Use of Technology in WV Career Development Events

The use of all electronic devices; including but not limited to cell phones, BlackBerries, PDAs, MP3 players, programmable calculators; are prohibited during all West Virginia Career Development Events.  If an event requires the use of calculators, the event coordinator will provide exact specifications on the type(s) of devices (including functions) that will be permitted.

 Failure to comply with this regulation will result in the elimination of the entire team from competition.  A letter will be sent to the school principal and superintendent by the state staff detailing the reasons for the dismissal.

 Use of Reference Materials in WV Career Development Events

Students participating in West Virginia Career Development Events are prohibited from bringing reference materials, paper, and/or other aids into the contest area unless the materials/aids are specified by the event coordinators in the official rules and regulations.  The exception, all students are permitted to use a standard clipboard.  Cover sheets will be provided for all contestants in all contests.  Contestants participating in contests with oral reasons will be provided two sheets of unlined white paper to take notes. 

 Failure to comply with this regulation will result in the elimination of the entire team from competition.  A letter will be sent to the school principal and superintendent by the state staff detailing the reasons for the dismissal.

Teams of Less than Three Members

Students may compete in a Career Development Event even if their school does not have a full team (3 or 4 members).  If a school has less than 3 team members, the students are only eligible for individual awards. A school may enter only one team (maximum 4 students) per event. (Passed 11/6/2006)

Nursery/Landscape

Contest Scope

             The Nursery/Landscape Contest includes all aspects of the industry in producing, marketing, utilizing, and maintaining landscape plants (woody and herbaceous plants and turfgrasses), plus related products, equipment, and services including landscape design. The Introductory Horticulture, 5E  (Reiley and Shry, Delmar Publishers) will serve as the primary reference for the contest. 

 Contest Objectives

 PLANT MATERIALS - to demonstrate the ability to identify nursery and landscape plant materials and turfgrasses commonly used in the United States.

 PLANT DISORDERS - to demonstrate the ability to identify unhealthy plant conditions due to pests, nutritional or physiological disorders, and mechanical or chemical injury.

 CULTURAL PRACTICES - to demonstrate knowledge of the principles and skills involved in propagation, growth requirements, growing techniques, harvesting, marketing and maintenance of nursery plants and landscape turf.

 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION - to demonstrate knowledge of the principles and techniques of landscape design and construction.

 SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT - to demonstrate the ability to identify, select, use and maintain appropriate supplies and equipment for nursery and landscape operations, including equipment and procedures in mechanization and automation.

 SAFETY - to demonstrate knowledge of safety practices in nursery and landscape operations.

 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS - to demonstrate skills in oral and written business communications.

 MARKETING - to understand marketing principles and demonstrate proper sales and service skills.

 RECORDS AND REPORTS - to demonstrate the ability to prepare accurate and legible records and reports and to interpret business documents.

 Rules of the Contest

1. Teams and/or schools or coaches will not visit the WVU greenhouses after September 1.

2. Observers will not be permitted in the contests area while the contest is in progress, unless they are assisting with the contest.

3. Contestants will be assigned to group leaders who will escort them to the various contest staging sites.  Each contestant is to stay with his or her group leader throughout the contests or until told to change leaders by the Contest Superintendent.

4. Under no circumstances will any contestant be allowed to touch or handle plant material or other specimens during the contest except as specified in certain practicums.  Any infraction of this rule will be sufficient cause to eliminate the team from the contest.

5. In addition to a clean clipboard and at least two No. 2 pencils, each contestant must also have a ruler or scale capable of measuring 1/8-inch increments, a calculator, and a ball-point or felt-tip pen.

6. Calculators may only be used in the practicum portions of the contest. Printing calculators are not allowed.

7. The contest includes the following four phases:

   • identification of plant materials.

   • identification of plant disorders

   • general knowledge examination, and

   • practicum

            These are described as follows.

 Phase 1 - IDENTIFICATION OF PLANT MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES  (150 points).  Please refer to page 213 of the National CDE Bulletin.

Participants will identify 50 items selected from the provided list covering the following categories:

• Plant Materials  (25 items)

• Pests and Disorders (10 items)

• Equipment and Supplies (15 items)

Plants to identify will be presented as intact, live specimens.  Equipment may be either an intact item or photograph. Pest and disorder items may be presented as an intact specimen, photograph, or preserved specimen (herbarium sheet, insect mount, etc.). When a problem must be presented with an affected plant, a “Disorder” label will be with the item to designate identification of the problem rather than the plant. Each specimen will be designated by a station number (1-50).When the participant identifies the item, its name is then located on the identification list. The participant then records the number by that name on Scanning Sheet 105482 at the respective station number.

 Each participant will be provided a copy of the list at the event site. Three points will be awarded for each correct identification, and participants have 50 minutes to complete this event phase.  No specimens or items may be touched or handled in any way.

