFA Advisor. “Students work countless hours to make this happen under the direction and advising of talented ag teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty to prepare their students.”