FFA News

By Grace Gunkelman, Norwayne FFA reporter

The Norwayne FFA hosted a Feed-a-Farmer lunch on Monday, February 17th. In years past, they hosted a breakfast for farmers, but this year they decided to start something new and offer lunch. The event went on from 11am-2pm and was a great success with at least 90 farmers in attendance!

FFA members grilled hamburgers (donated by CAB) and hot dogs (donated by Heffelfinger Meats), and served many delicious side dishes like mac n’ cheese and coleslaw. When asked about the Feed-a-Farmer breakfast, Andy Stands said “My family and I have really come to appreciate the Feed-a-Farmer Day that the FFA puts on every year.  It is a great opportunity for the students to show their support to those in the agriculture industry and we are honored to be a part of this special day.”

Many farmers gave feedback and said they preferred the new lunch over the old breakfast and the FFA members also liked coming in to help get the food ready to serve for lunchtime as well.… Continue reading

Milton-Union MVCTC FFA will celebrate National FFA Week this week! Each year, FFA chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week. It’s a time to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day. When our chapter Reporter, Kelsie Tomlinson, was asked, “What is FFA and how has it impacted you?” She replied with, “FFA is a place where I can work as a team while being involved and sharing my ideas. FFA has brought me many new friendships and skills that I will never forget. Being a part of this organization I became a better leader and it will always be very important to me.”

This year National FFA is February 22nd-29th. The Milton-Union MVCTC FFA chapter kicked off their celebration of FFA week with a snow tubing trip at Valley’s Edge and a Livestock Judging Career Development Event in Mt. Gilead, OH. Pictured are Tyler Kress, Emmie Bohse, Darby Welbaum, Cammy Shook, and Jackson Kimmel at the Livestock Judging CDE.… Continue reading

The Miami Trace/Great Oaks FFA members took part in various career development events over the past two weeks including public speaking and ag sales.  These contests collmenated a the district competition which was held on February 18th at Ross Butler Tech High School.  In the Ag Sales CDE, students have the opportunity to demonstrate skills in sales by participating in a wide range of activities oriented around the total sales process.  Marketing of agricultural products is key to profitability in today’s competitive economy, and agricultural sales play a major role in the marketing process. This year students were assigned a product in the landscape design field of agriculture and as a team developed a sales strategy to solicit customers for their designated product.  The team members were: Weston Pettit, Blayne Ferguson, Madison Johnson and Kelsey Pettit. The team placed 7th at the district competition.

In addition to Ag Sales, members also competed in the Public Speaking CDE.… Continue reading

On February 18^th, Charlie Woods and Colby Forcum, members of the Zane Trace FFA Chapter, competed in the District 7 Agricultural Power Diagnostics Career Development Event. This event allows students the opportunity to try their hand at troubleshooting problems with late model farm and industrial power equipment.

The event, which was held at Franklin Equipment in Groveport, allowed students to work with skid-steers, dump vehicles, farm tractors, and ditch digging equipment.

“This was a lot of fun, and I definitely want to do it again.” Said Charlie Woods.

“It was cool to get a chance to work on equipment like this, because I do a little bit of this at my house for equipment my family owns.” Said Colby Forcum.

These two boys are both freshmen in High School, and they took home a very respectable 6^th place finish.

 … Continue reading

Company launches Flavor of Day Naming Poll and FFA Essay Contest

PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wis.—Feb. 17, 2020—FFA members are our future — they will one day be tasked with the responsibility of helping manage our food supply. That’s why it’s important to celebrate them every day, but especially during National FFA Week, Feb. 22-29, 2020. In honor of this week, Culver’s is inviting guests and FFA members to get involved in two special Thank You Farmers Project initiatives.

This year, Culver’s is launching a special Thank You Farmers Project Fresh Frozen Custard Flavor of the Day. From 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, to 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, guests can visit Culver’s Facebook page to vote on what they’d like the new flavor’s name to be — either Mooey Gooey Brownie or Brownie Caramel Cow. The flavor is made with Vanilla Fresh Frozen Custard, chunks of chewy brownies and ribbons of old fashioned salted caramel.… Continue reading

Benjamin Logan FFA students Emma Wenger, Chance Frater, Derek LeVan, and Madison Buettner competed in the Agricultural Communications Career Development Event this past week. This CDE is a team event where students work as a team of communication consultants to develop a written media plan, present the plan to a panel of judges, and, as individuals, apply what they have learned during practicums, a quiz and editing exercise. This team CDE challenges students to communicate effectively while advocating to consumers about agriculture and telling the FFA story. Students will use a variety of media in their plans—social media, broadcast and print advertising, press releases, fliers, brochures, blogging, displays and more. Students build on many skills during this CDE including communication, collaboration, creativity and much more. The team placed 15th in state.… Continue reading

