DelVal students participate in Dairy Challenge
Courtesy: Dr. Bruce Richards. The DelVal Dairy Challenge Team with coach Dr. Bruce Richards (far right).
Nine Delaware Valley University students competed in the Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge in Glens Falls, New York, Nov. 3 through Nov. 5.
The 14th Annual Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge brought together 120 students from 12 colleges and universities. Ten schools were from the United States and two were from Canada.
Dairy Challenge is an innovative, three-day educational competition designed to prepare students for careers in the dairy industry. Working in mixed-university teams of four or five students, contestants assessed all aspects of a working dairy farm, including: facilities, nutrition, financials, reproduction, animal health and more.
DelVal’s team included: Casandra Blickley ’19, Amanda Clower ’17, Matt Driscoll ’18, Matt Edgin ’18, Bridget McConn ’17, Matt Ringer ’18, Tess Stahl ’17, Bryan Supplee ’18 and Amanda Wengryn ’19. The team is coached by Dr. Bruce Richards.
Students were required to do 20-minute team presentations for participating farm families and a panel of judges detailing their observations and suggestions. Judges ranked the teams based on how well their evaluations matched the judges’ assessment of the dairy operation.
Not only does the Dairy Challenge teach technical knowledge, it excels in helping students develop people skills. Team-building and fun activities were held throughout the weekend to encourage networking among students and dairy industry sponsors.
Dairy Challenge develops tomorrow’s dairy leaders and enhances progress of the dairy industry. Dairy Challenge has helped prepare more than 5,000 students for careers related to the dairy industry.
The 2017 national competition and Dairy Challenge Academy will be March 30 through April 1 in California. To learn more about the program, please visit: dairychallenge.org.