Purdue senior wins national wool contest in San Antonio

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Purdue University senior Claire Lee of Indianapolis was awarded first place in the Senior Category at the National Make It With Wool Contest in San Antonio, Texas. She made a floral wool dress and blue wool lined coat ensemble.

The national contest was held at the American Sheep Industry annual meeting. Claire will serve as the Senior Ambassador at next year’s competition in New Orleans. The national competition showcases and promotes the beauty and versatility of wool fabrics, yarns and fibers and encourages personal creativity in sewing, knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving and other needlework arts.

All contestants must select, construct and model their own garment(s) made from more than 60 percent wool content. Contestants were judged on overall appearance of the outfit, sewing construction of all three garments and overall fit.

Zionsville Community High School senior Molly Grotjan, 17, was awarded fifth place in the Junior category with her navy blue lined skirt, lined color-blocked cream and navy top, and navy, gray and cream-colored cape with button closure.

Anita Hardwick of Crawfordsville was awarded fifth place in the Adult category with her blue and ivory wool blazer, top and skirt outfit.

The national contest is sponsored by the American Wool Council, the American Sheep Industry and American Sheep Industry Women. The state contest is sponsored by the Indiana Sheep Assoc.

State's department of agriculture fills out Indiana FFA team

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced the promotion of Robert Hays to director of the Indiana FFA Assoc., and the hire of Samantha Miller as the association's assistant director.

Hays graduated from Purdue University with a degree in agricultural education and has been the association's assistant director since 2015. Prior to joining ISDA, he was the Agriculture Science and Business teacher for Warsaw Community Schools, as well as the FFA advisor for the school’s local FFA chapter.

As director of the association, Hays will oversee programs, collaborate with ISDA staff to progress agricultural education, enhance communications between FFA advisors and members and act as a liaison between Indiana FFA and National FFA. He will also be responsible for continuing the implementation of the association’s strategic plan, developed during the 2016-17 school year.

Miller is also a graduate from Purdue with a degree in agricultural education. Prior to joining the department, she was the Agriculture Science and Business teacher for Hamilton Southeastern Schools and served as one of the FFA advisors for the school's local FFA chapter.

As the assistant director of the association, Miller will work extensively to enhance the organization’s budgets, goals, recruitment strategies and communication between FFA advisors and members.

Amanda-Clearcreek FFA selects new officers to February 2019

AMANDA, Ohio — On Feb. 20, the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA held its annual officer elections. This year there were three retiring seniors and 15 candidates ready to take on their roles. This year was record-breaking for the chapter in the number of officer applications submitted, at 16.

The new officers elected were Noah Smith as president, Ellie Sahr as vice president, Sydney Sharp as secretary, Bryson L’Huillier as treasurer, Allie Poston as reporter, Garrett Drake as sentinel and Paige Hinton as student advisor. These individuals were chosen by their peers to represent the A-C FFA Chapter for the next year, ending in February 2019.

In order to complete all of their work, the officers select assistants. The assistants for 2018-19 are Jullian Scott, Emmalee McGee, Morgan Anderson, Kaylee Sharp, Stephanie Bowers, Timothy Smith and Olivia Hutchison. Each assistant is assigned to a specific office.

Scott is serving as the assistant at large, while McGee is the assistant VP, Anderson is the assistant secretary, Sharp is the assistant treasurer, Bowers is the assistant reporter, Smith is the assistant sentinel and Hutchison is the assistant student advisor.

Miami East-MVCTC shows strong in FFA competitions

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CASSTOWN, Ohio — The Miami East-MVCTC FFA Chapter has wrapped up some local and state wins in competitions this spring.

The Dairy Cattle Evaluation team members finished a season of Career Development Events. On March 3 at the Marysville/Champaign County Invitational in Marysville, the Dairy Cattle Team placed 16th and consisted of Michael Bair, Chloee Thomas and Elizabeth Bair. Michael was the highest-placing individual from Miami East, at 34th out of 101 contestants.

On March 10 at the Miami Trace FFA Invitational in Washington Court House, the Dairy Cattle Team placed 13th and consisted again of Michael and Elizabeth, and Ethin Bendickson. Michael was the highest-placing individual from Miami East, at 26th out of 93 contestants.

The State Dairy Cattle Evaluation Career Development Event was held on April 7 at Ohio State-ATI in Wooster. The team placed 16th out of 57 teams. The highest-placing individual from Miami East was Bendickson, at 33rd out of 295 contestants.

A special thank you goes to the practice sites – the Dairy Cattle Team practiced at Quietcove Holstein Farm in Wapakoneta, Knoop Holstein Farm in Fletcher, Hershberger Jersey Farm in Troy, Hines Holstein Farm in Chickasaw and Buschur Dairy Farm in New Weston.

Also, several members of the chapter recently competed in the Ohio FFA State Career Development Event for Grain Merchandising. The event consisted of an online test that evaluated each participant’s knowledge of grain merchandising options for farmers, and former and current grain marketing trends.

Members taking the test were Emily Thimmes, Jessica Gillum, Alex Isbrandt, Couy Moreland, Zach Kronenberger, Dylan Hahn, Kylie Blair, Alex DiNardo, Maci Krites, Tyler Heckman, Liza Bair, Abbey Koontz, Jacob Rife, Kami Martin, Cody Niswonger, Brookelyn Hermann, Emma Younce, Lane Mergler, Kaitlyn Hawes and Jacob Brunke.

The team placed ninth out of 41 teams in the state and was led by Thimmes, who placed 22nd out of 288 individuals. Members who competed at the State Finals were Thimmes, Gillum, Moreland and Hahn.

