Thursday, May 13, 2021

Josh Smith Says Good Bye to Worth County FFA; Keelin Engel, Tate Welch Get Special Recognition

It was a time for good byes Wednesday as FFA Advisor Josh Smith hung up his jacket along with the seniors following the Worth County FFA Banquet. Outgoing FFA President Keelin Engel presided over her last meeting before turning the gavel over to Justina Wimer; she and Tate Welch were given special recognition in the form of FFA Career Excellence awards for all their hard work and service to the program for the last four years. Josh Smith will remain at Worth County, but in a new role; he will become Athletic Director and Curriculum Director for the school. 

New officers were installed for the 2021-2022 school year. They were Justina Wimer (President), Drew Welch (Vice President), Taylor Sanders (Secretary), Molly Miller (Treasurer), Elizabeth Brown (Reporter), and Ali Brown (Sentinel).

Drew Welch recited the FFA Creed at the start of the program. Tate Welch got recognized for being an Area II FFA Officer for last year, while Justina Wimer was recognized for being Area II FFA Sentinel for this year.

Top sellers this year were Justina Wimer, Jill Hardy, and Molly Miller.

Leadership awards were given to Autumn Cousatte, Tyler New, Drew Welch, Taylor Sanders, Ali Brown, Justina Wimer, Molly Miller, Anna Spainhower, Jill Hardy, Tate Welch, Braidy Hunt, Keelin Engel, Megan Cassavaugh, EmiLee Brown, and Wyatt Abplanalp.

Chapter Scholarship awards were given to Brylee Rush, Drew Welch, Justina Wimer, and Tate Welch.

Greenhand Degrees were given to Tyler New, Autumn Cousatte, Dillan Gavigan, Brylee Rush, Kolten Smith, Tuker Riley, and Landon Moser. Star Chapter Greenland award was given to Autumn Cousatte.

Chapter FFA Degrees were given to Lance Abplanalp, Hailey Adwell, Ali Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Colt Cameron, Levi Cassavaugh, Wyatt Craven, Braxton Hightshoe, Cash Jacobs, Jase Latham, Tanner Ridge, Damian Roush, Taylor Sanders, and Drew Welch. Star Chapter Farmer awards went to Taylor Sanders and Drew Welch. All of them got Star Chapter Placement awards.

Proficiency awards went to Justina Wimer (Diversified Livestock), Molly Miller (Equine Science), Zach Bounds (Grain Production), Grant Cameron (Ag Services), James Gladstone (Forest Management), Aydan Gladstone (Beef Production), Marshall Ruckman (Landscape Management), Megan Cassavaugh (Diversified Agriculture), Wyatt Abplanalp (Ag Mechanics, Design, and Fabrication), Keelin Engel (Diversified Livestock), Braidy Hunt (Sheep Production), Jill Hardy (Beef Production Entrepreneurship), Tate Welch (Swine Production Entrepreneurship), EmiLee Brown (Equine Science, State Plaque), and Anna Spainhower (Goat Production, State Plaque). 

The BTC Bank Scholarship went to Ali Brown. The Farm Bureau Scholarships went to Keelin Engel, EmiLee Brown, Braidy Hunt, and Jill Hardy.

State FFA Degrees were awarded. Recipients are among the top 10% of all FFA members in the state. Honored were Keelin Engel, Tate Welch, Braidy Hunt, Nate Adwell, EmiLee Brown, Wyatt Abplanalp, and Anna Spainhower. American FFA Degrees were awarded to Haley Hunt and Jeremy Wimer. 

All of the contest teams were recognized. Brylee Rush was recognized as the top FFA Knowledge contestant. She was 13th overall in districts. The Poultry team was 11th in districts. Tuker Riley was 19th overall. The Soils team was 12th in districts. Anna Spainhower was high individual. The Horses team was 3rd in districts. Justina Wimer was 8th, Molly Miller 11th, and Drew Welch 12th overall.

The Meats team was 6th in districts. Keelin Engel was 10th overall. They competed in state, where they placed 21st. The Dairy Cattle team was fifth in districts, with Wyatt Abplanalp fourth overall. The team went to state, where they were 14th, with Ali Brown 12th at state with a Group I rating. Wyatt Abplanalp was high individual.

The Livestock team won districts, with Tate Welch first overall. Braidy Hunt was fifth and Megan Cassavaugh was sixth. They went on to state, where they were sixth overall with a Group 1 rating. Tate Welch was second overall at state and was high individual.

The Blue and Gold award, given to people for their service to the organization, was given to Brett and Stephanie Hardy along with Craig and Sheila Hunt. Outgoing school secretary Kandi Hughes was named an honorary member.

The Bev Pickering, Ted Foland, and Arthur Knight Memorial Scholarships all went to Keelin Engel.


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