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5th in the Nation!!!
 
Abby Anderson, Chase Partin, Molly Sayre, and Cole Tipton
of the David Crockett FFA Chapter represented Tennessee in the
2013 National Forestry CDE, placing 5th in the National Contest,
winning a Gold Emblem Award.
40 states competed in the CDE (Career Development Event). Only 10 of these teams were named Gold Emblem Award winners in the CDE, given to those teams who are the best competitors. Of the 24 National FFA CDE's held this year, only 7 Tennessee teams won Gold Emblem Awards.
The team qualified for the national contest by winning their state contest in June; only state-winning Forestry CDE teams are allowed to compete and have the privilege to represent their states. Virginia placed 1st, Louisiana was 2nd, Missouri was 3rd, and Arkansas was 4th. The contest was held during 2 days at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, KY.
The National Forestry CDE is a competitive event that tests students' skills and knowledge in the area of forest management. Event components include a General Knowledge Exam, Tree Identification, Timber Cruising, Disorders Identification, a Chainsaw Practicum, Topographic Mapping, a Compass and Pacing Practicum, and a Forestry Issues Interview. A Team Activity was also a main component of the contest, requiring teammates to complete management practices together in a timed activity. The CDE helps FFA members think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market.
Chase Partin placed 9th High Individual, winning $400. He was 18 points from 1st High Individual. Cole Tipton placed 15th High Individual, Abby Anderson placed 29th High Individual, and Molly Sayre placed 31st High Individual in an enormously competitive 2-day event. Each won individual Gold Emblem Awards. Out of 1650 points, the team finished 124 points from 1st place.
More importantly, the team gained incredible leadership skills during preparation and at the contest. Their study habits alone has prepared them for college success. They truly stood out among other states, as they made friends with fellow competitors from across the nation who have the same interests. After 2 grueling days, each member was physically and mentally exhausted at the end. Their experience will be remembered a lifetime.
"The National Forestry CDE is my all time favorite CDE. It has taught me how to study, how to be confident in myself, and how to work efficiently within a team. I also learned to love the forest. Of course, I've always loved being in the woods. As a kid, My great grandmother and I would try to find sassafras trees because they were good firewood. My family and I would also collect leaves in the fall. This competition has taught me to love the forest from a job perspective. What I think is cool is that The parts of the competition are what a forester does on a daily basis. Overall, this competition has taught me many important things and I am blessed to have gotten as far as we did."
-Abby Anderson
"I can honestly say that I have never been more prepared for anything in my life. I spent months studying, measuring, and getting myslef mentally ready for this. However, the reason this is important to me is the fact that I know that through all endeavors, I can prepare for anything. Because of this competition, I now feel like motivation comes naturally. I never thought that I would be where I am today and all it took was this motivation. The motivation to do great is such a powerful thing, especially when you have a great team of people: Abby, Molly, and Cole. I can say that I am truly grateful to have such wonderful people around, and I can't wait to do it all over again in the next competition." - Chase
"This was definitely an experience that I will never forget. I learned so much and not just about trees but about how important confidence, friendship, and preparation are in anything I will ever do in life. I can't say how thankful I am to have gone through this. Especially with such great people." -Molly
“After coming so far with this team there’s nothing I would want to change. Together we’ve gone through ups and downs and the intense strain that comes with this competition. In the end though we gave our all the whole way and knew that what had happened was honestly the best possible result.” - Cole
Watch local news channel, WJHL TV-11, piece here.
The National FFA Organization website has an official press release about the event at: https://www.ffa.org/documents/conv_2013_cde_forestry.pdf
Curriculum connections and Related Academic Standards can be found in the Forestry CDE Handbook, pages 20-28 at:
https://www.ffa.org/documents/cde_forestry_2012.pdf
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