The Cedartown High School FFA member’s long hours of practice paid off as they completed a major hurdle in their Georgia Green Industry Junior Certification.

FFA members include Cody Lumpkin, Cortney McMahan, and Ivy Johnson and Agriculture Education teacher Michael Ferguson. The Georgia Green Industry Junior Certification program consists of a written exam and plant identification practicum.

The written test is based on the educational objectives of the Georgia Agriculture Education horticulture pathway curriculum and standard practices in the horticulture industry. To pass the written exam, a student must answer thirty-five questions correctly. The second portion of the certification will be plant identification.

This event will be held during the state FFA Convention in April. Fifty plants will be displayed for students to identify. Upon completion of this final part of the test, the students will be recognized as landscape professionals by GGIA.

The Junior Plant Certification exam is given twice a year administered by Georgia Green Industry professionals. This year’s first testing was held in conjunction with the 2012 WinterGreen Conference at the Gwinnett Convention Center in Duluth. Upon arrival, students prepared and attempted the rigorous certification testing.

The students spent the remaining hours of the day attending career educational sessions, followed by the opportunity to meet and talk with more than 100 horticulture industry representatives.

The purpose of the junior certification is to connect students with Georgia Green Industry linking classroom instruction directly to real life. Additionally the certification process establishes guidelines for academic achievement and competence while promoting students in the future of the horticulture industry. To date, Georgia FFA has 104 students who have passed all requirements for Junior GGIA certification.

This event is one of the many educational activities in which the FFA members apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations. The Georgia FFA Association has the third

largest FFA membership in the nation with over 30,000 members. FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.