Wisconsin FFA Makes Huge Impact at 2008 National Convention

By Brianna Ditzenberger Editorial Intern
Thursday, October 30, 2008 7:14 AM CDT

Wisconsin FFA proves that stepping up and making a difference has a huge impact. At the 81st National FFA Convention held last week in Indianapolis, participants from Wisconsin were recognized in numerous areas for their hard work and dedication.

American Star Award

Pulaski FFA member, Jason Hanstedt, was chosen by the National FFA Organization as the 2008 American Star in Agribusiness. His outstanding career management skills along with agricultural knowledge made him an outstanding recipient for this coveted award.

Jason Hanstedt once described himself as the type of high school student who shoved all of his books and papers in a backpack with little regard for organization. This all changed when the 21-year-old started his own tree removal and wood recycling business. He now keeps his company’s books in impeccable order, turns a steady profit and has earned a national award for his efforts.

Each year at the national FFA convention, 16 national finalists (four per award) vie for the organization’s top awards: American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience. These awards honor students who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through their career development programs; demonstrated outstanding management skills; earned the American FFA Degree n the organization’s highest level of accomplishment; and met other agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements. Each finalist was interviewed by a panel of judges, who ultimately named the top candidate in each area. The winner was announced in an onstage convention ceremony and received a plaque and an award of $4,000. The runners-up also received plaques and $2,000 each.

When Hanstedt was a freshman at Pulaski High School, he began using lessons he’d learned about forestry in his agriculture classes to manage his parents 71-acre, wooded property. Two years later, while still in high school, he purchased a wood chipper with the help of his father and established Hanstedt Wood and Recycling. Over the last four years, his business has expanded. Now, in addition to brush chipping services, the company offers tree and branch removal, lot clearing, scrap iron removal from farms, fence line clearing and firewood sales.

Next spring he will graduate from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College with a certificate in business management. His plans are to stay in the Pulaski area and purchase land, where he can establish his business operations and his home. He hopes to someday he regarded as a respected business leader in his community.

Hanstedt is the son of Terry and Judy Hanstedt and is a member of the Pulaski FFA, where his advisor is Jared Schaffner. His supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program led him to apply for and earn the American FFA Degree, in which a student just earn and invest $7,500 or have earned and productively invested at least $1,500 and worked 2,250 hours in excess of scheduled class time.

Rounding out the four star spots are Derek Lowrey, of the Trenton FFA Chapter in Missouri, Star in Agricultural Placement; Laura Bruner of Pettisville FFA Chapter in Ohio, Star in Agriscience; Travis Schnaithman from the Garber FFA Chapter in Oklahoma, Star Farmer

Wisconsin FFA members who competed as finalists include Bryan Sheller, Montello FFA, American Star in Ag Placement finalist; and Michael Biel, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, American Star in Agriscience finalist.

Proficiency awards

Wisconsin had two students win Proficiency awards in their respective areas on the national level. Winners were Dylan Minnig, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Agricultural Sales n Entrepreneurship, and Curtis Horsens, Gillett FFA, Forage Production.

As a seventh grader, Dylan Minnig was already an entrepreneur, owning 20 percent of his grandfather’s firewood business. Motivated by the awards he could win through FFA, the Wisconsin resident decided to purchase another 10 percent of the company, thus beginning his supervised agricultural experience. At Minnig Firewood, he plays a key role in all operations, from pulling trees with a tractor to processing them into firewood and delivering the wood to his customers. Currently, Minnig is focusing on expanding his business to wood chips. With plans to earn a degree in diesel mechanics, he hopes to continue to be active in FFA through the Alumni association.

Striving to provide the best forage to feed to his 300 head dairy farm, Curtis Horsens has been involved in forage production since 2002. He realizes that utilizing the best methods and latest technologies will produce high-quality hay, in turn, allowing the dairy cattle to produce high-quality milk. The Gillett FFA member plants a total of 900 acres. In addition to cutting hay, the farm also grows corn. Horsens plans to continue his education in dairy science at the University of Wisconsin. Upon graduation he will return to his family farm and continue a tradition that has been alive since 1879.

