The 2022 National FFA Convention and Expo has come and gone but we are still highlighting all the amazing students that attended.
One of the events at the expo was the student showcase.
Meet Ft. White Middle FFA member Evan McKinney
McKinney (15) is from Branford, Florida and has been in FFA for 3 years.
He does not have an ag background but has a passion for gardening and hydroponics. He even made his first hydroponics set at the age of 11 where he grew a variety of pepper plants.
Joining FFA gave McKinney an avenue to pursue a real-world application for his passion.
“I now want to continue to improve my current hydroponics system and attend college to study agrisciences and food production through hydroponics.”
At the Student Showcase, McKinney took home the championship for the Agriscience Division 2: Power Structure and Technical Systems.
“Winning the National Championship was like being in a dream. When you do these projects, you basically do not do them just to win but for a purpose and to make a difference,” he stated. “I worked many days and hours on doing my research and analyzing it. I found that in order to be a National Champion, you do the best you can and work with others. No excuses! My goal was to find a way to empower others in a food desert community to be able to produce their own vegetables using recycled materials from their community at a low cost and to increase food production for our future population. It feels good to know that what you have accomplished something with a meaningful purpose.”
You can read more about his research below!
Evan & Marshall 2nd Agriscience Final Application 22.pdfWhen asked why FFA is important to him:
“To me FFA means that we are the future of agriculture, the new generation of agriculturalists receiving the generational torch so that we can keep American agriculture alive, growing and improving the quality of life for others in the world.”
