DOVER, Del. (June 28, 2023) – Odessa High School in Townsend placed first among six Delaware high school FFA chapters that squared off at Brecknock County Park in Camden last week, at the annual “Forestry Career Development Event (CDE),” a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry tools and knowledge, and math-related abilities. Each team consisted of four students who answered both individual and team-based questions. Led by their instructor Jeff Billings, Odessa also fielded the event’s individual overall winner, Natalie Holdren. The event was held in cooperation with the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service.

Schools represented this year were Odessa, Woodbridge, Smyrna, Christiana, Middletown and Sussex Central. Delaware Forest Service Trainer-Educator Ashley Melvin developed the curriculum and organized the event, which tested student knowledge in six separate skill areas: tree identification, equipment identification and troubleshooting, timber stand improvement, compass and pacing, board-foot volume estimation, and an individual written examination.

Odessa High School will now go on to represent the First State against teams from all over the U.S. as part of the four-day National FFA Convention scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

According to the FFA, Career Development Events help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market.”

There are 26 CDEs, covering job skills in everything from communications to mechanics. Some events allow students to compete as individuals, while others allow them to compete in teams.

Here are photo highlights and captions from the individual schools that competed in the event.

Middletown FFA students working together to solve a forestry challenge.

Smyrna FFA students utilize forestry compasses as part of the Forestry CDE Challenge.

The writing portion of the Forestry CDE Challenge was moved indoors to our DDA office in Dover.

About Delaware Forest Service
The mission of the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service (DFS) is to conserve, protect, and enhance Delaware forests and their resources for the public through education, management, demonstration, promotion, and providing technical services in a timely and efficient manner. DFS provides a wide range of services to help Delawareans manage and improve their forest resources. These services are divided into three categories: conservation, protection, and education. For more information, visit the website de.gov/forestry and connect with DFS on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.