Research Pays Off for Local Student

INDIANAPOLIS—The National FFA Organization recently named Rebekah Meller a national finalist in the Agriscience Student Scholarship and Recognition Program. Meller, a member of the Pettisville FFA Chapter and the daughter of Gene, Jr. and Donna, will receive a $1,000 scholarship and compete for national honors at the 83rd National FFA Convention, Oct. 20-23, 2010, in Indianapolis, IN.

Eligible FFA members are selected on the basis of research projects involving agriscience skills, using applications and new technologies learned in their high school agriculture classes. Students apply these lessons to their supervised agricultural experience programs (SAE). They also are evaluated on their academic achievement, as well as their involvement in school and community activities.

Meller is one of eight national finalists that will present their agriscience project design, development and results to a panel of judges as part of the national finals. Each project will be part of an agriscience exhibit at the FFA National Agricultural Career Show held in conjunction with the national FFA convention. The program offers members the opportunity to demonstrate academic excellence, learning and application of new agriscience skills. The program is sponsored by Monsanto.

Meller has conducted research for the past five years. She started her ag science research her freshman year. Her project was:  The Effect of Allium sativum and Antibiotics on Bacteria. During her sophomore year she expanded on that study. The next three years she also studied the growth of Escherichia coli, the natural microbiota found in ground beef and the survival of probiotics.

Because of these studies her Agriscience Student of the Year report is titled: A Comparative Three Year Evaluation of Different Types and Preparation Methods of Allium sativum on Bacteria and the Natural Microbiota of Ground Beef & The Influence of Food Matrix on the Survival of Probiotics after treatment with Gastric Juice. Meller stated, “My four years of agricultural research opened so many doors for me. My research opportunities gave me lessons I could not get in the classroom but are important for my future career, I was able to compete at different levels of competition, travel to different states, I received scholarship money, and it helped me get into The Ohio State University. This said, I believe high school students should take advantage of this excellent opportunity in high school, giving them a head start in this science and mathematical emerging work world.”

While in high school, Meller served as an FFA officer, committee chairman and was active in many CDE’s (Career Development Events). She attended many state and national conventions. Meller attended the National FFA Proficiency Agricultural tour in Costa Rica in the summer of 2009 by placing in the top four on the national level in the area of Food Science and Technology. She earned her state FFA degree and placed first in the state in the areas of Food Science and Technology and Agriscience Student of the Year. Meller also represented Pettisville and northwestern Ohio at the International Science and Engineering Fair for three years. She is a five year presenter at the Ohio Academy of Science State Science Day and a 2009 Best of Show poster presenter at the Ohio Junior Sciences and Humanities Symposium. She was active in National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Dudes and Duds 4-H Club and the Napoleon OIHA Equestrian Team. She is currently a sophomore at The Ohio State University majoring in Animal Science and Food Science.

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 520,284 student members – all preparing for  leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

Taylor Kruse
Pettisville FFA Reporter

Slide show of - Rebekah Meller's presentation at 2010 FFA Convention
This slide show goes through the four years of Rebekah's research about garlic and probiotics.  It summarizes the scientific steps taken to complete the research from Rebekah's Freshman to Senior year.  At the end of the presentation the relation and significance of the research was explained.