Wisconsin FFA Honors Outstanding Chapters & Members

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 10:36 AM CDT

The 79th Annual Wisconsin State FFA Convention was held June 9-12 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Thousands of participants and guests attended the event which was centered on the theme, “Living With Passion - Serving With Pride.”

Outstanding chapters and members were honored for their achievements during seven sessions over the course of three days.

This year’s many winners include:

Tuesday’s First Session

- Creed Contest: Michelle Pehler, Cochrane-Fountain City

- Prepared Speaking: Kaley Bockhop, Belmont

- Junior High Quiz Bowl: Cochrane-Fountain City

Tuesday’s Second Session

- Extemporaneous Speaking: Chris Hiebl, Edgar

- Parliamentary Procedure: Mayville

- Discussion Meet Contest: Jens Arneson, Stoughton

- WAAE Public Service Announcement Award: Radio: Fennimore; Video: New Glarus

- H.O. Sargent Award: Jeremiah Micolichek, West De Pere FFA

- GROWMARK Essay Contest: Ashley Julka, Laconia

- Junior High Essay Contest: Katlin Tollefson, Cochrane-Fountain City

Tuesday’s Third Session

- Agriscience Teacher Award: Larry Plapp, Badger

- Agriscience Student Award: Cara Ann Robinson, Manawa

- Farm/City Award: Waupaca

- Blue & Gold Society: CROPP Cooperative n Organic Valley Organic Prairie, Family of Matthew D. Anderson, Foremost Farms USA, Kiwanis Club of Downtown Madison, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board

Wednesday’s Fourth Session

- Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship: Roby Parsons, Antigo; Amy Kringle, Barron; Alicia Hodnik, Big Foot; Adam Moore, Black Hawk; Katie Place, Black Hawk; Rikki Ruplinger, Campbellsport; Jacob Greshik, Cochrane-Fountain City; Kelly Palkowski, Cochrane-Fountain City; Tony Meyer, Colby; Anna Peissig, Colby; Hannah Hasz, Granton; Elizabeth Folgert, Johnson Creek; Samantha Weyer, Loyal; Kendra Daniel, Marshfield; Elizabeth Dahlke, Montello; Kassie Johnson, Montello; Kayle Grott, New Holstein; Kim Tappa, Oconto Falls; Katye Williams, Slinger; John Bauer, Spencer; Max Wienke, Spencer; Jens Arneson, Stoughton; Jared Wendt, Stoughton; Tyler Lewien, Thorp; Kaysie Eckelberg, Tomah

- Three Star Leader Award: Suzanne Deane, Adams-Friendship; Jenny Cain, Amery; Greg Rotering, Arcadia; Amy Kringle, Barron; Cheyne Wakeley, Berlin; Erika Palcic, Big Foot; Adam Moore, Black Hawk; Janelle Dahlka, Bloomer; Melissa Hoppe, Bonduel; Kortney Trumm, Boscobel; Matthew Schenk, Brodhead; Dormie Roberts, Burlington; Rosemary Gudex, Campbellsport; Jessica Klinker, Cashton; Hillary Friendshuh, Clear Lake; Kellie Behnke, Clintonville; Joy Pehler, Cochrane-Fountain City; Jeanie Untiedt, Colby; Carrie Zellner, DePere; Caitlyn Lynch, Dodgeland; Courtney Deetz, Eau Claire Memorial; Jason Meyer, Elk Mound; Emma Watry, Elkhart Lake; Patrick Fincutter, Elkhorn; Ryan Kortz, Freedom; Curtis Horsens, Gillett; Aaron Gorst, Granton; Derek Weninger, Hartford; Megan Kelly, Holmen; Brett Hildebrandt, Hustisford; Ashley Julka, Laconia; Laurel Ballweg, Lodi; Tara Siemen, Lomira; Rachael Brink, Madison; Cara Robinson, Manawa; Kortney Reissman, Marion; Michaela Fox, Markesan; Tim Esselman, Marshfield; Brittany Link, Menomonie; Rebecca Schelwat, Mishicot; Andy Norby, Mondovi; Tabatha Huber, Monroe; Matt Mateske, Montello; Dana Karlen, Monticello; Morgan Gerlach, Neillsville; Ashley Skuban, New Auburn; Kayle Grott, New Holstein; Julianna Casey, New Richmond; Michael Poradek, Oconto Falls; Candy Bradley, Omro; Kristine Gustafson, Osceola; Hannah Iverson, Plum City; Claire Ohman, Plymouth; Catlin Roberts, Portage; Renee Wirth, Prairie Farm; Ryan Zimmerman, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland; Brandon Birdsill, Reedsburg; Kathy Delander, River Falls; Jesse Dahir-Kanehl, Sauk Prairie; Cindy Leist, Sevastopol; Samantha Mechtel, Shell Lake; Dana Groom, Shullsburg; Brenda Breuer, Slinger; Sydney Gropp, Spencer; Candice Zehm, Spooner; Samantha Strehlow, Suring; Merideth Ponto, Thorp; Amanda Wedemayer, Tigerton; Brittany Pierce, Tomah; Katie Hagemann, Waterford; Samantha Voss, Waupaca; Frank Behling, Waupun; Jared Stillman, Weyauwega-Fremont; Mary Pat Speerstra, Whitehall; Stacey Kunde, Winneconne; Michelle Endres, Wisconsin Heights; Paige Bernitt, Wittenberg-Birnamwood

