Penn Manor FFA poultry team places among top 10 in the nation

The Manor FFA Poultry Evaluation Team, comprised of Penn Manor High School students, placed in the top 10 nationally at the recent FFA National Convention.

The team of Lizzy Strickler, Jenna Smith, Carly Railing and Molly Gehr — all Penn Manor sophomores — earned a gold ranking and placed ninth out of 37 teams in the National Poultry Evaluation Career Development Event, held October 28 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Individually, Carly Railing and Jenna Smith earned gold rankings, and Carly placed 17th out of 148. Molly Gehr earned a silver medal.

During the competition, the students had to take a written test on poultry management, complete a team problem-solving activity on poultry nutrition and processing, evaluate live hens and broilers, grade eggs and chicken carcasses based on USDA criteria, and identify retail poultry meat cuts.

Also at the national convention, 2020 Penn Manor graduate Darby Conrad received the American Degree, the highest honor in FFA.