Members of the New Lexington FFA forestry team are headed to national competition after winning the state title in Perry County, capping a busy fall for the chapter. The team took first place on September 26 at Hocking College in Nelsonville, according to a community announcement from the chapter, and the championship qualifies New Lexington to compete at the national competition in October 2027.
The Ohio FFA forestry career development event put students through a wide range of practical and written tests tied to work in the woods. Competitors were judged on leaf identification, forest products and wood types, and forestry equipment, and they also worked with topographic maps and completed a written exam. A compass practicum added another hands-on challenge, requiring students to take azimuth readings and measure distances from designated points.
New Lexington placed several students near the top of a large individual field as well. Andre Spicer finished first individually among almost 200 members, while Chad Hatfield placed third and Arloine Metzger placed fourth. Marley Mendez-Santiago finished 11th, Drake Edwards finished 19th and Rebecca Gibbs finished 20th, and Arleigh Gibson, Cambrie Murdock and Eilley Fink also were members of the championship team.
Spicer said the result reflected years of growth for the group and credited the guidance behind it. "Being a part of the forestry team really is an incredible experience," Spicer said. "From my freshman year to now, I have seen this team grow and improve, all with Mrs. Foster’s help. And this year, our team getting first in the state will be a truly unforgettable experience that I will miss so much."
The chapter plans to honor the team at the National FFA Convention next year, according to the announcement. That recognition will come as the students begin the long preparation for the October 2027 national contest, where they will represent Ohio against forestry teams from across the country in the same kinds of identification, equipment and field skills that carried them to the state title.
The state championship was not the chapter’s only outdoor work this fall. Earlier in September, New Lexington FFA members traded forestry competition for paddles during the chapter’s annual canoe trip, held September 15 at Hocking Hills Canoe Livery in Logan. About 100 middle and high school students took part, traveling five miles down the Hocking River while practicing communication, problem-solving, rowing and coordination skills.
Students on the canoe trip worked through challenges that included paddling in sync and keeping their canoes dry, and after completing the trip they received food and drinks served by New Lexington FFA agriculture teachers. Fink described the outing as a fall highlight, and the chapter said the trip is among the events it offers to encourage team bonding, personal growth and communication skills — the same teamwork now carrying its forestry team from a state title in Nelsonville toward nationals next year.