Good News About Polk County Public Schools

Polk County Public Schools students outperformed the competition during the Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration Contest held April 9^th at Haines City High School. Middle school and high school students from Polk, Orange and Osceola Counties competed.

The Horticulture Demonstration Contests are designed to stimulate careful planning through knowledge. Judges give students an opportunity to present a “why” and “how to” lesson about horticulture. Pupils are also asked to answer questions about demonstrations. Categories include: Production, Marketing, Consumer Use, Artistic Arrangement of Horticulture Crops and Landscaping.

The top two scores in each category advance to the state contest scheduled to take place later this month.

The Florida FFA Association is a premier youth, leadership organization with over 15,000 middle and high school student members – as part of over 300 local FFA chapters across the state.  FFA members participate in nearly 50 leadership and career development events each year.  The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.

2012 Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration District Winners
High School Division  
Consumer Use
1. Sarya Brown – Lake Wales High School
2. Brittany Cannon and Christa Shiver - Ft. Meade
3. Megan Campbell and Maira Rodriguez– Kathleen High School
4. Baleigh Williams and Taylor Bailey – Haines City High School
5. Taylor Howell and Jennifer Martin – Mulberry High School

Artistic Arrangement
1. Katie Leonard – Bartow High School
2. Waylon Walker and Haley Howerin – Haines City High School
3. Maegan Meredith and Stephanie Lambert – Tenoroc High School
4. Katie Hutchinson and Ashley Kern - West Orange
5. Jessica Ganey and Melissa Chawncey – Mulberry High School
6. Cynthia Ferelus - Dr. Phillips

Production
1. Harley Byrd and Spencer Maldonado – Lake Wales High School
2. Tori Perkins and Megan Page – Haines City High School
3. Morgan Carlton and Nicole Green – Kathleen High School
4. Erika Pace – Ridge Community High School
5. Carlos Antonez - Dr. Phillips
6. Cole Newman and Wyatt Griner – Frostproof
7. Carlos Rangel and Veronica Saliisky – Mulberry High School

Marketing
1. Brett Wasden and Gabe Gelb – Bartow High School
2. Cierra Melton and Elli Bamberger – Kathleen High School
3. Jackie Caples and Baisley Houk – Lake Wales High School
4. Cody Rodgers and Alexis Weaver  – Mulberry High School

Landscaping
1. Justin barthle and Josh Duff – Haines City High School
2. Brooke Shirah ans Danielle Lenz – Tenoroc High School
3. Jessica Durocher and Gilbert Zamora – Mulberry High School
4. Ericka Pace – Ridge Community High School

Middle School Division
Landscaping
1. Brooke Newell and Katie Lopez – Dundee Ridge Middle School
2. Rebecca Ruffi - Bartow Middle
3. Shelby Ritchie and Hannah Scionti – Lake Gibson Middle School
4. Jasmine Colon and Andrea Kraponick - Boone Middle

Production
1. Madeline Howerin and Kayleigh Stephens – Dundee Ridge Middle School
2. Cole Hathcock and Delaney Clemons – Lake Gibson Middle School
3. Dominique Dixon - Westwood

Marketing
1. Kaitlyn Coatney – Bok
2. Kaleb Williams and Katrina Perkins – Dundee Ridge Middle School
3. Bailey Snively - Kathleen Middle
4. Megan Bergeron and Nadia Tena – Boone
5. Christopher Dias and Carlyne Crawl - Crystal Lake

Artistic Arrangement
1. Sophia Bercloe and Aaliyah Spell – Dundee Ridge Middle School
2. Alexis Painter and Faith Woodard – Lake Gibson Middle School
3. Jessica Clark and Katy Locke - Bartow Middle
4. Jessica Narcel and Leighann Bassford - Kathleen Middle
5. Jade Kerr and Madison McGraw – Westwood
6. Josie Cox and Rachel Shirah - Berkley

Consumer Use
1. Katherine Byrd and Kaitlyn Byrd – Dundee Ridge Middle School
2. Devin Dye and Emily Grant - Bartow Middle
3. Jessica Peet – Lake Gibson Middle School
4. Lindsey Hudson and Alexis Kehoe – Westwood
5. Ginna Bell and Taylor Hicks - Ft. Meade
6. Cgristina David and Brittney Crawl – Crystal Lake Middle School
7. Shianne Walker and Hayley Hidge - Kathleen Middle