Benjamin Logan FFA members Bradey Ackley and Matt Black participated in the Agricultural Power CDE this past week and earned second place in the district. Tractor troubleshooting is a competition event for FFA members to compete and helps students develop technical knowledge and an ability to work with others to solve complex agricultural problems. The event is built around students learning and executing a “systems approach” – or the process of understanding how solving one problem influences others. The team placed second in the district but students hope to compete again next year and move on to the state level.… Continue reading

By Ally Ogi, Chapter Reporter

On Tuesday, February 11, two members proudly represented the West Holmes FFA Chapter at North Central Ag in New London. Senior Brayden Shumaker and Junior Addison Yates were competing in the District 2 Tractor Troubleshooting Career Development Event.  This event is where a piece of equipment is purposefully disabled and it is up to the two teammates to troubleshoot the piece of equipment and get it up and running in as little time as possible. They are scored on accuracy and safety. The team placed 2nd out of 3 teams. The boys will be competing at The University of Northwestern Ohio for the State contest and will have the opportunity to win college scholarships if they place well enough.… Continue reading

On January 18 and 19, the Liberty Union FFA Officer Team attended the 360 and 212 Leadership Conference at the Embassy Suites Dublin-Columbus. These leadership conferences helped the officer team learn new ideas to promote engagement and leadership within the chapter, ideas that they can bring back and use at their monthly meetings.

The 212 section of the conference is for underclassmen FFA members. 212 degrees is the temperature at which water boils, and the point of this section was to bring members to the “boiling point of leadership”, taking them to the next level in their abilities. The themes for this year’s conference were personal and social growth, virtues, establishing confidence, and collaboration.

The 360 section of the conference is for juniors and seniors in the FFA. 360 degrees makes a full circle, and the purpose of this section was to take a “full circle” in chapter leadership. It covered every angle for developing skills and plans for their current chapter and for their future endeavours.… Continue reading

On February 5, 2019, Lucas Slone, Hailey Courts, Teddy Jenson, and Mary Chesnut of the Liberty Union FFA Chapter competed at the Fairfield County Public Speaking CDE Competition at the Liberty Union Middle School. This county contest holds four competitions: Creed, Beginning Prepared, Advanced Prepared, and Extemporaneous Speaking.  In the creed competition, first year agriculture education students memorize E.M. Tiffany’s FFA Creed, present it to the best of their ability, and answer questions based on the Creed. In the Beginning Prepared Speaking competition, members write and present a 5 to 7 minute long speech that they answer questions based on. In Advanced Prepared Speaking, members write and present a 6 to 8 minute speech and answer questions. In Extemporaneous Speaking, members pick a topic at random, research it for 30 minutes, and then present a 4 to 6 minute speech based off of it.

At the county competition, Teddy Jenson presented the creed, Mary Chesnut did Beginning Prepared on her speech “The Effects of Wasteful Packaging on the Environment”, Hailey Courts did Advanced Prepared on “The Effects of Buying Locally Grown Food“, and Lucas Slone did Extemporaneous Speaking.… Continue reading

By Emma Sutherly, Chapter Reporter

The District 5 FFA Public Speaking Career Development Event was held Wednesday, February 12, hosted by Memorial High School in Saint Marys. FFA Chapters competing in the District Event were from Auglaize, Darke, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Shelby counties.

FFA members competing in the FFA Creed Speaking Event memorized and recited the FFA Creed and answered questions on their interpretation of the FFA Creed. This contest is open to first year FFA members only. Representing Miami East-MVCTC was Isaac Beal. Beal places fifth.

Emma Sutherly competed in the Beginning Prepared Speaking Event. She wrote and presented a five to seven minute speech then answered questions. Her speech topic was the importance of goat meat to feeding the world’s growing population. Sutherly placed second, received a plaque from the District 5 FFA Chapters, and advanced to the State FFA Speaking Event in March.

The Extemporaneous Speaking Event members are given an agriculture topic then have 30 minutes to prepare a 4 to 6 minute speech and follow-up answer questions.… Continue reading

The West Liberty-Salem General Livestock Team traveled to New Madison on Saturday to compete in the PATRIOT Livestock Judging Contest, the team’s first contest of the season. The Reasons team consisting of Adalyn Caudill, Cooper Havens, Kyndall Metz, Lance Baldwin and Dawson Jenkins finished in first place.  Adalyn led the team with a second place individual finish, Cooper was 8^th, Kyndall was 12^th, Lance was 15^th and Dawson was 18^th. The Non-Reasons team finished 9^th in the Non-Reasons contest.  Payton Eckurd led the Non-Reasons team with a 16^th place finish, followed by Wylie Harbour 47^th, Marissa Bailey 52^nd and Ava Buck 60^th.  Thank you Tri-Village FFA Alumni for hosting the event.… Continue reading

Recently several members of the Miami East-MVCTC FFA Chapter competed in the District 5 FFA Agricultural Sales Career Development Event hosted by Preble Shawnee High School.

