The Manhattan High School FFA Floriculture team recently achieved a monumental victory, securing second place nationwide at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, beating out 47 state-winning teams. This accomplishment is particularly impressive given that the “majority of the team members only competed in their first Floriculture contest in April of this year,” advisor Alyssa Higbie said.
The team — comprised of seniors, Jibran Khmous, Clara Mayes, Mason Willard and 2025 graduate Easton Ford — won the State FFA Floriculture Career Development Event back in April, overcoming 47 teams at the state level to earn their national bid, with every member finishing in the prestigious Gold Division. At the national competition, Willard placed an exceptional 13th, Ford placed 18th, Mayes placed 34th and Khmous placed 46th.
The competition, which Mayes described as designed to “help FFA members prepare for a career in the field,” is an intense, multi-segment event testing broad practical and academic knowledge within the floriculture sector. It required students to identify plant pests and tools, demonstrate hands-on greenhouse skills and perform retail tasks, including media selling and pricing.
“[It specifically tested] floral design skills, green house management skills, media selling skills, teamwork and large designs,” Mayes said.
Senior Jibran Khmous detailed the rigorous preparation.
“Weekly, two-hour study sessions and visits to local floral shops and greenhouses to memorize approximately 30 diseases and pests, 200 plants, and 50 tools,” Khmous said.
Mayes expressed that the biggest challenge for her was “staying focused while also being aware of the time constraint, especially during the design practicum,” Mayes said.
Khmous admitted he initially doubted their chances against well-resourced states like California and Texas, making the final outcome even more thrilling.
“Hearing first we placed top four was exciting, and hearing we beat California was amazing. I felt so happy and accomplished with my team,” Khmous said.
Mayes echoed this excitement, stating the team felt “a bit shocked but very happy with our results,” she said.
“It’s a pretty big jump for us to go from second in the district to 1st in the state to second in the nation. It was also very satisfying seeing all that hard work pay off.”
The most intense segment was the team-building activity, which involved setting a fancy dinner table complete with handmade flower arrangements, a task that played directly to Khmous’s expertise, who recalled the team event as his favorite moment.
“We got the judges laughing and answered their questions with ease,” he said.
Though the team’s year-long dedication to this one event is now complete, Khmous reflects on the lasting impact, noting the vast knowledge base he acquired is now “almost like an involuntary response,” allowing him to effortlessly identify nearly any flower or plant he encounters.
Mayes shared the slightly sad, yet satisfying feeling.
“It is a little sad to see it end but I wouldn’t change anything,” she said, firmly establishing a new high-water mark for Manhattan FFA.
