During the month of April, the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and Oklahoma Farm Report are spotlighting the 19 Area Stars of Oklahoma FFA, who 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 four area stars in Agriscience in 2025.
One Star Finalist featured in the coming days from each of the categories will be named the State Star Award Winner during the 99th Oklahoma State FFA Convention, which will take place on May 6th and 7th in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
This week, our coverage of the 2025 Oklahoma FFA Star Award Finalists continues with Agriscience competitor Alex Mackey of the Oologah-Talala FFA chapter representing the Northeast Area.
Mackey began his project in the eighth grade by testing the decibel levels of everyday tools; then, he expanded to the multiple tools being used during shop class and the decibel levels in different areas of the shop. He has also checked the changes in different sizes of shops by visiting shops in nearby schools. He has also measured the levels emitted by tractors and skid steers.
“This project was inspired just to test my abilities with an agriscience project,” Mackey admitted. “Seeing that tools are affecting different people’s hearing, I decided to see if they were affecting the ag teacher’s hearing.”
OSHA regulations dictate that 85 decibels for eight hours per day can negatively affect a person’s hearing, but Mackey’s research concluded that during a 35-minute class period, the sound levels measured 85 decibels or higher.
Hear KC’s full conversation with Alex Mackey by clicking on the Listen Bar above.
Your coverage of the 2025 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 99th Oklahoma State FFA Convention, click here.
