CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Zane Trace FFA chapter hosted 10 classes for lessons about maple syrup production during the week of Feb. 28 through March 4. To kick off each lesson, classes participated in a taste test between real maple syrup made at Zane Trace and pancake syrup made with corn syrup.
Students then learned how to identify maple trees by their bark and leaves, how to tap and collect sap from the trees and the steps involved in boiling sap into syrup. Each lesson included a measuring activity for students to help them remember the different sizes of bottles used to market maple syrup.
The most popular part of the lessons was the opportunity to try real maple syrup on plates of pancakes and French toast sticks.
Chapter sophomores Lily Rose and Asheligh Hupp helped serve sausage and pancakes to over 250 patrons at the Ross County Farm Bureau Farmer’s Share Breakfast, March 17.
Sophomore Sarah McGraw recently qualified for the Ohio FFA Beginning Prepared speaking contest held at Marysville High School, March 5. To earn this opportunity, she advanced through the sub-district and district contests, placing in the top two during both.
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ZANESVILLE, Ohio — The West Muskingum FFA chapter competed in the district ag sales competition at West Muskingum High School. The team placed second in the district and qualified for state. At state, the team placed 19th overall.
Spring Invitationals started this year with the Wilmington Invitational hosted at Clark County Fairgrounds. The chapter’s general livestock team competed and placed 54th in the competition. The equine team also competed and placed 22nd, and Cheyenne Clippinger placed eighth in individuals.
Students competed in the Southeastern Invitational General Livestock contest. The team placed 18th, with its top three being Kaylei Mchenry placing 50th, Lainey Suchland placing 67th and Abi Elswick placing 118th.
The chapter also competed in the nature interpretation contest at the invitational. In this Career Development Event, the team placed third in the district with Madalynn Kennedy placing first, Eden McCoy placing 17th, Austyn Erwin placing 19th and Cheyenne Clippinger placing 22nd.
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MILLERSBURG, Ohio — On March 14, West Holmes FFA participated in the state agricultural sales contest. The team placed fourth. Individually Cora Crilow was sixth, Ally Ogi was 17th, Ashley Tate was 24th and Derek Miller was 58th. Alternates were Garrett Houin, Alysa Pringle and Alex Pringle.
On March 1, seven West Holmes FFA members participated in the district agricultural sales contest. The team placed second in the district. Individually Tate was second, Pringle was fifth, Crilow was seventh, Houin was 11th, Pringle was 13th and Miller was 15th.
Seniors Ogi, Leah Reining and Tate, and juniors Houin, Sarah Irwin, Jess Miller, Pacee Miller, Pringle, Dakotah Ringwalt and Becca Schuch were all approved for state degrees. They will receive their degrees at the 2022 Ohio FFA State Convention.
Houin is a state finalist in service learning and outdoor rec, and second in the district in sheep production; Pacee Miller is a state finalist in beef entrepreneurship. The district results are Jess Miller second place in beef entrepreneurship, Rebecca Sprang placing first in dairy placement and Becca Schuch placing second in diversified crop production.
Graduate members Jayme Pennell, Clay Shepler, Sprang and Addison Yates had their American degrees passed on to the national level.
The chapter secretary, reporter and treasurer submitted their officer books to be evaluated. The secretary book submitted by Chloe Shumaker received a gold rating. The treasurers’ book submitted by Maren Drzazga received a gold rating. The reporter’s book submitted by Pringle received a gold rating. All three books had perfect scores.
They will all be recognized at the 2022 Ohio FFA State Convention.
Two West Holmes FFA members participated in the state speaking contest March 5. Tate was fifth in her prelim room for extemporaneous, and Houin was sixth in his prelim room for advanced prepared.
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JEROMESVILLE, Ohio — The Hillsdale FFA chapter held its annual parent-member banquet March 19 at the Hillsdale High School.
To begin the recognition portion of the banquet, Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to individuals who have volunteered for the FFA chapter in the past year.
The Honorary Degree was awarded to Janet Mowery, who has been an enormous supporter of the chapter. The second honoree is Andrew Baldner who has helped with every tractor restoration for the past 10 years plus helped coach and chaperone several contests.
Audra and Brian Schoen and Davis Baker received this award received the Distinguished Service Citation.
Three individuals were awarded for their efforts in selling fruit, strawberries and BBQ. Baylee Weber placed third, selling $2,165; Gage Madsen placed second, selling $2,805; and Jake Hoverstock placed first, selling $3,540. These individuals received trophies and a gift card, donated by the Hillsdale FFA Alumni.
The Star Greenhand was awarded to Baylee Weber. The Star Chapter Degree winner was Gabe Murawski. The Outstanding Freshmen were Rosalynne Weekley and Logan Garn; the Outstanding Sophomores were Braydon Rakovec, Owen Hoffman and Seth Crytzer; the Outstanding Juniors were Emily McGovern and Zoey McBride; and the Outstanding Senior was Mark Abel.
Nine members were awarded the Scholarship Award. The recipients were Mark Abel and Ethan Goodwin for the capstone class, Katelynn Smeltzer and Lacey Fickes for the greenhouse class, Bradey Krichbaum for the mechanical principles class, Zoey McBride for the livestock selection class, Lillyan Amend for the ag business class and Ethan Miller and Olivia Burgess for the agriculture, food, and natural resources class.
The Hillsdale FFA Alumni evaluated FFA member’s record books. For ag, food and natural resources the recipients were Baylee Weber and Rodalynn Mast; for capstone the recipient was Ethan Goodwin; for livestock selection the recipient was Zoey McBride; for mechanical principles the recipient was Emily McGovern; for ag business the recipient was Lillyan Amend; and for greenhouse the recipients are Mark Abel and Emily McGovern.
The evening concluded with the induction of the 2022-2023 officers. Zoey McBride is the president; Gage Madsen is the vice president; Emily McGovern is the secretary; Seth Crytzer is the treasurer; Lillyan Amend is the reporter; Gabe Murawski is the sentinel; Baylee Weber is the student adviser; Braydon Rakovec is the parliamentarian; Bo Moody is the historian; Dally Meek is the chaplain.