Finalists from Wisconsin included Bradley Schwanz, Amherst FFA, Agricultural Processing; Dylan A. Minnig, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Agricultural Sales; Bailey Quam, Lodi FFA, Beef Production; Theresa Schiferl, Marshfield FFA, Dairy Production; Michael J. Hoffmann, Amherst FFA, Dairy Production; Travis Paul, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Diversified Crop Production; Danielle Plocar, Howards Grove FFA, Diversified Horticulture; Dylan Stichert, Marshfield FFA, Diversified Livestock; Michelle Heeg, Marshfield FFA, Emerging Agricultural Technology; Dustin Doherty, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production; Curtis Horsens, Gillett FFA, Forage Production; James Leystra, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Grain Production; Lee Athey, Oconto Falls FFA, Home and Community Development; Christopher K. Babcock, Adams-Friendship FFA, Outdoor Recreation; Logan Frei, Janesville Craig FFA, Poultry Production; Emily Marzahl, Westfield FFA, Sheep Production; Jacob Paul, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Turf Grass Management; and Chelsea A. Kok, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA, Vegetable Production.

National chapter awards

Twenty Wisconsin FFA chapters were acknowledged as Three Star Chapters. They include: Amery, Barron, Bloomer, Black Hawk, Bonduel, Freedom, Holmen, Marshfield, Montello, New Auburn, New Holstein, New Richmond, Prairie Farm, Sauk Prairie, Spencer, Stevens Point, Stratford, Suring, Waupaca and Weyauwega-Fremont. Two Star Chapters that were recognized were Manawa, Oconto Falls, Randolph-Cambria-Friesland, Tigerton, Tomah and Waupun.

Wisconsin had one chapter compete as a finalist for National Model of Innovation Awards. Waupaca FFA was selected as a National Chapter Model of Invocation Finalist in the area of Community Development.

Wisconsin FFA Booth

Spencer FFA hosted the Wisconsin FFA Booth during convention and handed out hundreds of pounds of cheese to convention attendees to promote the Wisconsin Association of FFA and Wisconsin Agriculture. The State Winning National Chapter Award Winner earns the opportunity to host this booth at the National FFA Convention.

Agriscience award

A Manawa FFA member represented Wisconsin as one of eight finalists for the Argiscience Student of the Year. Cara Robinson qualified for such an achievement based on her agriscience research project, as well as, her academic achievements and involvement in school and community related activities.

Agriscience fair

Kyle Herman and Aaron Zimmerman, Spencer FFA, were division three winners in Botany n Team Grades 7, 8, and 9 at the National Agriscience Fair. In the Engineering category, Meghan Hurlburt and Hannah Laduke, Cochrane-Fountian City FFA, were division three winners in Team Grades 7, 8, and 9.

Wisconsin has 19 FFA members competing. Also participating in the National Agriscience Fair were: Biochemistry/Microbiology/Food Science: Individual Grades 7, 8 and 9- Zachary Markhardt, Black River Falls; Team Grades 7, 8 and 9 - Stacey Springob and Courtney Schultz, Spencer; Team Grades 10, 11 and 12 - Amy Kringle and Nikki Rukamp, Barron. Environmental Science: Individual Grades 7, 8 and 9 - Kyle Tollefson, Cochrane-Fountain City; Individual Grades 10, 11 and 12 - Lucas Hamernik, Barron. In Zoology: Team Grades 7, 8 and 9 - Lindsay Smutney and Ariel Miller, New Auburn; Team Grades 10, 11 and 12 - Lexi Banker and Kendra Bliese, Pulaski. In Botany: Individual Grades 10, 11, 12 - Brittany Pierce, Tomah; Team Grades 10, 11 and 12 - Deanna Malin and Holly Feltham, Big Foot. In Engineering: Individual Grades 7, 8 and 9 - Tyler Page, Bangor.

Office candidate

Kaleb Santy, Pulaski FFA, represented Wisconsin as the state’s National FFA Officer Candidate. Santy is a past state FFA officer and UW-River Falls agricultural education major.

Nominating committee

Nick Palkowski, state FFA president from the Cochrane-Fountain City FFA Chapter, was selected to serve as the chair of the 2008 National FFA Officer Nominating Committee, which selects the new team of National FFA Officers. This is a great honor and responsibility for Nick as he and 8 other individuals selected by the National Officer team interviewd the national FFA officer candidates throughout the week of National Convention.

Career Development Events

Teams and individuals from around the state competed in the National Career Development Events.

