Inaugural Louisiana Ag Week Kicks Off with Winners Announced in Youth Contests

By Avery J. Davidson

Louisiana Farm Bureau News

The Inaugural Louisiana Ag Week began today, March 18, 2024, and runs through Friday March 22.

To kick off the week, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom (AITC) committee announced winners of statewide creative youth contests.

Students in high school grades 9-12 competed in a video contest for cash prizes of $150 for 1st place, $100 for 2nd place and $50 for 3rd place. The winners in the video contest are:

·      1st place – William Mains, Many High School, “Drones: How they are used in Agriculture”

·      2nd Place – Mia Lopez, Woodwind Academy, “The Future of Farming”

·      3rd Place – Taylor Babin, Lutcher High School, “Improvements in Farming”

Louisiana students in grades 3-8 competed in an original art contest. Their work was judged on how they expressed their unique perspective on agriculture. The AITC Committee selected overall winners in for students in grades 3-5 and 6-8, along with winners in each grade. Overall winners received a $50 cash prize and winners in their respective grades each received a $25 cash prize. The winners in the art contest are:

·      Overall Grades  3-5 – Randee-lyn Slaughter, Silliman Institute, “Louisiana”

·      3rd Grade – Lia Parker , Simpson High School, “Louisiana Agriculture”

·      4th Grade – Kloe Fontenot, Chataignier Elementary School, “Farmyard”

·      5th Grade – Gunner Lofton, Olla Elementary School, “Let the Good times roll with Louisiana Agriculture”

·      Overall Grades 6-8 – Kaylee Turner, Oak Grove High School, “Elsie”

·      8th Grade – Makenzie Roshto, Winnfield Middle School, “Bee on Yellow Leaf”

·      7th Grade – Zoe Demery, NSU Middle Lab, “Through my Window”

·      6th Grade – Landry Richard, St. Genevieve, “Louisiana Agriculture”

You can see all the winners’ outstanding artwork at https://aitcla.org/louisiana-ag-week/art-contest.

Students in grades Pre-K-2 were invited to color their favorite pictures representing Louisiana agriculture. While there was no prize awarded, the AITC Committee selected some of the best to feature on the Louisiana Ag Week website and on social media. You can see those entries at https://aitcla.org/louisiana-ag-week/coloring-contest.

Congratulations to all winners and participants in the inaugural Louisiana Ag Week contests.

Learn more about Louisiana Ag Week at www.laagweek.com.