 Phase 2 - GENERAL KNOWLEDGE EXAMINATION  (150 points)

            Fifty (50) question objective multiple-choice exam will be prepared on topics reflecting subject areas in the contest objectives.  This contest phase will evaluate the contestant's knowledge and understanding of basic horticultural principles in producing, marketing, using, and maintaining nursery plants and turf.  Contestants are allowed 50 minutes to complete this phase.  Each correct answer is worth three (3) points.  The Introductory Horticulture, 5E  (Reiley and Shry, Delmar Publishers) will serve as the primary reference for the contest. 

Many of the test questions will be generated from the following sections:

• Careers in the Horticulture Industry

• IPM

• How Plants Grow

• Plant Taxonomy

• Plant Propagation

• Pesticides

• Container grown shrubs and trees

• Using plants in the landscape

• Lawn establishment and maintenance

 Phase 3 - LANDSCAPE ESTIMATING (50 points)

             This practicum section is designed to evaluate contestant knowledge of and ability in 1) evaluating a landscape design, 2) reading a landscape drawing, 3) measuring and calculating materials needed to execute a landscape plan, and 4) evaluating factors that affect profitability of a landscape business.

             A landscape drawing will be provided to the contestants.  There will be 10 objective questions about the landscape plan.  The questions may include such areas as determining how accent was provided in the public area, the form and size specified for a certain plant, the cost of fencing, the number of patio pavers required, the area of sod to be installed, the volume of mulch required, and the labor cost to install a ground cover bed.  Thirty (30) minutes will be allowed for this practicum.  Each correct answer is worth 5 points each.

 Phase 4 - LANDSCAPE DRAWING PRACTICUM (50 points)

This practicum is designed to evaluate participant knowledge of and ability in applying the tools of landscape design through preparation of a plan drawing. Written information about a property will be given, including such details as lot dimensions and orientation; house size and setbacks; size and location of paving, decking, and fencing; and the location, size, and type of plant materials to be included. This will be translated into a scale drawing on 8.5 x 11-inch grid paper provided. An objective score sheet specific to the assignment will be used by a judge to evaluate that all components are included with appropriate size, location, symbol, and label, for a possible 50 points total. Participants will have 30 minutes to prepare the drawing. Allowed drawing aids are a straightedge, ruler or scale, and circle template.  A sample drawing can be found at http://www.hort.vt.edu/faculty/McDaniel/samplekey.htm.

Phase 5 - ASSESSMENT AND SOLUTIONS (50 points)

This practicum is designed to evaluate participant knowledge of and ability in 1) assessing the request or problem presented, 2) reviewing alternative procedures or courses of action based on individual knowledge or reference information provided, and 3) deciding on a solution. Possible solutions will be presented in multiple-choice form for the participant to mark on Scanning Sheet 105482.

Ten situations will be presented from the following four areas:

Measuring Nursery Stock - One nursery plant will be measured for market size (height, spread, or caliper as appropriate) according to the American Standard for Nursery Stock for BR and B&B evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. A caliper and measuring rule will be provided. Plants presented in containers will be assumed as growing in the field, and a label will advise on whether it is to be dug BR or B&B. Cut trunk sections may be presented for larger tree measurement.

Pruning Nursery Stock - One or more nursery plants will be displayed with points marked for possible pruning cuts. No plant will be actually pruned. Participants are to evaluate each labeled point and decide if the plant part should be pruned or not for improvement of the plant’s health, form, and overall quality. The answer choice then will be the combination of cuts that should be made.

Equipment Maintenance – Tools from the list in Phase 3, a part for a tool, and/or an operating manual will be presented with answer choices of possible maintenance needs, corrective actions, and/or operating specifications. Examples of possible choices are low oil, uneven height setting, blade needs sharpening, incorrect gas:oil ratio provided, or replace broken handle.

Equipment will be placed to allow observing all components in the answer choices without handling the item. If handling should be required, allowance for this will be stated with that answer choice.

Problem Solving - Other situations of nursery and landscape plants, supplies, or practices where observation and analysis of the subject and resource materials are involved in a decision- making process. Example situations may include the following:

• According to the sample label provided, a spill of this chemical must be handled by ______ ?

• From the information provided on these catalog pages, one bag of the designated medium will fill _____ pots of the size and shape presented.

• According to the information provided, which plants in this list would likely need a protected site for winter survival in the Indianapolis, Indiana area?

 Participants have 10 minutes to complete this phase. Each correct solution has a value of five points.

Additional information on the national nursery/landscape contest can be found at http://www.hort.vt.edu/faculty/McDaniel/nationalFFA.htm.

 Scoring the Contest

             Individual contestant scores will be the sum of the scores from the four phases of the contest, based on the following possible point values:               

           If needed in the case of tied individual or team total scores, final placings will be determined by comparing, in order, scores for the following:

1. Identification of Plant Materials

2.  Exam

3.  Landscape Drawing

For a list of  PLANTS, PESTS AND DISORDERS, AND EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, please click here.

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