KINGSVILLE (March 24, 2026) — The Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Texas A&M University Kingsville (TAMUK) hosted more than 125 high school students from 25 South Texas schools during the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Area X Applied Agriculture Engineering Contest Tuesday afternoon at the Agriculture Mechanics lab on campus.
It was another strong turnout for TAMUK as Area X hosted the most competitors for the second straight year out of the 12 Texas FFA Areas.
The competition consisted of four-person teams competing in welding, oxygen acetylene cutting, blueprint layout and a 100-point test that covered subjects such as welding theory to material costs. Teams finishing in the top three move on to the state competition.
“These are high school kids from South Texas who have been working with their high school agriculture science teachers where they teach metal fabrication and how to make parts for their trailers, tractors and other things,” Professor of Agricultural Education and Mechanics Dr. Steven Chumbley said. “For them, this is just an opportunity to challenge themselves in those technical skills. For Area X to have the largest contest for the second year in a row is a testament to the job that the teachers and the students are doing.”
While the competition featured high stakes with a trip to the state contest on the line, competing students were still able to get a feel for what real-world Agriculture Engineering is like with assistance from TAMUK agriculture students.
“Being timed added a little bit of pressure, but it just like getting a taste of what it’s really going to be like having to do all the measurements, layout, cutting and just knowing what to do,” said Jeffrey Mohamed, a junior at Alice High School. “It was awesome with all the student volunteers who take the class coming to help out.”
There were 50 TAMUK student volunteers from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources who lead and coordinated the competition as they judge and rotate groups through competition stations every 20 minutes.
“That’s the best part of the event,” Chumbley added. “These student volunteers are in a welding class right now and they get to apply those skills that they’re learning in our technical ag classes with these high school students. This is real service learning and we couldn’t do it without our Javelinas.”
For some, the competition is a look at potential future peers.
“It’s really cool to see these kids get in here, learn how to cut, learn how to weld and get to showcase their skills in a competitive and really educational environment,” said Colton Allen, an Agriculture Science graduate student from Houston who was volunteering at his third Applied Agriculture Engineering contest. “It’s a really good hands-on experience for them. If some of these students do decide to come (to TAMUK) it’s always great to see familiar faces that come in. I’ve been here just long enough to see those kids, so it’s been awesome.”
For others, the contest is an opportunity to see how well the schools in their home regions are preparing students for a path into the agriculture industry.
“These are kids and they’re showing skills that people out in the field are doing,” added Gillian Olvera, a junior undergraduate agriculture science from Corpus Christi. “So, it’s a good thing because you’re seeing that these students are actually learning something in their school. They get to go home and tell their parents that they did welding, or they got to cut while they competed against so many teams. It’s a good thing for these students and it gives them something to do.”
Schools in Attendance:
Alice
Agua Dulce
Riviera Kaufer
Nordheim
Calallen
Robstown
George West
HM King
Sinton
Mathis
Taft
Banquette
Riviera Kaufer
Nordheim
Calallen
Goliad
PSJA High
Tilden
La Feria
Pleasanton
La Pryor
Mission
Beeville
Skidmore-Tynan
Lytle
La Villa
Poteet
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