Baker wins Landscape Installation Proficiency Award

CONTACT INFORMATION

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 24, 2025 – Cordray Mathis Baker of Brookfield won the Missouri FFA Landscape Installation Proficiency Award at the 97th Missouri FFA Convention.

Baker, a senior at Brookfield High School, is the son of Aaron and Monica Baker. He is a member of the Brookfield FFA Chapter. His advisor is Jessica Dobrzenski.

Baker’s supervised agricultural experience in landscaping installation, where he began with basic tasks like watering, moving pavers, and digging trenches. As he gained experience, his responsibilities grew to include independently loading the truck, planting shrubs and trees, and completing projects such as laying edgers, installing fabric, and adding rock. He now works more independently and shares equal responsibility with coworkers to complete landscape jobs efficiently.

After graduating high school, Baker plans to go to college to get a degree in horticulture and use that degree to open a greenhouse and nursery one day.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Landscape Installation is one of 45 proficiency award areas recognized at the state level. The Missouri Green Industry Alliance sponsored this award.

The Missouri FFA has 26,900 members representing 365 chapters. The national organization has more than 1,027,273 members representing 9,235 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

#  #  #

Click upper-right “Pop-out” icon to download full-sized photo