The Agricultural Sales team consisted of Ashlee Deaton, Alex Fergerson, Emma Sutherly, and Braden Zekas. The team members each completed a test on agricultural sales, prepared a team sales presentation, and demonstrated their ability to sell an agricultural product.

Braden Zekas was the highest placing individual from Miami East. The team placed ninth out of 15 teams.

 … Continue reading

The National FFA officer team visited Global Impact STEM Academy to lead a program called “Experience State,” a program in which the team is traveling around Ohio to implement many of the skills they’re learning in their national roles, including workshop facilitation, keynote presentation and public speaking.

“The National FFA officers are great models for our students and other local FFA students, and this was a great opportunity to host them as they hone and share their leadership skills across Ohio,” said Josh Jennings, Global Impact founding director. “Both students and staff harnessed some key takeaways from the program that they’ll be able to apply in their FFA programs and schools.”

National FFA President Kolesen McCoy, a 2018 graduate of Global Impact, returned to his alma mater and hometown of Springfield. He was selected for this national leadership position last November.

“It’s by chance we ended up in Ohio for Experience State Week, and it’s a very unique opportunity to see all of these familiar faces in [FFA] blue jackets and these ag advisors with the same passion that I remember,” said McCoy.… Continue reading

Two FFA Speakers Qualify for District Contest

Freshman Colt Clyne and Sophomore Carmen Corcoran advanced to the District level in their respective speaking contests. Carmen placed 1st in Beginning Prepared speaking with her speech over antibiotic use in livestock while Colt placed 2nd in the FFA creed recital. They will compete February 12th for a chance to advance to the state competition.

ZT FFA Officers Strike GOLD!

The Zane Trace FFA Treasurer, Secretary and Reporter’s books all earned GOLD ratings at the recently held FFA Regional evaluation. Hallee Scott, Treasurer, Briana Fetters—Secreatary and Olivia Hettinger—Reporter all worked very hard throughout the month of January to prepare the membership records, minutes, financial statements and photographs to present to the judges. All three will be recognized on stage during the State Convention in May.

Kingston National Bank Supports ZT FFA

Members of the Zane Trace FFA received a surprise on the morning of the annual Sausage Breakfast!… Continue reading

Recently, the Fort Recovery FFA Advisors, Michael Gower and Joe Hawk, attended the District Five FFA Evaluations held at MVCTC in Clayton, Ohio.  The annual District FFA Evaluation recognized individual achievements and chapter accomplishments.

Four Fort Recovery FFA members, applied for the American FFA Degree including, Tyler Gower, Courtney Metzger, Cameron Romer, and Blayne Tobe. The American Degree is the highest degree a member can receive in the FFA.  To earn the degree, members need to keep detailed records of a Supervised Agricultural Experience, earn or productively invest $10,000 or more, and be heavily involved in chapter, school, and community activities.  Only 105 members in the history of the Fort Recovery FFA Chapter have ever received the prestigious American FFA Degree.  Their applications were evaluated and forwarded to state for evaluation.

Eight Fort Recovery FFA members, applied for the State FFA Degree including, Jacob Acheson, Kayla Briner, Natalie Fortkamp, Connor Gower, Logan Hartnagel, Clark Knapke, Kendra Metzger, AJ Romer, which is the highest degree a member can receive from the state association. … Continue reading

Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) FFA Chapter has a primary goal to follow the National FFA Mission which is “to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for career success through agricultural education and Career Development Events (CDE).”

The Ohio Beginning Prepared Speech CDE provides an early opportunity for FFA members to develop the art of public speaking. The purpose of the Extemporaneous Public Speaking CDE is to develop oral communication skills, expressing thoughts and ideas with limited preparation. The Extemporaneous Public Speaking CDE develops the prepared speaker further to formulate remarks in situations with minimal prior notification or rehearsal.

Two Junior MVCTC FFA members recently advanced to the Sub-District Public Speaking Contest held at Tri-Village High School on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020, to compete.  Jayla Denlinger (Twin Valley South/Veterinary Science) and Heidi Allan (Tipp City/Natural Resource Management), won the MVCTC FFA Chapter Contest and earned the right to compete at the next level. … Continue reading