CRESTON, Ohio — Norwayne FFA students Alex Miller, Derek Stoller, Christian Steiner, Michael Luccio, Garret Ball, Megan Geitgey, Liddi Atwood, Allison Mangun, Savannah Hartzler, Genny Hartley, Grant Holcomb, Jenna Stoller, Joel McKenzie, Paige Bellomy, Garrison Maxwell, Jon Geiser, and Greg Bachman attended the Ohio State FFA Convention in Columbus May 2.
This year Norwayne had several students participate in the Ag Science fair. Students also had the pleasure of listening to three keynote speakers and two state officers.
Alex Miller and Derek Stoller received their state degrees. Allison Mangun was elected to be the state reporter. Garret Ball and Jon Geiser were recognized for doing well on their Ag Science fair project.
Recognized for getting a gold rating on their officer books were Mara Holcomb (represented by her younger brother, Grant Holcomb); secretary, Jenna Stoller; reporter, and Cody Scruggs (represented by Christian Steiner); treasurer. Norwayne even had a member participate in the band; Megan Geitgey.
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CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Every year, FFA chapters from all over the state travel to Columbus to attend the Ohio FFA State Convention. This year the Zane Trace FFA took 34 members to participate in the state convention, one of the largest groups in the chapter’s history!
At these sessions the Ohio FFA officers announce the winners of various state awards, the Ohio FFA band and chorus make some awesome music, and keynote speakers came to talk to the crowd. A number of Zane Trace FFA members received awards over the two-day convention. Jacob Boggioni and Kevin Daubenmire were selected to play in the FFA band. Audrey Hoey and David Glass were named state winners in their proficiency award areas of Food Science and Integrated Agriculture Research while Stephanie Glass received a third place proficiency award in agriculture communications. Additionally, Amber Ginter, treasurer, Hunter Hardman, secretary and Stephanie Glass, reporter all received recognition for being gold-rated officers.
Five members were recognized as being members of the state-winning animal behavior and welfare career development event team and were presented their first place banner on stage. Junior member Kasandra Dalton received her state degree, which is the highest level of achievement a member can receive in Ohio.
Many Zane Trace FFA students also performed well in the agriscience fair. It is very similar to a school science fair, except every research project deals with agricultural related subjects. Students also have the choice to work individually or with a partner. Out of the 25 students competing there were 10 teams of two competing.
All winter these students worked on brainstorming a topic, researching it, designing and performing an experiment, and finally, presenting their project. All of the work these students put into their work paid off though. Zane Trace had excellent results in their competition. They had eight earning bronze, eight earning silver, and nine earning gold.
This year many agriscience participants from Zane Trace FFA also placed in their classes, earning a cash award and the opportunity to be recognized on stage during the convention. LauraMay Wheeler received third place in food science with her project over enzymatic browning in fruits. The team of Eva Bugg and Beau Bilek received second place in food science for their project over fat analogs in brownies, along with the team of Tyler Davis and Ethan Monroe who researched the effect of ultra violet light on lizards in animal sciences.
Nathaniel Freeman placed first in agriculture power and structural systems with his project over electromagnetism while, Stephanie Glass and Jessie Proehl took top honors in social sciences for their study of how age affected the opinions of adults towards organic foods. Audrey Hoey and David Glass were another top team in food science using their research over anthocyanin levels in blueberries to take first place while freshmen Mariah Cox and Hope Gatwood both won first place in their categories with their respective projects over potato plastics and whole grain flours. Zane Trace had five first place teams or individuals, which was more than any other school in the state of Ohio!
The work the students do on their projects does not end here however. Every student who received first in their category will have an opportunity to compete in the National Agriscience Fair in Louisville, Ky. in November. Here they will compete against FFA students, with outstanding projects, from all over the nation. The students are excited to move on to the national competition.
In addition to Zane Trace FFA members receiving recognition, two WKKJ radio hosts, Dan Ramey and Mike Smith, received honorary state degrees for supporting the Zane Trace FFA chapter throughout the year by allowing us to inform the community about important events going on in their chapter.
