LI’L BIT COUNTRY
City teens vs. rural kids in farm faceoff
HALF A DOZEN Queens high school students are trading the bright lights of the city for the lure of the country at this week’s premiere national student agriculture convention in Indianapolis.
Students in John Bowne High School’s Agriculture Department have been prepping for months to prove they’ve got what it takes to beat rural teens from across the country on Wednesday in the veterinary science competition.
“It’s nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time,” said vet science team captain Catherine Rowe, 16, of Bayside. “I want to kick some country butt!”
The Flushing students, who are the only kids from New York City competing, won the state championship in vet science in May.
“I couldn’t be prouder,” said John Bowne Assistant Principal Steve Perry, who oversees the school’s agriculture department. “The kids are outstanding.”
Three recent John Bowne graduates will also compete in the agri-science competition at the four-day National FFA Convention & Expo. The group used to be called Future Farmers of America.
“I’m superexcited,” said John Bowne junior Victoria Cassagnol, 16, of Jackson Heights. “Considering we’re not country kids . . . we have more to prove.”
Her team of four has been preparing since July for the convention by cramming over the summer and staying late after class.
But to take home the top prize, her team will need to ace an exam, write an essay, identify animal breeds and parasites, as well as calculate medical doses, simulate clinical procedures and demonstrate how to restrain various animals. They will also perform a skit about a dog with gingivitis.
“It’s a very big deal,” said FFA spokeswoman Kristy Meyer, who is expecting about 55,000 convention attendees. “They receive national recognition.”
The students honed their skills on the school’s 3.8-acre farm, which boasts live chickens, sheep and alpaca, as well as an apple orchard, greenhouse and plant nursery.
Many students also do internships, ranging from working at local zoos to milking cows on upstate dairy farms.
“When an urban kid arrives at an agriculture event, the rural (kids) are wary,” Perry said. But “our kids . . . can walk the walk. They can talk the talk.”