During the month of April, the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and Oklahoma Farm Report are spotlighting the 17 Area Stars of Oklahoma FFA that are among the highest achievers in the organization.
The stars come from the five areas in four categories- Star in Ag Placement, Star in Agriscience, Star in Agribusiness, and Star in Agricultural Production.
This week, we spotlight the three area stars in Agriscience in 2023.
One Star Finalist featured in the coming days from each of the categories will be named the State Star Award Winner during the 97th Oklahoma State FFA Convention coming up on May 2nd and 3rd in Tulsa, Okla.
This week, our coverage of the 2023 Oklahoma FFA Star Award Finalists continues with Agriscience competitor Sarah Simons of the Morrison FFA chapter representing the Northwest Area.
“My freshman year, I did research over honeybees’ behavior, and how aminicolpred insecticide affects it, and my junior and senior year, I did research over investigating the habituation of a microscopic organism called the tardigrade,” Simons said.
In other words, Simons said she studied whether or not an insecticide could change the way a honey bee learns and behaves. The answer, she added, is yes- an insecticide can negatively impact the way a honeybee thinks.
“Even if you are having a sublethal exposure to an insecticide to honeybees, it is still going to damage how they think cognitively and physically,” Simons said. “I personally think that is the reason why the bee population is declining is because bees will get that, and they won’t be able to find their way back to their hive.”
Simons said she is passionate about honeybees and has some of her own.
“I am already looking for labs where I can start further testing tardigrades and their behavior when I go off to college,” Simons said.
Following graduation, Simons said she plans to attend the University of Chicago.
Our coverage of the 2023 Oklahoma FFA Convention is sponsored by Hilliary Communications- who deliver the latest cutting-edge communications services supporting tens of thousands of customers across 22 counties throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa. The company offers internet, voice and HilliaryTV. Hilliary Communications continuously researches the marketplace for innovations and strives to improve underserved areas, offering services that exceed customer expectations. Click here to learn more about Hilliary Communications.
For more information about the 97th Oklahoma State FFA Convention, click here.