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MILAN, Ohio — The Edison FFA chapter attended the 85th FFA Convention May 2-3. Members who attended were Conrad Shafer, Elizabeth Carroll, Bethany Morris, Rachel Zimmer, Jessie Trifonoff, Matt Stevens, Blaine Cline, Hunter Sweat, Michaela Mathias, Melody Pergi, Nathan Grafton, Clifford Glenn, Tyler Bly, Michael Watkins, Taylor Stone and Laine Cade.
Chapter members Blaine Cline, Conrad Shafer and Matt Stevens placed first in CDE forestry. Matt Stevens, Conrad Shafer and Hunter Sweat were first in state for CDE wildlife.
The Edison FFA chapter took part in the 7th annual Tractor Show and Car Cruise-In. Donations and proceeds from the silent auction will benefit Abigail’s Angels and help support the Edison FFA and FFA alumni scholarship.
The FFA had an Open Greenhouse May 11. The greenhouse was a new edition to the facilities this year and more than 60 students will take home vegetable plants for their SAE garden projects. The program also propagated 100 hanging baskets which were sold recently.
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WATERFORD, Ohio — Blake Campbell, of the Waterford FFA Chapter, was recognized as the winner in the Diversified Livestock Production Proficiency Award Area during the 85th State FFA Convention that was held in Columbus May 2-3. Campbell also placed third in the sheep production entrepreneurship, and second in the swine production entrepreneurship proficiency award areas.
The State FFA Proficiency Award Area is applied for by FFA members who have at least one year of complete SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) records. Campbell’s proficiency area consists of a Berkshire Breeding Swine and Texel Breeding Sheep enterprise. Campbell was selected as the District 10 winner and moved on to the state evaluation where he was selected as a state finalist, one of the top four in the state of Ohio. As a state finalist, Campbell was interviewed by a committee and was required to display his SAE in the Hall of Winners Display area during convention.
Campbell was also selected as a Star State Farmer finalist. As a Star State Farmer finalist, Campbell was one of four from over 23,000 FFA members state wide to be recognized as having one of the best SAE programs in the state of Ohio. Being selected as a Star State Farmer finalist, Campbell was interviewed by judges on his home farm where he had the opportunity to explain in detail his SAE enterprises.
Campbell is the second member in the history of the Waterford FFA Chapter to win a State Proficiency Award and to be named as a Star State Farmer finalist (His brother Brady Campbell was the first to earn the award in 2010). As a state winner in the Diversified Livestock Production Proficiency, Campbell has now advanced to the National Proficiency Award program where he will compete against the top winning Diversified Livestock Proficiencies from around the United States, which will take place during the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ky. next October.
Campbell is the son of Joe and Bridget Campbell, of Waterford, Ohio.
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DELAWARE, Ohio — Ridgedale and Ridgemont FFA were each awarded $2,000 from the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program, as part of a statewide competition among FFA chapters to increase awareness about the nutritional value of a whole grain diet, among other healthy behavior changes, at their schools.
Participating chapters submitted campaign proposals to OSGMP in September and based on the originality of their ideas, were granted $500 each in October to implement their campaigns.
Both Ridgedale and Ridgemont FFA tied for first place and were each presented with a $2,000 check to continue campaign activities.
FFA students at Ridgedale High School worked closely with kitchen staff to introduce more whole grains into the school’s daily menu. Food diaries and health classes educated students about nutrition. And, during the Ohio Graduation Tests, students ate whole-wheat snacks and granola bars to improve concentration.
Like Ridgedale, Ridgemont refreshed its school menus to include more whole grains. Research projects helped freshman students at Ridgemont learn about global agriculture. And, to learn about food sources third graders visited a local dairy farm. Finally, Ridgemont FFA students took their campaign on the road, championing healthy eating habits at professional conferences throughout Ohio.