A special appreciation goes to Amanda Matheny and Janelle Brinksneader from Andersons Ethanol in Greenville for their coaching help.

MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI EAST-MVCTC FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation team are, from left, Ethin Bendickson, Chloee Thomas, Michael Bair and Elizabeth Bair.

(jackets) MEMBERS OF THE STATE FFA Grain Merchandising CDE team are, from left, Dylan Hahan, Emily Thimmes, Couy Moreland and Jessica Gillum.

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Woodmore FFA Alumni announce 3 scholarship winners

ELMORE, Ohio — During Woodmore FFA Alumni Assoc.’s banquet on April 15, the booster group announced the names of students receiving scholarships administered by the organization. Woodmore FFA alumni fund two of the scholarships and the other is a memorial tribute funded by the Paul Rothert family of Elmore.

Karter Converse was selected to receive the Woodmore FFA Alumni Scholarship for $500 and Noah Jacobson was chosen for the Paul Rothert Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. These scholarships require the student to major in a field of study linked to agriculture.

Converse will attend The Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute and will major in ag business. Jacobson will attend the University of Toledo and major in mechanical engineering.

The final scholarship, the Woodmore FFA Alumni Scholarship in Memory of Beth Roberts, is for $500 to Madelyn Williams. It does not specify a major field of study, but instead is awarded to an FFA student who embodies the same enthusiasm and dedication to the program as did Beth Roberts. Williams will be attending The University of Mount Union majoring in nursing.

The money will be presented at the school’s academic night in May and the students’ names will be added to their scholarship’s plaque, which are displayed at the high school and are part of the Academic Honor Wall. All three recipients were also presented the FFA Chapter Scholarship Pin to display proudly on their FFA jackets; these were provided by the FFA Alumni group.

Tractor Supply presents nearly $2M to National FFA, 4-H

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Tractor Supply Co. and the National FFA Organization are supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders through the third annual Grants for Growing program. This year, Tractor Supply stores nationwide raised a record $830,000 through customer donations to fund sustainable, youth-driven agriculture projects made possible by the initiative.

Tractor Supply awarded 271 grants impacting more than 30,000 students this spring to FFA chapters across the country that requested funding to build or enhance educational projects that will further their students’ understanding of agriculture.

From research farms to outdoor learning centers, the grants will be used to purchase the supplies needed to fulfill the projects such as power tools, hydroponic systems, fencing, vegetation, livestock, poultry, feed, mulch and much more.

Coinciding with National FFA Week, Tractor Supply hosted a 10-day in-store fundraising event nationwide, which offered shoppers the opportunity to donate at checkout in support of the program. Many chapters participated in additional fundraising opportunities at their local Tractor Supply stores to supplement donations, including bake sales, car washes and more.

Also, thousands of 4-H youth from across the country will have opportunities to learn valuable leadership skills as a result of Tractor Supply’s Spring Paper Clover Fundraiser. From April 11-22, the company raised more than $956,000 through donations made with purchases in stores and online during the biannual campaign held in partnership with National 4-H Council.

Tractor Supply customers participated in Paper Clover by purchasing paper clovers – the emblem of 4-H – for a monetary donation of their choice. Awarded as scholarships to 4-H camps and leadership events, every donation benefits youth within the state it was collected.

This marks the ninth consecutive year of Tractor Supply’s Paper Clover campaign. The company’s biannual fundraiser has collectively generated more than $13.9 million in essential funding over its history. The Paper Clover campaign will return this fall, from Oct. 3-14.

$111,000 in ‘Scoops’ raised for ag education programs

PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wis. — Every scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard mattered during Culver’s Scoops of Thanks Day fundraiser on May 3. Guests showed their support for agricultural education by stopping at Culver’s more than 650 restaurants and donating $1 in exchange for a single scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard.

The fundraiser is part of Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project and raised more than $111,000. The Thank You Farmers Project supports agricultural education programs, like the National FFA Organization, that encourage smart farming practices in an effort to make sure we continue to have enough food to feed our country’s growing population.

Since 2013, the Thank You Farmers Project has raised more than $1.7 million in support of the National FFA Organization, local FFA chapters and a variety of local agricultural organizations. To learn more about the program and how to get involved, visit www.culvers.com/thankyoufarmersproject

AGCO congratulates 2018 FFA scholarship winners

DULUTH, GA — AGCO Corp., AGCO Finance and AGCO-affiliated dealerships across the country provided more than $100,000 for 67 scholarships in support of local FFA chapters and the 2018 National FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program.

AGCO’s support for the National FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program began in 2011 and involves financial contributions from local dealers and AGCO. The financial support is just one way the company and its employees express their appreciation and support for FFA and today’s youth.

AGCO is also involved at the National FFA Convention & Expo each year and enlists the Gilbert, Iowa, High School FFA Chapter to help with the company’s Farm Progress exhibit near Boone, Iowa. These activities extend a 72-year partnership between the National FFA Organization and the company’s brands, one of the longest-standing partnerships of FFA.

AGCO, AGCO Finance and AGCO Dealer-sponsored scholarships make up just a few of the 1,840 scholarships awarded by the National FFA Organization to 2018 high school graduates and select college students. This year, students shared a total of more than $2.6 million contributed by sponsoring companies.

This is the 34th year for the FFA scholarship program, which began in 1984 with only 16 scholarships offered. The full list of FFA 2018 scholarship results can be found online at www.ffa.org/participate/scholarships