Success and the Tallassee High School FFA program are synonymous. For the last several years teams of students have cruised through district competitions to state and some have even qualified for nationals.
It was no different at the recent central district competition at the Southern Union State Community College Wadley campus.
Submitted / TPI Members of the Tallassee High School FFA Construction Team poses for a photograph after winning the district competition.
“We have had a lot of success,” Tallassee FFA advisor Dr. Daniel Free said. “This year we have eight different teams with a total of 18 students who qualified for the state competition.”
The Tallassee High School FFA program earned first place in the construction competition with John Robert Baxley being the top overall scorer in the competition. They were first place in landscape and Izabel Diego was the top individual scorer. They were also first place in small engines and Hunter Schieferstein was the top individual scorer in the district.
Tallassee was also first place in aquaculture and veterinary science.
Free is especially proud of the vet science program.
“I don’t really have a background in animal science,” Free said. “We partnered with 4D Veterinary and this is all thanks to Dr. Lovelady. He has worked with our students to get them here.”
Submitted / TPI The Tallassee High School FFA Small Engines team poses with their banner after winning the district competition.
The Tallassee Ag Mechanics team was second with overall top scorer Jackson Pledger.
Tallassee also placed second in the quartet and fourth in floriculture.
“A lot of the publicity follows me, but it's all them,” Free said. “They're the ones that put in the work for it. I'm incredibly proud of them for what they did.”
FFA and the vocational agriculture program is popular at Tallassee High School. Free fell in love with the school and the program while interning there with now superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin.
The program has continued to grow. To accommodate more students, Free goes without a planning period so more students get to experience vo-ag.
But the opportunity for students is growing as it adds a second ag teacher next school year. It will be a familiar face as Free shared his classroom with Amanda Teixeira almost five years ago. She will be returning to Tallassee.
“She fell in love with the school and program just like I did,” Free said. “I’m giving up my classroom because that is what it took to get her. I’ll be moving to the annex but will meet my students in the shop when needed.”
Free’s move also allows him to do more in his new role as career tech director while also maintaining in agriculture roots.
Teixeira went to Auburn for its animal science program. Next she landed at Eufula High School.
“She will bring so much to our programs,” Free said. “She has great knowledge in animal science and aquaculture.”
While Free knows a lot about Teixeira, the students will get a chance to compete against her at the state competition in June.
“She has helped that program and will have eight teams competing at state,” Free said. “I know she will do well and hope she does well here at Tallassee.”
