PHOTO PROVIDED Pictured are members of the General Knowledge Team after placing first at the state FFA competition. They are, from left, Cooper Shade, Harper Tressler and Alaina Rettew-Leigey. All three students were in ninth grade at the time of the competition.

LOGANTON — Four FFA students from Sugar Valley Rural Charter School were headed to Massachusetts this past weekend for the Eastern Nationals competition known as “the Big E.”

The Big E is an agricultural competition that brings together high school students from across the Northeast to compete against one another in numerous contests.

Students are able to showcase their knowledge and skills and engage in hands-on learning at the event. They are even given opportunities to meet and connect with industry professionals.

The school’s Environmental and Natural Resources team, consisting of Marrin Clester, Austin Duck, Carson Sanders and Evangeline Andrus, qualified for Nationals after placing second at states in early June.

The students will have to complete tests similar to those they took during the state competition.

Unfortunately, due to college commitments, Duck will not be able to attend the competition. Kohana Yamashita will be his replacement.

Another SVRCS team did a great job at states as well.

The General Knowledge Team, consisting of then-ninth graders Cooper Shade, Harper Tressler and Alaina Rettew-Leigey, won fist place in the state competition. However they cannot advance further due to the fact there are no more competitions to compete in.

Advisor Chuck Bechdel noted previously each level of competition gets more challenging as you move from area competitions, state competitions and national competitions.

The students and advisors alike learn a lot and use the information to prepare for the next competition.

Advisors Bechdel, Robbie Weaver, Kim Bohartz and Jamie Fox were proud of the students for their accomplishments, and looked forward to seeing how the students would do.

The Express will offer more information about the competition in a future edition.