November 25, 2024

For Immediate Release
Office of Public Information|
Crowder College

RE: Crowder College hosts Professional Agriculture Students state conference

Neosho, MO – The Crowder College Agriculture Division hosted over 100 students from across the state for the Missouri Professional Agriculture Students annual conference, November 7-9 on the Neosho, MO campus.

College Agriculture majors from across the state convened for their annual conference to learn, network, and compete with peers. The conference kicked off with a tour of Hump Back Dairy located in Miller, MO. With close to 200 milking camel cows, Hump Back Dairy provides high quality camel milk to niche markets across the country in pints, quarts and gallons. Starting with one milking camel 15 years ago, they have developed a fully commercial milking facility.

The participants then competed in Specialist contests, in which their knowledge of various agricultural career paths, such as Agronomy, Livestock, Horticulture, Soils and Equine sciences was tested. The highly coveted College Quiz Bowl also began on day one, in which teams of five students from each college, compete in a quiz bowl contest consisting of questions in anything agricultural.

PAS participants then competed in various professional development contests such as Career Planning, Career Progress and Employment Interview, in each of the career paths as well. These contests evaluate career research, planning and goal setting amongst students. Also, the students went through an Employment Interview process with industry professionals and were evaluated compared to their peers. Prepared speaking, Farm Bureau Issues, Marketing and Promotion, and Agriculture Education events were also held the second day of the conference. Ashlyn Fox, Crowder Ag Education major from Gravette, AR, stated “The Missouri PAS competitions gave me valuable experience within my career field of agricultural education and further prepared me for future success.”

Dr. Chett Daniels, Associate Vice President of Career and Technical Education, Robin Farmer and Duane Kaiser of Farm Bureau, and Jennifer Bloss, Executive Director of National PAS addressed the group throughout the event. Newton and McDonald County Cattlemen’s Association grilled steaks for the final dinner of the conference and members of the musical group Rangeline provided entertainment for the evening.

Crowder College was well represented by ag majors, with 23 of the 23 participants qualifying for the national conference to be held at Sheridan Community College, Sheridan Wyoming, in March.

The following Crowder Aggies competed and placed in the state PAS contests.

Career Planning:      
Ag Education Systems – Taaron Drake, 1^st; Ashlyn Fox, 2^nd; Christian Booth, 4^th
AgBusiness Systems – Anna Sheets, 4^th
Animal Systems – Iris Scharnhorst, 1^st; Maelyn Wright, 2^nd

Career Progress:
Ag Education Systems – Hannah Fehring, 1^st; Hannnah Klaiber, 2^nd
Animal Systems – Buster Spinks, 1^st

Employment Interview:
Agribusiness Sales – Lilly Weber, 3^rd; Anna Sheets, 4^th
Livestock Production – Buster Spinks, 1^st; Kiley Freeman, 4^th
Agriculture Education – Hannah Fehring, 1^st; Ashlynn Fox, 2^nd; Mya Lowrey, 3^rd; Hannah Klaiber, 5^th; Taaron Drake, 6^th

Career Specialists:

Agriculture Education – Taaron Drake, 1^st; Ashlyn Fox,  2^nd
Ag Sales – Christian Booth, 2^nd ; Wyatt Shadwick, 3^rd
Agronomy – Spencer Bowles, 3^rd
Animal Health – Anna Sheets, 1^st
Conservation and Natural Resources – Christian Booth, 2^nd; Wyatt Shadwick, 3^rd
Equine – Buster Spinks, 4^th
Floriculture – Hannah Klaiber, 2^nd; Hannah Fehring, 2^nd
Landscaping – Hannah Fehring, 3^rd
Livestock – Orran Cope, 3^rd: Iris Scharnhorst, 3^rd
Turf Grass – Mya Lowery, 4^th
Prepared Speaking – Ashlyn Fox, 1^st; Kyle Ferron, 3^rd
Farm Bureau Discussion Meet – Lilly Weber, 3^rd; Hannah Fehring, 4th
College Quiz Bowl – 2^nd place – Orran Cope, Wyatt Shadwick, Mya Lowery, Taaron Drake, Anna Sheets
State Officer: Samantha Koehler – President

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Last Updated on November 26, 2024 by Cindy