Students from Culpeper County Public Schools (CCPS) represented their schools with pride at the 2024 Virginia State Fair, competing in several 4-H/FFA and SkillsUSA contests. The fair, held annually at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia, ran from September 27 to October 6, 2024. This year, CCPS students demonstrated their skills in events that highlighted their knowledge in agriculture, equine science, agriscience, horticulture and cosmetology.
CCPS students had great results at this year’s State Fair competitions. Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director Randi Richards-Lutz said, “The success of this year's State Fair competitions can be attributed to the dedication of both the students and their teacher advisers. They put in tremendous effort to learn, practice, and showcase their talents and skills. The future looks very promising for these students!”
In the 4-H/FFA Hippology Contest, students tested their knowledge in equine science, including topics such as equine selection, management, and production. Culpeper High School's junior team, composed of Peyton DeLano, Hannah Batchelor, Makayla Bowen, and Victoria Dennis, placed 9th out of 38 teams, with Peyton DeLano securing a personal 16th place out of 116 contestants. Sarah Johnson, competing as an individual in the senior category, placed 77th out of 166 participants.
Culpeper Middle School also shone in the Junior Hippology competition, with Olivia Aylor, Jilian Buell, Avery Edwards, and Fatima Dasher placing 8th.
In the Junior Agriculture Demonstration competition, Culpeper Middle School's team of Olivia Aylor and Avery Edwards claimed 4th place. Floyd T. Binns Middle School took 1st place in the same category with a strong performance by Trinley Robson and Bailey Thornton.
Eastern View High School (EVHS) also had a successful showing in horticulture and agriscience competitions. Holly Savage earned 2nd place in the Horticulture Demonstration category—a remarkable accomplishment considering her transformation in public speaking skills. Chloe Woods secured 11th place in the Senior Division Agriscience Demonstration, coming within one point of breaking into the top 10.
In the Agriscience Research Poster Contest, Floyd T. Binns Middle School’s team of Bouldin Tapscott and Layton Reames placed 7th. Their peers, Trinley Robson, Bailey Thornton, Cora Husch, and Susanna Barnhurst, achieved a 5th place finish in Junior Hippology.
In addition to FFA success, students from the Culpeper Technical Education Center (CTEC) Cosmetology program participated in SkillsUSA competitions, demonstrating their expertise in the areas of total look, mannequin combout, and fantasy nails. Highlights include:
- Evelyn Shailor, along with Nya Powell and Emma Schwier, took 3rd place in the Total Lopetition.
- Haley Andrade achieved 2nd place in Mannequin Combout, followed by Bailey Rice in 3rd place, Angely Quinteros in 6th place, and Alexandra Thomasson in 10th place.
- In the Fantasy Nails category, Ava Fur placed 10th, and Alexandra Lobo Molina placed 9th.
The competitions provided an exciting platform for CCPS students to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world settings, developing skills that will serve them in their future educational and career endeavors. Their successes at the State Fair and in SkillsUSA underscore the strength of the agricultural and technical education programs at Culpeper County Public Schools.
For more information about FFA and CTEC programs and events, visit: