NEWS

FFA members recognized at Wisconsin FFA Convention

Colleen Kottke
Wisconsin State Farmer
FFA members from across the state of Wisconsin were recognized for their hard work and dedication over the past year during the 90th annual Wisconsin FFA Convention held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, June 10-13.

FFA members from across the state of Wisconsin were recognized for their hard work and dedication over the past year during the 90th annual Wisconsin FFA Convention held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, June 10-13.

Here are some of the award highlights from the convention. For more highlights visit https://bit.ly/31EYgl0.

National Chapter Award

Denmark FFA is the winner of this year's National Chapter Award. Each chapter that applies for the National Chapter Award program is ranked gold, silver or bronze. The top 26 gold applications are forwarded on for national competition.

At the state level the gold rated applications in each division of Student, Chapter and Community Development was selected and awarded a trophy and cash awards. Denmark receives the honor of hosting the Wisconsin Hall of States Booth at the National FFA Convention in October. Denmark FFA is advised by Mary Handrich and Marty Nowak. The runner-up chapters are: Waupaca, second; Prairie Farm, third. 

Chapters receiving gold ranking and Advancing to National Competition in Indianapolis, Indiana in October: Adams-Friendship; Badger; Beaver Dam; Big Foot; Cochrane-Fountain City; Columbus; Denmark; Freedom; Granton; Lodi; Manawa; Prairie Farm; Sauk Prairie; Shullsburg; Spooner; Stanley-Boyd; Stevens Point; Thorp; Tomah; Verona; Waupaca; Waupun; Weyauwega-Fremont; Whitehall and Winneconne.

Chapters receiving silver ranking: Baldwin-Woodville; Barron; Bloomer; Bonduel; Boscobel; Colby; DeForest; Ellsworth; Fennimore; Kiel; Lomira; Marshall; Mauston; Milton; Mishicot; New London; Owen-Withee; Randolph Cambria-Friesland; Reedsburg; River Valley and Seymour.

Chapters receiving bronze ranking: Bay Port and Burlington. Chapters receiving participant ranking:Green Bay East and Tigerton.

National Delegates

Representing Wisconsin as official voting delegates in the business sessions at the National FFA Convention this fall are the slate of state officers; with two other FFA members selected to join them as delegates which include Ben Styer, Menomonie FFA and Cortney Zimmerman, Spencer FFA. Amara Livingston of the Cochrane-Fountain City FFA was chosen as an alternate.

Three Star Leader Awards

The Three Star Leader Award is based on the local FFA chapter qualifying and receiving, in the current school year, at least a bronze rating in the National Chapter Award Program.

The Three Star Leader Award recognizes a selected FFA member from a local chapter for being actively involved in chapter activities in Student Development, Chapter Development, and Community Development. Qualifying FFA leaders were recognized at the Wisconsin State FFA Convention and received a certificate indicating their achievement and a “State Leadership” pin.

This year's recipients include: Emily Dahlke, Adams-Friendship; Cody Miller, Badger; Jessica Moor, Baldwin-Woodville; Evan Mennen, Bay Port; Emily Vacula, Big Foot; Emma Toellner, Bonduel; Casey Ostheimer, Boscobel; Courtney Uhlenhake, Burlington; Amara Livingston, Cochrane-Fountain City; Katrina Kolzow, Colby; Abbygail Hayes, Columbus.

Katelyn Buchda, DeForest; Abbey Wanek, Denmark; Kailey Brenner, Ellsworth; Randy Winch, Fennimore; Danille Heenan, Freedom; Jaden Gardner, Granton; Jessica Sabrowsky, Kiel; Joye Hellenbrand, Lodi; Faith Rinzel, Lomira; Kellynn Kaczorowski, Manawa; Gabriella Campos, Marshall; Gracelyn Footit, Mauston; Grace Mawhinney, Milton.

Samantha Anhalt, Mishicot; Emily Smolinski, New London; Matthew Fischer, Owen-Withee; Emily Marsolek, Whitehall; Lucas Miller, Rand-Cambria Friesland; Matthew Ryherd, Reedsburg; Connor Mickelson, River Valley; Katie Yanke, Sauk Prairie; Morgan Seitz, Seymour; Zach Wiegel, Shullsburg; Kaitlyn Genske, Spooner.

Madelynn Green, Stanley-Boyd; Jacqueline Wisinski, Stevens Point; Samantha Ciolkosz, Thorp; Colby Von Haden, Tomah; Montana Sarbacker, Verona; Paige Swanson, Waupaca; Katrina Pokorny, Waupun; Katie Loehrke, Weyauwega-Fremont; and Morgan Selwitschka, Winneconne.

GROWMARK Essay Contest

Marie Hamlin of the St. Croix Central FFA Chapter earned top honors in the 2019 GROWMARK Essay contest. This year's theme was 'What does the future of agriculture look like to you, and what skills will you need to play a part in it?' The purpose of the contest is to improve proficiency in writing and increase understanding of current issues in agriculture.

