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FFA Takes Top Spots at Statewide Agricultural Competition

Four young people stand in front of the New York FFA Building.
FFA Takes Top Spots at Statewide Agricultural Competition

The Waterville Jr./Sr. High School chapter of the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization had a banner year at the 2026 NYS Fair Career and Leadership Development Events (CDEs), held August 27 through September 3 at the state fairgrounds in Syracuse.

During the competition, FFA chapters from schools across the state showcased technical, communication and problem-solving skills across 14 agricultural science and business disciplines.

In the senior teams division, the Waterville FFA chapter earned top-three finishes in four contests. Waterville took first place in both the poultry evaluation and agronomy contests, second place in the environmental and natural resources contest and third place in the tree identification contest.

In the junior teams division, Waterville placed in the top three in the environmental and natural resources contest.

Waterville students also excelled in individual competitions:

  • Senior Individuals: Students placed in the top 10 across five contests. Hailey Keith and Layla Barnes finished in the top 10 for poultry evaluation. Heidi Pryputniewicz, Eli Pryputniewicz and Julianna Eisenhut placed in the top five for agronomy. Ryan Trevisani and Lillian Humphrey placed in the top 10 for wildlife identification and the top five for tree identification. Additionally, Ryan took first place and Lillian placed fourth in the environmental and natural resources contest.
  • Junior Individuals: Students secured top-10 finishes across four contests. Weston Pryputniewicz and Haydyn Ruane placed in the top 10 for horticulture. Parker Spooner placed in the top 10 for wildlife identification, the top three for tree identification and took first place in the environmental and natural resources contest.

Congratulations to all of our FFA students on these outstanding accomplishments! Your hard work, dedication and commitment to agricultural education continue to make Waterville proud!

The Waterville FFA will now move on to compete in the environmental and natural resources contest at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, MA on September 19. It will also be competing in the agronomy and poultry evaluation contest at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN in October.

A group of seven students and an adult woman stand in front of the New York FFA Building, holding awards and banners.
A group of students and an adult stand in front of the New York FFA Building, with some students holding awards.
Four teenagers stand in front of the New York FFA Building, with gravel on the ground and a light green corrugated metal wall behind them.
Five smiling young women stand in front of a Liberty-themed backdrop, holding a plaque and a banner celebrating their first-place win in the New York FFA State Final Poultry Evaluation CDE.
Two young women stand in front of a banner that reads %22New York FFA State Agronomy CDE 2026 1st Place Team,%22 with one holding a plaque and the other holding the banner.
Two young people shake hands in front of a large graphic of the Statue of Liberty.
A young woman in a purple shirt and khaki shorts shakes hands with a young man in an FFA shirt, both standing in front of a large graphic of the Statue of Liberty.
A young woman with blonde hair gives a thumbs up in front of a display board about biotechnology systems and ROC Star Ice Cream, with a framed photo and other visuals in the background.