Some of the high school students came from as far away as Pigeon Forge, Pikeville, Spencer, Baxter and McEwen, Tennessee.

Others attending the first Raider Roundup Friday, Sept. 21, at Middle Tennessee State University were from Cannon County, Watertown, Riverdale, Stewarts Creek, Greenbrier and Station Camp High School in Sumner County.

Future Farmers of America high school students from across the state listen to Jared Franklin, standing at right in the blue check shirt explain about dairy judging Sept. 21 during the School of Agriculture’s Raider Roundup in the Tennessee Livestock Center. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

Sponsored by MT Engage, which is focused on enhancing MTSU student academic engagement, Raider Roundup brought nearly 300 students to campus to help prepare them for state Future Farmers of America competition.

From MTSU faculty, staff and students during a two-hour timeframe, they learned about agriculture mechanics, agronomy, dairy judging, equine science, veterinary science, floriculture and farm business management; and livestock, meats, poultry and soil evaluation.

“It has been incredible and exciting,” said Chaney Mosley, a first-year assistant professor in agricultural education for the School of Agriculture. “Our student volunteers and the level of engagement by our faculty made it all possible.”

Kailey Vande Kamp, a senior MTSU horse science major from Gallatin, Tenn., provides an explanation of what equestrian team members and their horses are doing in the outdoor arena. It took place Sept. 21 during the first Raider Roundup, an MT Engage-sponsored event for Future Farmers of America high school students. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

About 60 MTSU students and the majority of agricultural faculty members assisted Mosley.

Department Director Jessica Carter and Bud Fischer, dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, helped welcome the teenagers, who also took campus tours after lunch.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

MTSU School of Agriculture senior Christina Davis, right, leads in a group of Future Farmers of America high school students attending the first Raider Roundup Sept. 21 in the Tennessee Livestock Center’s main arena. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

Katlyn Summers, 16, right, a junior at Bledsoe County High School in Pikeville, Tenn., hands a livestock evaluation slip to Hayden Snow, an MTSU graduate assistant, Sept. 21 during the School of Agriculture Raider Roundup at the Tennessee Livestock Center. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)