MOUNT VERNON – Agriculture students in Knox County and across the country are celebrating National Future Farmers of America Week Feb. 19 to 26, a decades-long tradition dating to the first national FFA week in the 1940s.
Knox County’s students have participated and placed in various competitions so far this year, and they are spending this week sharing their FFA knowledge and pride with their peers.
In Fredericktown, home of the FFA jacket, national FFA staff members will pay a visit to conduct leadership workshops and assemblies for students.
Fredericktown was chosen to host Eastern Region vice president Mallory White on Feb. 25. White will also be joined by national staff member Celya Glowacki, Ohio FFA president Jake Jajkowski and state staff member Katy Endsley.
In Danville that same day, students will be driving tractors to school. Danville agriculture students also organized a Spirit Week and will be incorporating non-agriculture students into the week by sharing FFA facts over the building’s public address system.
Centerburg is similarly hosting various events throughout the week, such as leadership workshops, FFA T-shirt Day and official Dress Day as well as providing appreciation meals for farmers, teachers and FFA members.
As students and educators celebrate throughout the week, here is a look at what Knox County’s FFA chapters have been up to so far in 2022:
East Knox
East Knox recently ranked third in the state for nursery landscape with team members Dylan Springer (third in state), Dustin Springer (seventh in state), Hayden Baker (11th in state), Braylon Evans, Ryan Hubbell and Quentin White.
“The top four members of this team will compete in the state finals with the top 10 teams on April 7 at Delaware Area Career Center, where they will do hands-on activities,” East Knox agriculture teacher Tom Holton wrote to Knox Pages.
“They will operate skid-steer loaders, lay pavers, use a builders level, complete a grading and drainage practicum, do a plant layout practicum, and complete a property landscape estimate.”
On Feb. 15, East Knox also placed 59th in the state for the farm business management career development event. These team members included Alexandria Magers, Andrew Poff, Brayden Lemley, Lane Boggs, Brendon Merritt, Blake Bonham, Ryan Hubbell, Chloe Crawford, Hailey Frazee, Nicolas Steinwender.
For the outdoor power equipment career development event also on Feb. 15, East Knox placed seventh in the district online test and will compete in the hands-on district finals in April. The power equipment team included Josh Henwood, Andrew Poff and Ethan Phillis.
Earlier this month, Dylan Springer placed fourth in the county creed speaking career development event.
Last month, East Knox officers received state gold ratings, including secretary Hailey Frazee, treasurer Josh Henwood, and reporter Nicolas Steinwender all with a perfect score.
Three East Knox FFA members received their American FFA Degrees at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis: Cheyenne Anders, Brooklyn Cunningham and Shelby Dugan. The American degree is the fourth and final degree in FFA and typically less than 1/2 percent of national membership attains it annually.
Three other members — Trenton Comer, Ethan Phillis and Andrew Poff — are approved to receive their State FFA Degree on May 6 at the Ohio FFA Convention.
After placing in state contests this past fall, East Knox’s FFA chapter will also be representing Ohio in the Eastern States Exposition (The Big “E”) in September in West Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as the National Land and Range contest in Oklahoma in May.
Mount Vernon
Four members of Mount Vernon’s FFA chapter were invited to compete in the state finals of the Ohio FFA agricultural biotechnology career development event.
“The students learned and applied their knowledge through an online test,” Mount Vernon FFA advisor Stephanie Plumly told Knox Pages. “Their scores on this test earned them a spot in the final in-person competition hosted by Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.”
Mount Vernon’s team placed 18th in the state during preliminary testing, then placed 13th during the finals competition and demonstration of lab practicums. There were 307 FFA members from across Ohio who competed in this competition.
The members who competed included Vivian Noble, Layne Dailey, Sam Ladig, Ansley Daubenmier, Roan Ramey, Chase Temple, Brett Mast, Jacklyn Auker, Emma Croghan and Grace Laymon. Daubmenier, Noble, Dailey and Laymon (who earned a sixth-place individual finish) were invited to state finals.
Fredericktown
Fredericktown’s first-year members had a chapter public speaking contest in which they memorized the FFA Creed written by E.M. Tiffany, agriculture teacher Debra Burden told Knox Pages.
Taylor Thorne placed first. Lauren Neighbarger placed second, and Christopher Cline placed third.
Other members who competed included Kelly Cline, Trinity Enzor, Carter Mull, Hayden Reed, Trent Rook and Blake Tucker.
Fredericktown’s state soils team also qualified for nationals in May.
Danville
In January 2022, 10 Danville FFA members received their FFA blue corduroy jackets.
Those members included Logan Moran, Dakota Ricketts, Walker Weckesser, Blake Colopy, Kendall Carter, Meghan Colopy, Tanner Banbury, Grace Gronberg, Ava Snively and Jayna Hammons.
The jacket is worn at official FFA events as required, such as chapter banquets, state and national conventions and career development events, including parliamentary procedure and public speaking.
Six of Danville’s first year members also recently competed in the greenhand quiz career development event, which is a test of their knowledge of FFA and career development events, agriculture teacher Rebecca McCarty said.
Danville’s seniors participated in the farm and agribusiness management career development event. The team of six — Keuara Shilling, Isaiah Moore, Alenah Boeshart, Connie Powell, Wyatt Weckesser and Koen Phillips — placed 65th. There are 324 chapters in the state that had the opportunity to compete.
Two Danville students competed in the Mount Gilead FFA Alumni’s General Livestock contest Feb. 19. Catlin Ball placed 19th and Alayna Wittel placed 32nd, out of 255 students at the competition.
Centerburg
Centerburg’s FFA chapter also participated at the Mount Gilead Invitational Livestock Judging Contest and placed 26th.
“A lot of work to do but a fun day!” Centerburg agriculture teacher Matt Weade told Knox Pages.
Centerburg’s FFA agriculture sales team recently placed seventh in the district. The sales team included Oliver Griffith, Zachary Jagger, Dallas Cornett and Ethen Kent.
Additionally, Olivia Griffith placed sixth overall for creed speaking, as well as third for extemporaneous public speaking.
Ava Cochran placed fourth for prepared public speaking.
Learn more about the future of agriculture locally in the “Successful Succession” series, featuring Knox County agriculture educators and students.