- Chapter Recruitment Award: Suring

- 100 Percent Membership: Alma, Amherst, Barron, Berlin, Bonduel, Clear Lake, Clinton, Cochrane-Fountain City, Denmark, Gillett, Independence, Johnson Creek, Juda, LaFarge, Lake Mills, Lincoln-ACHM, Marshall, Neillsville, New Auburn, New Glarus, Portage, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland, Reedsville, Rio, River Ridge, Spencer, Thorp, Winneconne, Wittenberg-Birnamwood

- 10-plus Membership Chapters: Algoma, Amery, Argyle, Baldwin-Woodville, Bangor, Barron, Bloomer, Bonduel, Boyceville, Brodhead, Burlington, Cameron, Campbellsport, Clayton, Coleman, DeForest, DePere, DeSoto, Dodgeville, Edgerton, Freedom, Hartford, Hillsboro, Hudson, Lena, Lincoln-ACHM, Marshall, Marshfield, Mayville, Merrill, Mishicot, Mondovi, Monroe, Neillsville, New Holstein, Oshkosh North, Oshkosh West, Portage, Pulaski, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland, Richland Center, River Ridge, St. Croix Falls, Seymour, Stanley-Boyd, Stoughton, Stratford, Suring, Thorp, Wausau, Wauzeka, West DePere, Westfield, Whitewater, Wisconsin Dells

- Overall Member Increase: Portage

- Largest Member Percent Increase: Wisconsin Dells

- Largest Chapter: Randolph-Cambria-Friesland

- Largest Percentage of School Population: Randolph-Cambria-Friesland

State FFA Career Development Events:

- Agricultural Communications: Colby

- Agricultural Issues: Big Foot

- Agricultural Mechanics: River Ridge; Top Individual: Matt Martin, River Ridge

- Agricultural Sales: Pulaski; Top Individual: Sheenah Ott, Hillsboro; Anne Moore, Pulaski; Suzy Limberg, Plymouth

- Agronomy: Lancaster; Top Individual: Andy Adams, Lancaster

- Dairy Cattle: Southern Door; Top Individual: Jacob Brey, Southern Door

- Dairy Handling: Brett Hildebrandt, Hustisford

- Dairy Products: Hillsboro; Top Individual: Abby Amundson, Barron

- Environmental and Natural Resources: Cochrane-Fountain City

- Farm Business Management: Bellville; Top Individual: Ethan Schmaling, Bellville

- Floriculture: Elkhart Lake; Top Individual Adam Ruechel, Elkhart Lake

- Food Science & Technology: Gale-Ettick-Trempleau; Top Individual: Julie Lilla, G-E-T

- Forestry: Marshfield; Top Individual: Tim Esselman, Marshfield

- Horse Evaluation & Selection: Reedsburg; Top Individual: Reedsburg; Top Individual: Audra Nett, Cambridge

- Land Evaluation: Lancaster; Top Individual: Andy Adamn, Lancaster

- Livestock Evaluation: Belmont; Top Individual: Kelli Retalsick, Cassville

- Marketing Plan: Brillion

- Meat Technology and Evaluation: Brillion; Top Individual: Tyler Nelson, Mosinee

- Nursery/Landscape: Oconto Falls; Top Individual: Michael Poradek, Oconto Falls

- Poultry: Plymouth; Top Individual: John Malone, Plymouth

Wednesday’s Fifth Session

- Food For America: Stevens Point

- Cooperative Leadership Award: Waupaca

- Cooperative Leadership Instructor Award: Jenifer Erb and Rene Lehmen, Waupaca

- Agri-Entrepreneurship Award: Chris Compean, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland

- Job Interview Award: Cara Robinson, Manawa

- Opening/Closing Ceremonies Junior High: Stevens Point

- Opening/Closing Ceremonies Senior High: Oconto Falls

Wednesday’s Sixth Session

- Honorary State FFA Degrees: Cortlyn Almquist, Bill Bruins, David & Connie Christenson, Sue Colle, Representative Brett Davis, Melinda Goplin, Dave & Rose Gross, Kim Havens, Bill Holler, Michael Moore, LouAnn Morrow, Pat & Marilyn O’Brien, Senator Luther Olsen, Representative Al Ott, Barry Rose, Erin Ruby, Jared Schaffner, Senator Kathleen Vinehout, Don Wipperfurth, Doug Zellmer

- Distinguished Service Award: La Verne Ausman, Ralph Johnson

- VIP Award: Richard & Linda Aide

- Wisconsin FFA Hall of Fame Inductees: Archie Abbott, Ken Seering, Floyd Miller

- Star Farmer: Dylan Stichert, Marshfield

- Star in Agricultural Placement: Cody Carpenter, Darlington

- Star in Agribusiness: Justin Klinkner, Cashton

- Star in Agriscience: Keith Bollinger, Cochrane-Fountain City

Thursday’s Seventh Session

- Chapter Scrapbook: Lodi

- Chapter Website Competition: Black River Falls

- Spirit Stick Award: Holmen

- Chapter Safety: Weyauwega-Fremont

- Morrison Safety Award: Marion

- National Chapter (Student Development): Spencer

- National Chapter (Chapter Development): Waupaca

- National Chapter (Community Development): Waupaca

- National Chapter Overall Winner: Spencer

- National FFA Delegates: Bethany Rieth, Oconto Falls; Samantha Becker, Mondovi; Samantha Voss, Waupaca; Breanne Wieser, Elk Mound

- National FFA Officer Candidate: Kaleb Santy, Pulaski

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