Kentucky High School Crop Scouting Competition registration open through April 10
Kentucky High School Crop Scouting Competition registration open through April 10
The competition offers Kentucky high school students the opportunity to gain valuable field experience, network with peers and potentially shape their future careers in agriculture.
By: Jennifer Elwell
PRINCETON, Ky.—The University of Kentucky is excited to announce its annual High School Crop Scouting Competition, a career-focused contest for students interested in production agriculture. This half-day event occurs July 24 at the UK Research and Education Center (UKREC) at Princeton, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the UK Cooperative Extension Service.
Teams of four to six high school students are invited to showcase their expertise in crop agronomics, pest identification and decision-making processes for improved crop management. The interactive field scouting exercises concentrate on corn, soybeans and tobacco.
Misty Bivens, a LaRue County High School agriculture teacher, has entered a team in the UKREC competition for several years, allowing her students to practice their crop scouting skills.
“My students love working with a team and being able to specialize in their knowledge to help the team succeed,” Bivens said. “It's a contest where students leave and say that it doesn't seem like a contest but more like a learning experience. This is definitely a great event and UK does an amazing job hosting it.”
Teams will compete for the top three spots and earn cash prizes. The first and second place teams will be eligible for the regional competition.
Space is limited, and only the first nine teams to register will be accepted for the competition. Adult leaders interested in their teams’ participation are asked to register early and before the April 10 deadline. After reaching the maximum number of team slots, additional teams will be placed on a waiting list.
To register, visit https://wkrec.ca.uky.edu/events/ky-high-school-crop-scouting-competition. Registered teams will receive study materials related to the competition.
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