HANOVERTON, Ohio — The United FFA held its annual banquet June 2, at the old West Elementary, in East Rochester. Over 110 parents, guests and members attended. Three other local chapters, Southern Local, CCCTC and Southeast, each sent two representatives.
This year, the chapter’s award ceremony covered from 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, since there was no banquet last year.
This year’s Star Greenhand Award went to freshman Samara Martin, and last year’s Star Greenhand award went to Jacob Readshaw. The Star Chapter Farmer went to Mikey Bardo. Last year’s Star Chapter Farmer was Bryan Himes.
This year’s Star Agri-placement was Jacen Howell, and last year’s Star Agri-placement was Gabe Snyder. Special guests, Rebecca Zeisler and Janet Duvall, became honorary members for their work helping the chapter.
Several members received their State Degrees this year and last year. They are Himes, Howell, Bodey Kiko, Shelby Kornbau and Rowen Brinker.
Several also received their American Degrees last year, including Becky Bernet, Megan Drake, and Josh and Jacob Kataro. Members receiving their American Degrees this fall are Kornbau, Snyder and Himes.
The last part of the banquet was the installation of new officers. There were six new officers installed, and one member, Cody Cope, retained his office as president. The new officers are vice president, Brielle Rose; secretary, Alexandria Householder; treasurer, Makayla Craig; reporter, Hayden Casto; student adviser, Brinker; and sentinel, Matt Stoudt.
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MILLERSBURG, Ohio — The West Holmes FFA chapter was awarded the Americas Farmer Grow Rural Education Grant, after a nomination by Sweet Breeze Farms. This program is helping fund the future of rural communities with $2,500 grants.
The officer team will make a decision on how to use the grant to purchase educational supplies for the classroom.
The chapter held an assembly and a drive your tractor to school day May 10 at West Holmes High School to round out FFA Week that was held in March. This event was rescheduled due to weather conditions.
Officers for the chapter came up with games, including tug of war, egg toss, an obstacle course, milk the cow, bale toss and pie eating. The winners won free milkshakes and candy bars.
The winners of the drive your tractor to school were: oldest, Wyatt Schlauch; newest, Dyllan Bender; dirtiest, Schlauch; cleanest, Becca Schuch; smallest, Sarah Irwin; and biggest, Pacee Miller.
The winners of the drive your truck to school day were: oldest, Jayme Pennell; newest, Alysa Pringle; dirtiest, Addison Yates; cleanest, Meghan Stewart; smallest, Ian Jones; and biggest, Clay Shepler.
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WEST SALEM, Ohio — This year, several members of the Northwestern-Wayne FFA chapter were recognized for their work at the state level. Abby Ramseyer, Cole Wharton, Jadeyn Berry, Ari Borton, Rylee Dawson and Dugan Mclaughlin received their state degrees.
Lizzy Howman was recognized for proficiency in the dairy production entrepreneurship area, placing second in the state.
Also, Borton was recognized for her gold-rated treasurer book, Howman for her silver-rated secretary book and Berry for her gold-rated reporter book.
At its annual banquet, the chapter recognized multiple members for proficiency awards, success in career development events and performance in ag classes.
Also, Valerie Imhoff, Desiree Smith, Howman and Riley Stull earned leadership awards. Mallory Gilbert was the Star Greenhand. Hanna Wilson and Kade Tegtmeier were the Star Chapter members. Berry was the Star County member. Imhoff and Smith were the Star Dekalb members.
The chapter recognized the top salesmen for its three main fundraisers. Dawson was the star fruit salesman, and Tegtmeier was the runner-up. Smith was the star sausage salesman, with Tegtmeier also the runner up for that category. Wharton was the star strawberry salesman, and Smith and Tegtmeier tied as the runners up.
The chapter gave out five scholarships. Stull received the Rebecca Stull Memorial Scholarship. Kaitlyn Praisler received the FFA Alumni Scholarship. Imhoff was chosen for the Northwestern FFA Scholarship. Praisler received the The Fulk Family scholarship, and Stull was chosen for the scholarship awarded by Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Keener and Commodity Blenders.
The chapter had its annual Ag in the Classroom petting zoo for first grade students May 19, as well as a “drive your tractor to school” day for high school students.
Also May 19, the chapter held the “Cornhole for the Cassady’s” event to raise money for Jake Cassady, a member of the Northwestern community who was recently diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor, and his family.
The chapter, along with 17 other chapters from across Ohio, went to the Holmes County Fairgrounds April 29-30 for the “Funvention,” after not being able to attend an in-person Ohio State FFA Convention this year.
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JEROMESVILLE, Ohio — On May 16, the Hillsdale FFA chapter held its 58th annual member-parent banquet, with 241 members and guests present.
Megan Schwendeman, the 2020-2021 chapter president, received a Retiring President Plaque for her efforts over the past year.
There were 22 recipients of the Greenhand Degree, which goes to first-year members. There were also 22 recipients for the Chapter Degree, which goes to second-year members. The chapter gave certificates of appreciation to multiple community members and parents who supported the chapter.
Braydon Rakovec was the Star Greenhand. Owen Hoffman was the outstanding freshman. The Star Chapter award went to Caleb Murawski. The sophomore outstanding member was Emily McGovern. The junior outstanding member was Mason Weber. The senior outstanding members were Schwendeman and Olivia Traylor.
The top three salesmen for the annual fruit, strawberry and sauce sale were Landon Rebman, in first, with $3,776; Gage Madsen, in second, with $3,080; and Weber, in third, with $1,876.
Members with the highest GPA in their class receive a scholarship award. In the ag business class, Braxton Dove received the award. McGovern won the award for the animal health class. Riley Twining and Ty Hawley won the capstone award.
Traylor and Schwendeman won the greenhouse class award. Laci Dunlap received the livestock management and nutrition award. Hoffman and Twining won the mechanical principles award.
For the outstanding record book awards, Rakovec won the freshman class award, Twining and Zoey McBride won the sophomore class awards, Weber and Katelynn Smeltzer won the junior class award and Garett Wickham won the senior class award.
Multiple members won picture plaques for placing top five in the state in Career Development Events. Several members also applied for and received Agricultural Proficiency Awards for their accomplishments in their supervised agricultural experience programs.
The chapter also installed new officers. McBride is the new chaplin, Dove is the student adviser, Mackala Krichbaum is the sentinel, McGovern is the reporter, Jackson Bradford is the secretary, Murawski is the treasurer, Mark Abel is the vice president and Lacey Fickes is the new president.