East Knox FFA Shines with Top 13 Finish at State Food Science Competition!

HOWARD — Four students from East Knox FFA recently took part in the State FFA Food Science Career Development Event on January 25 at The Ohio State University. They performed well, finishing in 13th place among teams from all over Ohio.

The team consisted of seniors Dylan Springer, Hayden Baker, and Aiden Kapper, along with junior Mackenzie Wilson.

During the competition, the students completed an online test about food science and technology. They dealt with real-world customer issues, identified food safety problems, and spotted manufacturing violations.

They also identified food processing equipment, solved nutrition-related math problems, and engaged in sensory evaluations through taste tests and smell identification. One of their key activities involved creating a food product, complete with a nutrition label and illustrations.

To qualify for the state event, the team secured first place out of eight teams in the District 7 contest earlier at Centerburg High School. The top four individual scores contributed to their team total.

In the district competition, Mackenzie Wilson came in second, Dylan Springer was third, Aiden Kapper took fourth, and Hayden Baker placed 14th among 60 contestants.

This marks the seventh consecutive year that East Knox FFA has participated in the state Food Science Career Development Event.