FFA team wins eighth in nation

Woodland — Woodland High School’s Floriculture Team was picked as one of the best in the country last month. The team placed eighth at the Future Farmers of America Floriculture Career Development Event in Indianapolis, Ind., part of the National FFA Convention in October. At the event, teams proved their understanding of plant science and the floriculture industry through various competitions based around decision-making, technical knowledge and customer service skills. The five-person Woodland team, coached by teacher Mary Ellen Vetter, was representing the state after winning first place in every event during the 2012 Washington State Floral Competition, held in March. Each team member won their own “gold emblem” award at the national competition, the highest ranking possible for individuals. “I was very impressed with the dedication and commitment that each member had to the success of the team,” Vetter said. There are 7,498 FFA chapters in the country with nearly 555,300 student members.