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“Let me tell you about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees," opened 17-year-old Caroline Bacon in her state-winning FFA speech for the 2020 Soil Stewardship Public Speaking Contest.
Quoting lyrics written by Jewel Akens in his famous 1964 song, Bacon recited an eight-minute speech based on the theme "Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?” The public speaking competition was held in July in conjunction with the 92nd Texas FFA State Convention.
"I started working on this in May," said Bacon, an upcoming senior at Harper High School. "With COVID, we weren't sure what was going to happen."
Once it was determined the public speaking contest and the convention would be held virtually, Bacon began researching pollination. To make it to state, she would have to place either first or second at Area.
"I worked on this for weeks preparing, writing, memorizing, and learning about pollination. I thought this is so much work, not knowing if I'd even advance."
Bacon, an active member of Harper FFA since her...