Life Opportunity: Compete At National FFA
“Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, living to serve.” - FFA motto
Students from the Mattabeset FFA Chapter in Middletown, Conn. competed against teams from across the state to win the 2010 state Environmental Science and National Resources competition.
Josh Mrozowski, Paul Kiniry, Andzrej Skonieczny, all from Middletown, and Liam Mellaly of Clinton, are now looking at an opportunity to represent Connecticut and compete at the National FFA Convention, Oct. 20 through Oct. 23 in Indianapolis.
“Because the contest includes such a wide range of skills, this team’s accomplishment is an extraordinary achievement,” according to Courtney Johnson, teacher and FFA advisor at Middletown Regional Agricultural Science and Technology Center.
The cost to send one team and a chaperone is about $4,000 (includes airfare, hotel, ground transportation, registration, food, etc.) In years previous, the costs were funded through the school systems. With budget cuts, that is no longer the case. In order to go to the nationals, funds must be raised.
To help support the team’s efforts and raise funds, a Duck Race will be held Oct. 2 (finalized site to be announced).
“There are several ways that people can help support the team,” notes Johnson. “A tax deductible donation in sponsorship of the team, a duck race prize donation, or simply help sell ducks before the race.”
“A Way With Animals”: A Vo-Ag Student Profile
Editor’s note: Students for natural resources “identify wildlife, evaluate soil profiles to determine land use, test water quality to determine sources of pollution, assess ecosystem quality and create management plans.” But what that description doesn’t say is that each person has a skill all their own, and a struggle to help that grow as they face personal challenges in life to reach their goals. We’ll also do an update on the duck race and the team’s efforts to reach the nationals.
Josh Mrozowski has a way with animals.
Take, for instance, Holly, his pet duck.
“Holly is 7. He hatched Dec. 15, no other eggs did - and he had to stay in the house all winter,” explained Diane Mrozowski, Josh’s mother. “Josh bonded with him. Holly bites me, but listens to Josh’s direction and can do all sorts of things.”
Josh absorbs knowledge by reading books on turtles and reptiles (his favorites) plus insects, fish and plant life. He does extensive walking to identify plants and invasive species and learn by observation on how things grow and where. At home, he tends a thriving vegetable garden, collects seeds, and grows them into plants in a greenhouse. Last year, while on a walk at Wadsworth State Park he found a baby goose pinned between two rocks, its foot was wedged and it could not move.
“The flock was gone, and he brought it home, raised it so it could stand on its own, and he released it into the wild back. He is tagged by the state.” This spring Josh met his goose again, identified by the same band. “That goose came up to Josh,” she explained. “The offspring will come to him too. It’s amazing how they know. Josh is like Doctor Doolittle.”
“My main goal is so these kids can go and not worry how to pay things out of pocket,” she notes. “I know Josh has ‘I know I can do this’ attitude because of this program. He is a kid who was negative because of his history of Asperger’s and never feeling he could accomplish things. I really want to support them in this process, these teachers and the program the director - Rebecca Isaacson, she had took him under her wing and going in the right direction. He became more social, has excelled, and built self esteem - I have to thank the vo-ag program for that. It creates a hands-on environment and it’s very positive. I know for Josh it’s a real big thing.”
Note: For information about sponsorship or donating a prize for the Duck Race or other efforts to support the team, or the horse judging team at vo-ag, call Courtney Johnson, agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, at (860) 704-4599, extension 4049, or e-mail johnsonc@mps1.org. The Mattabeset FFA Chapter is an affiliate of the National FFA, which is part of agricultural education at high schools throughout the U.S.