- Speaking results: Prepared Public Speaking n Kaley Bockhop, Belmont FFA, silver individual; Extemporaneous Public Speaking n Chris Hiebl, Edgar FFA, bronze individual; Job Interview n Cara Robinson, Manawa FFA, silver individual; Creed Speaking n Michelle Pehler, Cochrane-Fountain FFA, bronze individual.

- Gold CDE Teams: Agricultural Mechanics n River Ridge FFA; Matthew Martin, sixth place gold individual; Devon Steiger, gold individual; Hunter Kussmaul, silver individual; Doug Moore, silver individual; Dairy Cattle Evaluation n Southern Door FFA; Jacob Brey, 10th place gold individual; Ben Kinnard, gold individual; Brandon Kruswick, silver individual; Garrett Rass, bronze individual. Floriculture n Elkhart Lake FFA; Adam Ruechel, 10th place gold individual; Abbey Neils, silver individual; Kate Vollrath, silver individual; Katelyn Winkel, silver individual. Nursery and Lanscape n Oconto Falls FFA; Holly Carlson, gold individual; Michael Poradek, gold individual; Brian Sparrow, gold individual; Annalise Donart, silver individual. Poultry Evaluation n Plymouth FFA; John Malone, gold individual; Breanna Wimmler, gold individual; Jasmine Gray, silver individual; Kathryn Overby, silver individual.

- Silver CDE Teams: Agricultural Communications n Colby FFA; Joseph Becker, gold individual; Jessica Freidhof, silver individual; Rachel Sossaman, silver individual; Kimberly Boor, bronze individual. Agronomy n Arcadia FFA; Paul Reuter, silver individual; Greg Rotering, silver individual; Andrew Sendelbach, silver individual; Adam Guenther, bronze individual. Farm Business Management n Belleville FFA; Ethan Schmaling, gold individual; Mike Doyle, silver individual; Caleb Mabis, silver individual. Forestry n Marshfield FFA; Tim Esselman, silver individual; Mike Kundinger, silver individual; Brad Sternweis, silver individual; Eric Gabel, bronze individual. Horse Evaluation n Reedsburg FFA; Brittany Birdsill, silver individual; Ashley Green, silver individual; Cody Meister, silver individual; Tyler Meister, bronze individual. Dairy Cattle Handlers Activity n Brett Hildebrandt, Hustisford FFA, silver individual.

- Bronze CDE Teams: Parlimentary Procedure n Mayville FFA; Agricultural Sales n Pulaski FFA; Anne Moore, silver individual; Jordan Aderholdt, bronze individual; Allison DeWane, bronze individual; Lacy Schimmel, bronze individual; Agricultural Issues Forum n Big Foot FFA; Livestock Evaluation n Belmont FFA; Shane Nodolf, silver individual; Bryan Schobert, silver individual; Cameron Carey, bronze individual; Tyler Dornink, bronze individual. Marketing Plan n Brillion FFA; Meats Evaluation and Technology n Brillion FFA; Kelsey Deiter, bronze individual; Danielle Emmer, bronze individual; Alex Hoida, bronze individual; Jennifer Nelson, bronze, individual.

Band, chorus and talent

The following Wisconsin FFA members were selected to participate in the National FFA Band, Chorus and Talent Programs.

- National FFA Band- Holly Chojnacki, Tri-County; Carolyn Horst, Hartford; Stacey Kunde, Winneconne; Samantha Loehr, Campbellsport; and Danielle Plocar, Howards Grove.

- National FFA Chorus- Melissa Hoppe, Bonduel; Clara Byom, Gale Ettrick, Trempealeau; Jeremiah Micolichek, West DePere; and Kayla Ruf, Darlington.

- National FFA Talent- Kayla Menn, Brookwood; Amber Reynolds, Fennimore;

Melissa Carstensen, Big Foot; and Nicole Kottke, Oakfield.

American FFA Degrees

On Saturday, 194 Wisconsin FFA members received their American FFA Degrees (see corresponding list). To achieve the degree, a student must earn and invest $7,500 or have earned and productively invested at least $1,500 and worked 2,250 hours in excess of scheduled class time.

National FFA delegates

Four students represented Wisconsin as official voting delegates along with the State FFA Officer team. They were: McKenzie Baecker, Cochrane-Fountain City FFA; Breanne Wieser, Elk Mound FFA; Samantha Becker, Mondovi; Bethany Rieth, Oconto Falls FFA; and Samantha Voss, Waupaca FFA.

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