SPRINGVIEW, Neb. — Springview tripled its population Wednesday as around 500 students, plus staff and organizers, gathered for the FFA State Range Judging contest.

Students from across Nebraska headed to a nearby Sandhills pasture, where they were tasked with identifying native plants and evaluating rangeland conditions.

“We went to Beatrice my 8th grade year, and then last year it was in Imperial,” said Loup County Public Schools sophomore Jaelynn Blackburn.

Contestants do more than identify plants — they also learn the best ways to manage land.

“They tape off a square. You have to see the grasses that are in it, and compare it to what it should naturally have,” said O’Neill senior Wade Krysl. “Then you also have a degree of use. They’ll mark something that’s ungrazed. They’ll cut it. You’ll have to see what percent of the grass has been used.”

Krysl said the lessons will help him in ranching, while his classmate Mollie Corkle sees range judging as a potential career path.

“I’ve always thought that I would enjoy going into range management, and this would definitely be something to take if you went down that pathway,” Corkle said.

Others, like Blackburn, say they compete for the enjoyment.

“I love plants. I love flowers. I enjoy anything outside really, and I’ve always been passionate about,” she said.

It’s a passion shared by many students — one that thrives in an atmosphere that’s both competitive and peaceful, surrounded by the quiet rustle of prairie grasses.