Kennedy Fillyaw , Lizette Nunez , Taylor Taylor , Baylee Tatum and Laurie Jo Burt work during their class ’ s Spring
2022 plant sale . Photo submitted by Michael Schwarz
Williams is now improving his leadership skills as an intern .
“ I like learning a lot of stuff like studying floral culture . I also like to go into the shade house and find and discover new stuff on the plants . [ For example ], I discovered a certain type of fern that had thorns or berries on it ,” Williams said .
Since starting his internship with the program , Williams has earned a “ higher level of understanding ” for general horticulture altogether . With his newfound skills and knowledge , he believes he can maintain his own greenhouse or shade house one day . He would like to pursue a career as a plant pathologist , which is a person who studies plants and their biological processes to understand how diseases affect plant health .
“ For the program , we ’ re trying to build leaders . We ’ re trying to figure out their pathways and figure out where they want to go . If they ’ re already involved in something heavily competition based , [ we ’ ll continue to ] use my class as a stepping stone and training period to continue the success ,” Schwarz said .
He dedicates the incoming student ’ s passions to the FFA ’ s
junior-level teachers at C . A . Gray Junior High and Willie J Williams Middle School .
“ They ’ re educating the kids well , and they ’ re feeding our programs adequately for sure ,” he added .
Any student interested in joining or learning more about the Colquitt County Future Farmers of America or the programs should contact their guidance counselors or an agriculture teacher .
“ I want resume-building items that kids can go and do . I think completing a pathway and seeing it through to the end shows that [ the kids ] care about me as a teacher to do all the tests and study as well as it shows that they came back the next year because they ’ re interested in horticulture in general .” — Michael Schwarz
Approximately 110 students , including CCHS senior Price Jarvis , competed in the Georgia FFA Area 5 floral design contest at the Sunbelt Ag Expo . The three-part contest tasked the contestants to create a design within 30 minutes , identify 25 different floral specimens and answer 25 questions based on the general floral industry and horticulture . Photo by Kasmira Smith
18 MoultrieScene MARCH 2023