Polk County Public Schools
Felicia Rowell, currently a senior at Fort Meade Middle-Senior, was one of 1, 500 students nationally chosen to participate in this summer's Electric Cooperative Youth Tour held in Washington, D.C., during a week in June. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is a combined effort of national electric co-ops and Felecia was one of four students from the Peace River Electric Cooperative's service territory selected to participate.
Youth Tour participants visited Washington, D.C.'s landmarks including Arlington National Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum, Lincoln Memorial, the many war memorials and Mount Vernon.
Felicia met Florida Congressmen Adam Putnam (R-Bartow) and Vern Buchanan (R-Sarasota) and other elected representatives. Youth Tour participants discussed government, current issues and also increased their knowledge of American history and electric cooperatives.
Felicia was chosen to participate on the basis of an essay she submitted. PRECO offered the essay contest to 15 high schools in the counties the cooperative serves.
Students from eight Polk schools were recently honored at the August 25 school board meeting for winning top five awards in 2007-2008 state FFA events. They were also honored at the 80th State FFA Convention held in Orlando during the summer. Students are listed by school with award and competition category.
Leigh Ann Barthle (Haines City High), Chelsea Myers (Kathleen High), Kaylee Norris (Frostproof Middle) and Tina Yale (Kathleen High) all won multiple FFA awards. Myers won three top five awards while Barthle, Norris and Yale won two each.
Bartow High: Reagan Lee, first, agriscience fair-botany division; Lee was also a state finalist for Agriscience Student of the Year.
Fort Meade Middle: team of Kayla Adcox, Scotty Crum, Haley Pawley and Brittany Mansfield, fifth, citrus judging.
Frostproof Middle: team of Erin Daughtry, Taylor Dickinson, Marisol Espinoza, Kathryn Flood, Kaleigh Jenkins, Kaylee Norris, Kirsten Scarborough, state champion, opening and closing ceremony execution; Hannah Terrebonne, fourth, extemporaneous public speaking; Kaylee Norris, fifth, prepared public speaking.
Frostproof Senior: Frostproof Senior FFA chapter, first, Harvest of Change fundraising campaign; Amber Bowers, Jessica Hall, Scarlett McCullers, Hollie Rimes and Brittany Rose, state FFA degree recipients.
George Jenkins High (Lakeland): Heather Erskine, state proficiency winner and national silver finalist, turfgrass management.
Haines City High: Mary Catherine Lewis, third, ornamental horticulture marketing; Katie Mixon, third, ornamental horticulture landscaping; team of Leigh Ann Barthle and Jonathan Duff, third, ornamental horticulture artistic arrangement; team of Leigh Ann Barthle, Nicole Beaumont, Cameron Herndon, Whitney Lane, Emilee Sanford and Buddy Solomon, fifth, agricultural issues;
Lake Gibson Middle (Lakeland): team of Chyanne Matthews and Cassie Campbell, second, ornamental horticulture artistic arrangement;
Kathleen High (Lakeland): team of Chelsea Myers, Kasie Myers, Michael Stokes and Katlyn Walker, first, forestry; Chelsea Myers, first, ornamental horticulture marketing; team of Danielle Bass and Brandi Lewis, first, ornamental horticulture; team of Kasie Myers and Katlyn Walker, third, ornamental horticulture consumer use; team of Robert Hiza, Joseph Heath, Victor Rocha and Tina Yale, fourth, citrus identification; team of Kelly Layton, Kristin O’Berry, Chelsea Myers and Tina Yale, fourth, nursery and landscape; Nathaniel Lawson, fifth, creed speaking; Danielle Bass, Mike Dunn and Alica Lindley, state FFA degrees.