A roundup of FFA news for the week of March 26, 2015:

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio  — Buckeye Career Center FFA received a $2,500 donation from Tuscarawas County farmer Steve Spillman and America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.
The donation will help the organization send agriculture and diesel technology students to the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky.
“Funding like this is vital to our organization,” said FFA Adviser Todd Kendle. “There are so many students with hardships that would not have been able to be a part of this type of experience. For some of them, this is a chance of a lifetime to attend.”
For five years, America’s Farmers Grow Communities has collaborated with farmers to donate over $16.5 million to over 7,300 community organizations.
* * *
MINERVA, Ohio — On Feb. 28, the Minerva FFA participated in the dairy judging invitational at ATI. Students who participated were Clay McKnight, Noe Gonzales, Beth Eglie, Bryce Fankhauser, Brie Zwick and Kristen Schaffer.
The chapter will hold its banquet April 15.
At the banquet, there will be a student auction, selling the students’ work for 8 hours.
Participating students, who will be auctioned in pairs, include: Taylor Zwick and Elizabeth Berstler, Martin Merrick and Brianna Moyer, Mike Burton and Logan Fritz, Madison Snode and Kaitelyn Wayts. The teacher/FFA adviser Brandon Thomas will be sold by himself.
If you are interested in attending the banquet or program, contact Thomas at 330-868-4134 ext. 1250; dinner reservations are required by April 8.
* * *
WEST SALEM, Ohio — Members of the Northwestern FFA traveled to Marysville March 6 for the spring judging contests.
Ashley Besancon, Phil Eberly, Adam Miley, Shannon Garrison, Cody Tegtmeier, and Rae Rempher won the dairy foods judging contest, with Besancon placing 10th individually.
In the equine contest, Emily Flinn, Marshall Geiger, Emily Finley, Shania Reed, Hannah Hockenberry, and Tatum Franczek also placed first overall, with Geiger placing sixth individually.
Faith Hudson placed 31st in the poultry judging contest.
Austen Wood, Robert Stinemetz, Cody Starling, and Josh Rood placed fifth in wildlife judging.
The general livestock team of Katie Stull, Victoria Devore, Taylor Dawson, Shelby Aulger, Brittany Slanczka, Kyle Piscione, Hannah Hottel, Jessie Bair, and Kolton Keener placed 11th overall.
On March 14, chapter members traveled to Miami Trace to compete in the spring judging contests.
Dairy cattle judging team members Cory Leighty, David Miley, Marie Clements, and Shelby McKay placed fifth overall, with Miley placing ninth.
Philip Eberly, Jayden Berry, Ashley Besancon, Cody Tegtmeier, Rae Rempher, and Adam Miley won the dairy foods judging contest. Individually, Eberly placed first, Besancon placed seventh; Tegtmeier, ninth; and Miley, 10th.
Rachelle Howman competed in the poultry judging contest and placed eighth individually.
The general livestock team of Brittany Slanczka, Jessica Bair, Katie Stull, Kierstyn Wood, Kolton Keener, Kyle Piscione, Kyle Wharton, MaKenzie Harmon, Taylor Dawson, and Victoria Devore placed seventh.
The equine judging team of Marshall Geiger, Reiley Murphy, Hannah Hockenberry, Sarah Maximovich and Emily Flinn placed second as a team, with Reed placing sixth individually.
During the March 16 greenhand/chapter degree ceremony, the chapter handed out more than 60 degrees to first- and second-year FFA members.
Triway FFA alumni and the parent of current Northwestern FFA members, Ken Wood, was the evening’s featured speaker.
District 3 President for the Ohio FFA Association, Alex Miller, also spoke.
* * *
MILLERSBURG, Ohio — On March 6, West Holmes FFA chapter sent the team of Chris Sprang and Justin Lorentz to the state tractor troubleshooting contest at UNOH in Lima. Both received $3,000 scholarships.
Nine West Holmes FFA members have qualified to compete at the state proficiency evaluation. The finalists are Dustin Niehaus, in agricultural mechanics design and fabrication; Elizabeth Klein, in agricultural services; Carter Smith in beef production entrepreneurship; William Hughes in dairy production entrepreneurship; Gabe Armstrong in forage production; Elise Neville in nursery operations; Shyann Kick in organic agriculture; Justin Lorentz in turfgrass management; and Morgan Hoxworth in veterinary science.
Placing first in the district were Tristan Ramseyer, in dairy production placement; Chris Vansickle, in diversified livestock production; Jillian Gurley, in small animal production and care.