JEROMESVILLE, Ohio — More than 425 people attended the Hillsdale FFA annual parent- member banquet and 50th anniversary celebration March 16 at Hillsdale High School.
The agenda included speakers from each of the five decades the chapter has been in existence, and slideshows of past and present chapter accomplishments.
Remembering
Dave Harris spoke on behalf of FFA in the 1960s. Harris was a member of the Hillsdale FFA Chapter and the Northeast Sectional Vice President. He shared with the audience how being in FFA increased his knowledge of agriculture and allowed him to become a more efficient worker.
Peggy Keller was the spokeswoman for the 1970s. Keller joined the Hillsdale FFA just a few short years after FFA allowed girls into membership and earned the title of Ohio FFA Secretary. She shared with the audience the importance of young women in FFA and that every person who has the opportunity to be a part of the organization will benefit from it and have experiences that will change their life.
Julie Groce traveled from North Carolina to be the representative of the 1980s. Groce was the first female president of the Hillsdale FFA and has become a successful businesswoman and agriculturalist.
Eric Kaufman, now a professor at Virginia Tech, represented the 1990s. Kaufman was vice president of the Hillsdale FFA and the 1995-96 Ohio FFA President.
Awards
Honorary Chapter Degrees were given to members of the community who have offered support to members and the chapter as a whole. Recipients of this degree were Tim Fair and Katie Kamenik.
Scholarship Awards were presented to the students with the highest grade point averages in their respective classes.
In Agriscience 1; Bethany Heiby and Hannah Rose.; Agriscience 2; Keayla Harr and Megan Poynter; Agriculture Production 3; Bryce Payne; Agriculture Production 4; Megan Miller and Sarah Bookman; Junior Agribusiness; Laura Yeater; Senior Agribusiness; Ashlee Cutlip.
Career development
Career Development event teams and members were also recognized for having top five state, national, or regional appearances. The Farm Business Management Team placed fourth in the state with team members; Dylan Mullins, Sarah Bookman, Jordan Haas, and Keayla Harr.
The Dairy Foods Team placed second in the state with members; Sarah Bookman, fourth, Jordan Haas, sixth, McKenzie Stimmell, eighth, and Dylan Mullins, 14th. The team earned the right to compete at the Big E in Massachusetts in September where they placed fourth.
Megan Poynter earned first in the state individually for the Greenhand Quiz competition.
Parliamentary procedure
Last spring, the Novice Parliamentary Procedure team placed third in the first-ever state contest of its kind. Team members were president, Megan Poynter; vice president, Keayla Harr; secretary, Amanda Garn; treasurer, Hayley Sherman; reporter, Logan Garber; sentinel, Dylan Chio; student advisor, Regan Badertscher; and member, Hannah Barr.
Last October, the state-winning agricultural sales team competed at the National FFA Convention. Keayla Harr and Sarah Bookman received gold ratings and Megan Miller and Dex Rogers received silver ratings and received a gold rating as a team in national competition.
In September, Parliamentary Procedure team competed at the Big E and placed first. Team members were; president, Sarah Bookman; secretary, McKenzie Stimmell; and members, Dylan Mullins, Ashlee Cutlip, Keayla Harr, and Stephanie Schuck. The Novice Parliamentary
Procedure team placed fourth in the state with members: president, Ben Raudebaugh, vice president, Bethany Heiby, Secretary, Shelbi Long, Treasurer, Macy Payne, reporter, Hannah Rose, sentinel, Megan Bee, and student advisor, Katie Mager, member, Caleb Alvarado, and alternates, Adam Cutlip, Kat Holmes, and Kennedy Warner.
Food science team
The Food Science and Technology team placed third in the state. Individually, Sarah Bookman placed second and Laura Yeater placed 17th. The Agricultural Sales team placed first in the state. Individually, Megan Poynter placed fourth, Laura Yeater placed six, and Chloe Krebs placed eighth.
The Hillsdale FFA Alumni presented awards to students for outstanding record books and notebooks. The recipients were, respectively; Agriscience 1: Bethany Heiby and Macy Payne, and Timber Stoops. Agriscience 2: Keayla Harr and Hayley Sherman. Ag. Production 3: Colton Burkett and Bryce Payne, and Taylor Slater. Ag. Production 4: Sarah Bookman and Coral Nelson, and Kristina Stoner.
Star Awards. FFA Advisers Mark Hoffman and Lindsay Bowen presented Star and Outstanding Member Awards to top chapter members. Star Greenhand Members were Bethany Heiby and Shelbi Long, Star in agribusiness was Megan Miller, and Star Chapter Member was Sarah Bookman.
Outstanding Chapter Members were: Greenhands, Storm Nelson and Kate McGovern, Agriscience 2: Megan Poynter, Agriscience 3: Bryce Payne, Agriscience 4: Dex Rogers, and Agribusiness: Ashlee Cutlip.
