Laurens District 55 High School Agriculture Students Win Big at the 2023 South Carolina State Fair Competition

The Laurens District 55 High School (LDHS) Agriculture students received an extra warm welcome from LDHS administrators, teachers, staff members, and students on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. The LDHS Agriculture Team led by LDHS FFA Advisors Kyle Penland (Horticulture Instructor) and AnnaSue Crowder (Agriculture Instructor) returned from the 2023 South Carolina State Fair in Columbia with big wins.

The LDHS Agriculture Tractor Driving Team won First Place out of 54 teams who competed in the FFA Tractor Safety & Operations Career Development Event (CDE) Competition. The LDHS Agriculture Tractor Driving Team members who competed are Luke Penland, Matthew Starling, Nate Campbell, and Zech Wilson. Two LDHS Agriculture Tractor Driving Team members placed on top of the FFA Tractor Safety & Operations Individual Category Competition. Luke Penland won First Place, while Matthew Starling won Second Place. There were 216 students who competed in the individual category.

Luke Penland won Seventh Place in the 2022 FFA Tractor Safety & Operations Individual Category Competition. He is thrilled to be in the top place this year. Luke said, “It feels really good. It was fun making good memories with good friends in FFA during my senior year. I have also enjoyed all of the after-school practices.” 

Luke is thankful for the support he received to make it to the top and for the real-life skills he has learned. “I would like to thank Mr. Penland, Mr. Lothridge, and Mrs. Crowder for all of the advice and encouragement. I have used my skills working in the fields in my Sports Turf Management class and my internship with the Commission of Public Works. I use the tractor and trailer driving skills to plow and plant food plots on our hunting land,” Luke stated. 

Luke’s parents, LCSD 55 Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jody Penland and Michelle Penland, are very proud of Luke and the LDHS Agriculture Team. “We are glad we witnessed him and the team compete and win, but we also got to witness the depth of their friendships and support for each other as teammates, which was very encouraging. We are very proud of him and this year’s team and their accomplishments,” said Michelle Penland.

Dr. Penland shared, “We are grateful for the opportunities that Luke has had through the LDHS Career and Technology Education (CATE) Department including FFA, horticulture, agriculture, and welding, which allows him and other students to be a part of programs they love.” 

FFA Tractor Safety & Operations Individual Category Competition Second Place Winner Matthew Starling also shared his excitement about his and his team’s accomplishments. Matthew said, “I am proud of my second-place win. I am also proud of the entire high school team for bringing home the first-place title in the state. Our win is a product of hard work over the past few years. Winning this competition and being a part of FFA shows my love for agriculture and my willingness to do my very best for the future of agriculture.”  

Matthew’s mother, Hickory Tavern School Principal Emily Starling, is truly proud of Matthew. She said, “Matthew is a caring young man who loves all things agriculture. He works hard at school and at his job to display his true desire to promote agriculture for this generation and those to come.” 

Another competition LDHS Agriculture students participated in was the SC State Fair Swine Show. Walt Addy and Anna Barrett Penland participated in that competition. Anna Barrett won Grand Champion Overall Showman, Supreme Champion Breeding Gilt, and Grand Champion Overall, and was awarded by the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation the 2023 South Carolina State Fair Jr. Swine Scholarship. Anna received a $2,500 cash prize. Winning the scholarship was not an easy task. Anna went through a rigorous application process. Anna Barrett said, “This scholarship would help me to be able to start my business and to help me to be able to get more education about Magna Wave therapy. Also, having such great success in the show ring has allowed me to gain connections and contacts with reputable breeders around the country.”  We are also proud of Walt Addy’s accomplishments in the swine barn. Walt placed Third in Senior Showmanship. He also had a Class Winner and a Second Place in the Swine Market Classes.

Anna Barrett’s parents, LDHS FFA Advisor Kyle Penland and Waterloo Elementary School Principal Kimberly Penland are overjoyed. Mrs Penland said, “Anna Barrett is a kind, loving, Christian young lady. She sets goals and works hard to achieve them. We are very proud of how she has balanced her studies and extracurricular activities such as volleyball, church functions, livestock projects, and FFA events. With her drive and determination, we feel she will excel in anything she chooses to accomplish.”

LCSD 55 Superintendent Dr. Ameca Thomas personally congratulated the LDHS Agriculture students and their teachers on their accomplishments on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. 

Today, Dr. Thomas expressed once more her congratulatory remarks. “Congratulations to our remarkable agricultural students and teachers for their outstanding achievements! We are thankful to Kyle Penland and AnnaSue Crowder for their zealousness in teaching. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and hard work, which has led them to excel in the competition. These triumphs not only showcase the incredible aptitude and knowledge of our agricultural students but also highlight the opportunities and growth that our program provides. We are immensely proud of every student who participated and want to offer our heartfelt congratulations to Luke Penland, Matthew Starling, Anna Barrett Penland, Walt Addy, and the entire team. Together, we celebrate their accomplishments and look forward to even greater achievements in the future,” said Dr. Thomas.

Dr. Thomas encourages other students to discover the LDHS Career and Technology Education (CATE) Agricultural/Horticultural programs and get to know the knowledgeable and friendly instructors. 

AnnaSue Crowder is passionate about agriculture and teaching. “As a child, I grew up participating in FFA & 4-H and dreamed of becoming an Agriculture teacher one day and sharing my love for agriculture with them. Watching our students succeed, creating strong work ethics and having fun while learning about agriculture is bringing my dream to reality,” said Crowder.

“Per the 2017 Agriculture Census for Laurens County there are 840 farms in Laurens County using roughly 122,322 acres of land in the county. If we want to see these numbers to grow and prosper, then we must invest in the young people in this community. This starts with our agriculture/horticulture programs. This isn’t just a job for us, this is a way of life, this is how we make a living and how we provide for our families. We are proud of our program and our students,” Crowder added.