Archer High students earn FFA recognition

     Two students from Archer High School have earned state and national recognition for their skills in Agriscience. Seniors Caleb Arzu and Anaswara Chackonal were recognized as Division 6 State winners in the Agriscience Fair for the category of Environmental Services and Natural Resource Systems during the spring 2025 National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Organization State Convention. The students are also National Finalists and will learn if they are in the top three during the National FFA Convention & Expo in October.

     Dustin Davis-Austin, Director of Academies and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE), commended their efforts, stating, “Career and Technical Student Organizations, such as FFA, help transform classroom learning into practical skills, giving students the confidence to compete, lead, and succeed in their chosen career paths while building the professional networks and character traits that last a lifetime.”

     Caleb and Anaswara’s project is titled "Gelifi: The Creation of an Alternative Form of Hard Plastics as a Method of Decreasing Human Impact on the Environment." Their innovative research focused on developing a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics which has been designed to fully biodegrade within just a few days.

     “This is a project that they have been working on for multiple years, and they are both very passionate about finding real-world solutions that protect our environment,” says Tayelor Long, Archer High agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. “The two created this [project] as their first step to achieving their future career goals of alleviating the most pressing environmental challenges!”

     The National FFA Organization gives students the chance to grow as leaders, connect classroom learning to real-world experiences and gain confidence in themselves in general, Long adds. Competing in general allows students to show their hard work while building skills that will last a lifetime, such as public speaking and soft skills. Most importantly, these opportunities help shape students into young leaders who are prepared for success in college, careers, and life.

     The National FFA Organization (FFA) is a dynamic youth organization that changes lives and prepares members for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.