Two Oologah FFA Freshmen Crowned National Agriscience Champions at 98th FFA Convention

Oologah students shine at national Agriscience Fair

Two freshmen from Oologah's Future Farmers of America chapter earned top honors at the National FFA Agriscience Fair on Nov. 1 during the 98th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis (Oct. 29–Nov. 1).

National champions and strong team showing

Brooklyn Ryan captured first place in the animal systems division with research showing that a cattle semen extender best preserved goat semen motility after 20 hours. Sofie Jensen won the power, structural and technical systems division by demonstrating that Quikrete's recommended ratio—6 pints of water per 80 pounds of mix—produced the strongest concrete in her tests.

Oologah sent 16 students to the national competition. The chapter also recorded multiple high finishes: three students were runners-up (Zanè Dyches in animal systems; Ali McKee and Kalei Kellogg in social systems), and two Oologah alumni—college sophomores Trenton Briley and Courtney Blagg—were awarded the American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest honor.

How students qualified and prepared

Because Ryan and Jensen began their projects in eighth grade, they competed in Division 1. The nationals group qualified through state victories roughly a year earlier. For the national competition, students created poster boards summarizing their research and presented and defended their work to judging panels. According to adviser Kadie Smith, only 10 students per age group are chosen to compete in each division at nationals.

'Having two national champions, two runners-up, two third places, a fifth place — that is a testament to the kids,' said Kadie Smith, one of Oologah FFA's advisers. 'We had focused after-school practice sessions preparing for this, and they were ready to go.'

Research highlights

Brooklyn Ryan: Her project addressed a gap in the market for semen extenders—liquid compounds used to preserve semen during storage. While cattle, horse and sheep extenders exist, goat-specific extenders are not common. Ryan tested cattle, horse and sheep extenders on goat semen and tracked changes in total and progressive motility over time. After 20 hours, the sample preserved with the cattle extender retained the highest motility, a finding Ryan says could help goat breeders lower artificial insemination costs.

Sofie Jensen: Jensen tested four concrete mixtures: Quikrete's recommended control (6 pints water per 80 lbs of mix), half that water, 50% more water, and double the water. After curing, each sample was tested under a hydraulic press to record maximum pressure at failure. The control mix recommended by the manufacturer outperformed the others, underscoring the importance of following instructions for structural strength and safety.

Reactions

Jensen said she was speechless when she learned she had won her division; Ryan described the announcement as feeling like a 'fever dream.' Both praised their advisers, judges and community for support throughout the process.

Why this matters: These student projects have practical agricultural applications—offering cost-saving guidance for goat breeders and reinforcing safe practices for small-scale concrete work on farms and ranches. Their success highlights hands-on STEM learning in FFA and the value of early research experience.