Students from the Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northwest in Clarkston recently took silver placing in a state-wide poultry improvement competition sponsored by the Michigan Future Farmers of America. The month-long competition involved raising different breeds of chicken, with the OSTC-NW teams working to raise Cornish hens.
The competition took place through the month of October and was part of the curriculum for participating students. The final judging took place on Nov. 4 in Fowlerville. Entries were rated in eight separate areas including weight, uniformity and defects.
The final portion of the competition also involved processing the hens, with the meat being donated to the Independece Township Senior Center. On a scoring scale of 750 points, The OSTC-NW teams placed at the eighth highest ranking out of 248 teams, approximately ten points out of gold placing.
Linda Torony, OSTC-NW instructor and FFA advisor, said the competition involves more than hands-on work with the hens. Students incorporate math, science and English into their projects, and are required to write a 50-page report on their work throughout the process.