The Birdville Center of Technology and Advanced Learning (BCTAL) Future Farmers of America (FFA) Radio Broadcast team, Jacob Joyner, Macaela Paris, and Morgan Ward, are competing at the State FFA Leadership Development Events (LDE) Competition Dec. 3–4 in Huntsville, TX.  

In preparation for the competition, teachers and students sit down and pick an agriculture topic currently in the headlines. The topic chosen by the BCTAL team is the current infrastructure bill and the impact on the economy and, specifically, the agriculture business. The students then present their script over microphones to a panel of judges to make it seem like this is an actual radio broadcast to the public. Judges score the broadcast on many items, including the current topic, speech, volume, presentation, teamwork, etc. 

LDE competitions focus on creating situations for students to demonstrate their abilities in public speaking, decision making, communication, knowledge of agriculture, and the FFA organization. In addition, team and individual events reinforce what is taught in agricultural science classrooms. 

The BCTAL FFA team defeated over 30 teams to qualify for the state competition, and at state, they will face another 23 teams in the semifinal and final rounds. 

Meagan Brundrett is this team’s teacher.