The College Station High School FFA Meat Judging Team won the Meats Evaluation National Championship at the 94th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.
The team, representing Texas by virtue of winning the state title last spring, out-judged 41 other state champion teams from all across the United States in a competitive event that tests students' skills and competencies in evaluating and identifying meat carcasses and products.
All four members of the CSHS team placed in the top 10 individually, led by Nathan Kerth’s second place finish. Kaitlyn Kotrla placed fourth, Hayden Bennett earned eighth, and Karli Kaase finished 10th.
The top ten individuals and the national winning team members received cash awards to recognize their success in the event.
The Meats Evaluation event components include a general knowledge exam; beef carcass evaluation; identification of wholesale and retail cuts of beef, lamb, and pork; quality and yield grading of beef carcasses; a team meat merchandising event; and solving of a meat formulation problem. Each team has competed on the local and state levels to earn the privilege of representing their state at the National FFA Convention & Expo.
The team is coached by CSHS Career and Technical Education teacher Erin Stutts.