Savannah High School Meats Science Team heads to Nationals

SAVANNAH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The Savannah High School Meats Science Team is going to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The team consists of four girls, Mackenzie Schmutzler, Reagan Rodgers, Addison Neiderhouse and Kaylea Farrell.
In March, the team traveled around the state to practice, which helped the team work on their knowledge base and skills. Traveling opportunities have brought the girls to five university meat labs.
The Meats Science Team won first place at the State FFA CDE.
Schmutzler, a senior at Savannah High School, said she was really happy when their team won first place at state.
"We put in a lot of effort and put a lot into it. We went the extra mile to say, outside of school and stuff. So just to see all that like come to fruition was really nice," Schmutzler said.
FFA Advisor and Savannah High School Teacher, Jeff Baumann, said it makes him extremely proud to be the girls' advisor.
"We're proud of their representing their school and their chapter at the national CDE. I'm very proud of their work and their commitment to their team," he said. "I mean, they are a team in every sense of the word. They help each other. It's never about them. It's about the it's about the team."
Rodgers, a sophomore at Savannah High School, said she is excited to go to Nationals.
"We had high goals for State, so to accomplish those was really exciting and to do it on a national level as well," Rodgers said
Although competing at Nationals next week might stir up nerves, the girls said they're prepared.
"It's definitely nerve-wracking. Just the competition of it all, but we've definitely put in the work and are prepared, I think," Rodgers said
"We're going to keep working all the way up till time we compete. So we're, we're hoping we'll have good results," Schmutzler said.
Making the large step to Nationals means the world for the team, and despite the outcome, both Rodgers and Schmutzler said they'll be happy with the results.
"I think knowing that we've done everything possible that we can and the help of our coaches, is definitely going to be rewarding. We have high goals, but we also know the level of competition that comes with it," Rodgers said.
"We've already reached, like, our goal was to win State and of course we raised those goals, but we have already met high goals that we have set for ourselves, so we'll still be proud of us even though if we don't meet those national goals," Schmutzler said.
The Meats Science Team will be leaving for Nationals on Monday, Oct. 27. They will compete on Thursday, Oct. 30.