A group of Spoon River College agricultural students competed in the annual spring Illinois PAS (Professional Agriculture Students) Conference on February 12 at Heartland Community College. Ethan Voss, Emilee Franklin, Olivia McLouth, Hannah Thompson, and Danica Geeseman all participated in at least two competitions as part of the SRC college bowl team.
Voss and Franklin competed in the conservation and natural resources team event which included taking a test, identifying plants, insects, and trees, and giving a presentation on a natural resource topic.
McLouth, Thompson, and Geeseman competed in the soils team event which also included taking a test, identifying soils horizons, and solving a soils problem.
Teams are set up against each other and must be the first to buzz in and answer a variety of agriculture questions correctly. The students were coached by agriculture professor Dr. Shelby Henning and alumni coordinator Michelle Howe.
“SRC has a long history of participating in Illinois and National PAS competitions,” said Howe. “We want the current generation of SRC students to have these experiences, learn new leadership skills, make new friends, and get out of their comfort zones.”
The Fulton County Farm Bureau sponsored the students to attend the event.
The Illinois and National PAS organization is a professional, career-focused organization for college students (2-year or 4-year) in agricultural programs. It prepares students for the workforce through competitive events, leadership training, and networking, serving as a collegiate-level parallel to FFA.
Pictured l-r are Ethan Voss, Emilee Franklin, Olivia McLouth, Hannah Thompson, and Danica Geeseman.
