Tate High FFA Wins State Aquaculture Championship; Beulah Middle Takes Fourth

April 13, 2026

The Tate High School FFA Aquaculture CDE Team made history by earning first place at the Florida FFA State Aquaculture Career Development Event Contest on Friday at the UF IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin, Florida. The Beulah Middle School FFA took fourth in the state in the middle school division.

A Career Development Event (CDE) is a competitive activity that allows students to apply agricultural knowledge and skills gained through classroom instruction, laboratory experiences, and supervised agricultural experiences in real-world scenarios.

Under the leadership of FFA Advisor Rachel Veninga, the team of sophomores Henry Merritt, Aden Bailey, Luke Graham, and Daniel Aldridge delivered an exceptional performance in one of the most rigorous and competitive CDE events in the state. The Aquaculture CDE challenges students in areas such as aquatic species identification, water quality analysis, production systems, fish health, and real-world industry problem solving.

All four Tate High School team members also placed among the top 10 individuals in the state:

Henry Merritt – 1st High Individual
Aden Bailey – 2nd High Individual
Luke Graham – 3rd High Individual
Daniel Aldridge – 6th High Individual

The Beulah Middle School team members were Caleb Pitts, Lydia Arnold, Lawson Simons, and CJ Parker.

Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under TOP STORIES