• Article Photo. Ryan Carolus, Paul Herger, and Grace Schminke standing with their Landscape design that they completed.
    Ryan Carolus, Paul Herger, and Grace Schminke standing with their Landscape design that they completed.
  • Article Photo. Clayton McKenna, Kaelyn Pettyjohn, and Andrew Pingenot standing with their Hardscape design that they completed.
    Clayton McKenna, Kaelyn Pettyjohn, and Andrew Pingenot standing with their Hardscape design that they completed.
  • Article Photo. Back Row: Paul Herger, Ryan Carolus, Grace Schminke, and Kaelyn Pettyjohn Front Row: Clayton McKenna, and Andrew Pingenot
    Back Row: Paul Herger, Ryan Carolus, Grace Schminke, and Kaelyn Pettyjohn Front Row: Clayton McKenna, and Andrew Pingenot

By: Co-Reporter, Grace Schminke  

On Wednesday, October 5th, Six members of the Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Chapter attended the 1st ever Kirkwood Landscape Challenge.


Members went into this contest with an open mind and were excited to see what the day was going to bring. The day started with all members who participated going to an educational session to learn about their contests so they would know what to expect when arriving at the contest.


There were three individual contests and two group contests.

Individually Grace Schminke and Kaelyn Pettyjohn participated in the Landscape Design contest, with Kaelyn receiving 1st place, Paul Herger and Andrew Pingenot participated in the Plant Identification contest, and Clayton McKenna competed in the Equipment Operations contest. In groups Grace Schminke, Ryan Carolus, and Paul Herger competed in Landscape Installation, and Kaelyn Pettyjohn, Clayton McKenna, and Andrew Pingenot participated in Hardscape Design, placing 1st place as well. Ryan Carolus received a $1,000 scholarship to Kirkwood in Horticultural Science through a random drawing. Overall the chapter also received 1st place in the contest, receiving $500 and plan to use the money to teach the Landscape Design class how to do the landscape designs and the hardscape designs skills they learned at the contest.


The members that went to the contest received a lot of information that they are excited to bring back to the Vinton-Shellsburg FFA members and had a great time trying something new!