The Ripon Christian High Future Farmers of America Floriculture team captured the National Finals Career Development Event in Indianapolis.

The local team consisting of Laci Nydam, Geneva Vandenberg, Gracelyn Dyk and Lauren Mouw, representing California, reached the CDE finals in Indianapolis – one of 47 states in the competition – and came away as National Champions.

This is the second straight year that RC won this event.

“To achieve this accomplishment two years in a row is rare as FFA members are not allowed to compete in that same CDE once they’ve won a state title,” said RC FFA advisor and coach Megan Dyk.

In order to do that, RC – winner of the state and national championships in 2024 – started over with a brand-new team.

This group of Nydam, Vandenberg, Dyk, and Mouw surprisingly won the 2025 state championships in May, advancing to the national contest, which, Megan Dyk noted, is entirely different from the state competition in that it’s more comprehensive of the entire floriculture industry.

The local team practiced, meeting with industry professionals all throughout the summer and fall.

The national floriculture contests consisted of eight practicums, including:

·         A general knowledge test.

·         Retail pricing, plant, and tool identification.

·         Team activity, media selling.

·         Greenhouse management.

·         Growing procedures.

·         Floral design.

A highlight of the competition was the team activity component in which the RC FFA was the only state (California) to achieve a perfect score on the presentation.

According to coach Megan Dyk, teams were only given 45 minutes to create a table setting for “Farmer of the Year” dinner – they were required to come up with creative place settings, a centerpiece, and corsage and boutonniere for special guests.

“Students had to incorporate a commodity from their state in their presentation,” Dyk added.

The local team brought in handcrafted almonds as created by RC art class students, which more than impressed the judges with a perfect score.

That proved to secure RC with the championship, Dyk said.