Hamlin will receive a $500 award from GROWMARK, and her chapter will also receive a $300 award in honor of her accomplishment to help future students. Meanwhile, four state runners-up will each receive a $125 scholarship. They include Chelsea Braun, Kiel; Sara Nehring, Weyauwega-Fremont; Madison Russell, Shullsburg; and Douglas Woyak, Elkhorn.

Washington Leadership Conference 

This year the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association awarded 15 Washington Leadership Conference scholarships worth $450 each. For a student to be eligible to receive a WLC Scholarship their local FFA Alumni Affiliate must have an active status.

Those receiving WLC scholarships include: Drew Meyer, Amery; Nichole Catts, Clear Lake; Benjamin Styer, Menomonie; Emily Powell, Brookwood; Madison Russell, Shullsburg; Skylar Stanley, Brodhead; Emma Hamilton, Adams-Friendship; Oliva Lulich, Mauston; Serena Freriks, Waupun; Cortney Zimmerman, Spencer; Allen Jobe, Tigerton; Isaac Roehrig, Brillion; Emilee-Elizabeth Maney, Chilton; Sam Anhalt, Mishicot; and Breanna Preskar, Lakeside Lutheran.

Agriculture Proficiency Awards

Agricultural Proficiency Awards recognize outstanding achievements of FFA members in their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Programs. Awards are provided by Wisconsin and National FFA Foundation Sponsors.

State Winners include: Agricultural Communications—Delanie G. Senn, Beaver Dam; Agricultural Education—Bryn L. Rohde, Badger; Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication—Joseph A. Pulver, Randolph Cambria-Friesland; Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance (E)*—Garret K. Karweick, Seymour; Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance (P)—Kyle J. Loehrke, Weyauwega-Fremont.

Agricultural Processing—Alicia A. Baroun, De Pere; Agricultural Sales (E)—Zachary S. Woodworth, Shullsburg; Agricultural Sales (P)—Katie Koeppel, Mishicot; Agricultural Services—Kyle G. Propson, Denmark; Agriscience Research/Animal Systems—Madison M. Russell, Shullsburg; Agriscience Research/Plant Systems—Reagan R. Russell, Shullsburg.

Beef Production (E)—Brooke Welke, Osseo-Fairchild; Beef Production (P)—Lauren M. Dykes, Weyauwega-Fremont; Dairy Production (E)—Colin R. Wussow, Bonduel; Dairy Production (P)—Brooks A. Mitchell, Hillsboro; Diversified Agricultural Production—Anne C. Runde, Janesville Craig; Diversified Crop Production (P)—Kyle Paulson, Columbus; Diversified Horticulture—Jeremy W. Hoekstra, Randolph Cambria-Friesland.

Diversified Livestock Production—Sarah E. Albers, Sauk Prairie; Equine Science (E)—Niamh A. Sexton, Waupaca; Equine Science (P)—Dara H. Stichert, Marshfield; Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production—Ethan T. Hamann, Randolph Cambria-Friesland; Food Science and Technology—Kendra Preissner, Kiel; Food Service—Abigail M. Voss, Mauston; Forage Production— Dillin R. Schulz, Randolph Cambria-Friesland.

Forest Management—Tyler T. Gardner, Pittsville; Fruit Production—Rhiannon F. Reimer, Granton; Goat Production—Everlah A. Riley, Waupaca; Grain Production (E)—Seth J. Cupery, Randolph Cambria-Friesland; Grain Production (P)— Tyler J. Heine, Jefferson; Home and Community Development—Katelyn J. Loehrke, Weyauwega-Fremont; Landscape Management—Tristan M. Massie, Barron; Nursery Operations—Colton C. Wegener, Manawa.

Organic Agriculture—Jeremiah R. Ihm, Lancaster; Outdoor Recreation—Alexis Luedtke, Beaver Dam; Poultry Production—Brenton L. Wardall, Weyauwega-Fremont; Sheep Production—Jacquelyn E. Rosenbush, Spooner; Small Animal Production and Care—Hailey E. Hendrickson, Randolph Cambria-Friesland; Specialty Animal Production—Shane Lapen, Beaver Dam; Specialty Crop Production—Makayla Konkol, Amherst.

Swine Production (E)—Carson D. Lobdell, Darlington; Swine Production (P)—Travis J. Von Haden, Tomah; Turf Grass Management—Olivia M. Davis, Sauk Prairie; Vegetable Production—Levi H. Alsum, Randolph Cambria-Friesland; Veterinary Science—Sara M. Heisner, Mineral Point; Wildlife Production & Management—Kayla M. Reed, Pulaski.

*(E) = Entrepreneurship (P) = Placement Proficiency Area.