On Saturday, March 1st, Mesalands Community College welcomed 478 students from grade 7 – 12 on its campus for the Trude Bauler Memorial Scholarship Invitational, where students participated in various FFA contests. These future farmers came from all over the state to take part in what’s considered an excellent learning and testing opportunity. 28 different schools registered to give their students the chance to get valuable experience and credentials that would get them closer to the state FFA contests. 3 universities brought representatives, namely West Texas A&M University, Eastern New Mexico University, and New Mexico State University. All proceeds from the event went into a scholarship fund available to FFA members and graduating seniors from Tucumcari, Logan, San Jon, House, and Vaughn. Learn more about applying for scholarships here.
At the event, aspiring farmers participated in various contests, including meat cutting, milk quality testing, reasons class, and calf roping practice, among others. This all happened under the supervision of the college’s faculty and staff who were there to facilitate the event and help score the contests. Students also engaged in other activities that the college offered. They played chess, video games, ping pong, and more. Amid the event, college recruiters provided students with more information about relevant degrees and certificates that would match the interest of those future farmers.
This FFA meet is a great match for Mesalands Community College as the college offers programs in related fields, such as agri-business, animal science, and farrier science. It presented an option to this student for a school to attend once they graduate high school. They had the chance to experience the campus firsthand, interact with faculty and staff, and even use the school’s state-of-the-art facilities for some contests.
Mesalands Community College was proud to serve the area by using its facilities to make this highly valued event happen, which opens opportunities for hundreds of future farmers. The school is always looking for opportunities to showcase its pride in its southwestern heritage, and this event was another great opportunity to do so. Next year’s edition is likely to bring even more FFA contests, giving students in the area adequate preparation for the state and national contests. There is an ambition to include welding, electrical wiring, as well as ag mech contests, to name a few. FFA students from the area and beyond will therefore be looking forward to the school’s next edition of the Trude Bauler Memorial Scholarship Invitational.
