Primary classes often don’t teach skills that can be important to a student’s future. When it comes to CTE classes, this changes, gaining skills applicable to everyday life and careers. This practice can be vital both because of students finding a career path within it, and by opening them up to new opportunities elsewhere.

“This was my first time ever showing at the fair,“ sophomore Braden Tedder said. “I worked with Lane Sutton for our project which was a bow blind. Being my first show I wasn’t expecting to get a blue ribbon, but I’m glad I did well and that everyone else did too.“

 With a variety of projects possible, some based their choice on the needs of those auctioning.

“Mason Lightfoot and I built the deer feeder together,“ sophomore Drake Perry said. “The reason why we made a deer feeder is it’s a project that when it goes to auction for Willis FFA, it’s something that more than just one person will want. We went through trials and errors but we wanted the feeder to be near perfect for the buyer so they could have a feeder that would last for many years.”

Putting in months of work, everyone competing got an opportunity to hone their skills.

“Everything on the feeder was hand-built and machined custom for the project.“ junior Mason Lightfoot said. “All of our hard work paid off at the fair winning second place in division 5 for ag mechanics. Overall the feeder was a fun process and a great experience for us.“

Some saw the projects as a time to work on their passion personally and let them get to know their teammates better and show off their welding. 

“The work we did was important but getting to spend all that time on something I liked and attend the fair while showing off that work was pretty cool,“ junior Lane Sutton said. “I already knew most of the guys doing the projects but mostly only at school. Spending time at the fair with them and seeing their own projects, I guess we got to know each other better.“

The team winning the Sweepstakes for Ag Mechanics left instructors proud of their student’s efforts. 

“All the kids did well this year and it seems like everyone went pretty far from where they started,“ Ag mechanics teacher Ryan Slott said. “I’m proud to say the Willis Ag Mechanics group won the Sweepstakes this year, and want to see this become a regular thing for all the future classes too.“