MADISON - Wisconsin FFA members, advisors and guests representing more than 250 schools attended the 79th Wisconsin FFA Convention, June 9-12, in the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. This convention highlights a year of service and success for students in Wisconsin Agricultural Education and FFA, as well as celebrates local chapter and individual achievements.
Convention participants heard from motivational speaker Rhett Laubach, inspirational speaker Ed Gerety, and Morgan Parker, National FFA vice president from Colorado. Members attended workshops, LifeWork Expo, tours, viewed displays of outstanding achievers in the FFA and got involved in the event.
Monroe FFA chapter members Alicia Gordee, Kyle Klein, Joe Huber, Tabatha Huber, Katie Lenz, Sarah McKibben and Matt Minder were recipients of the Wisconsin FFA Degree, the highest degree a state association can bestow upon its members. To be considered for this honor, the FFA members must meet the following minimum qualifications: have productively earned and invested $1,000 or worked 1,500 hours; been an FFA member for at least two years and had 360 hours of agricultural classroom instruction; given two speeches, each a minimum of five minutes in length; been involved in at least five FFA activities above the local level and participated in five cooperative activities.
Kimberly Forrester of the Brodhead FFA chapter was elected to serve as the 2008-2009 Section 5 State FFA officer. Jillian Beaty is her advisor. Her parents are Todd and Natalie Forrester. Her experiences include serving as chapter president, competing in the extemporaneous speaking contest and attending the Washington Leadership Conference. She was a member of the meats judging, livestock judging and parliamentary procedure teams and worked as an Ag in the Classroom coordinator at her school. She has a Supervised Agricultural Experience program in beef production entrepreneurship. Her project consists of raising 38 registered Angus and Maine-Anjou beef cattle. She also is a three-time gold-rated proficiency award winner and an active member of the Green County Beef Producers. She attends University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she is majoring in agricultural education with an emphasis in teaching. She plans to pursue a career as an agriculture instructor and FFA advisor.
Tommy Butts of the Black Hawk FFA chapter was elected to serve as the 2008-2009 Section 4 State FFA officer. Richard Meske and Dustin Williams are his advisors. His parents are Randall Butts and Jayne Butts. He has been an active member of the Black Hawk FFA chapter for many years, serving as the chapter president, Leadership Committee chairman and was named a Wisconsin FFA Three-Star Leader. He has developed strong public speaking skills through FFA contests, placing fourth at state in the extemporaneous speaking contest, and was the state winner in the creed speaking contest. Butts has a Supervised Agricultural Experience program in dairy production placement. He started showing cattle through 4-H at the age of 9. He has worked for the past five years on his neighbor's dairy farm, where he learned proper milking and sanitizing techniques and field work systems. He plans to attend UW-Platteville to major in agricultural engineering.
Eleanor Nesimoglu of the Monroe FFA chapter was named a member of the State FFA Chorus and performed at the convention. Chorus members were selected by application and audition tapes. The first time the members practice together is the first morning of the state convention and shortly after perform for the entire convention. The State FFA Chorus represents the Wisconsin Association of FFA at the State Fair in West Allis in August. They perform over a four-day span at events during the fair.
Students must be a member of their local FFA chapter to participate in the State FFA Chorus. Students submit their application and audition tape to the Wisconsin FFA Center by Feb. 5. FFA advisors have applications.
Tabatha Huber, daughter of Robert and Nancy Huber, Monroe, received the Three Star Leader Award at State FFA Convention for being actively involved in chapter activities in Student Development, Chapter Development and Community Development. The Three Star Leader Award is based on the local FFA chapter qualifying and receiving, in the current school year, at least a bronze rating in the National Chapter Award Program. Three Star Leader Awards are sponsored by the Wisconsin FFA Alumni through the Wisconsin FFA Foundation.
The Argyle, Brodhead, and Monroe FFA chapters were among the 55 chapters receiving the P.R.I.D.E. Award, for continually recruiting and retaining members to increase membership by at least 10 members each year. P.R.I.D.E. stands for Promote, Recruit, Inspire, Develop and Educate. The Country Today sponsors this award as a special project of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Inc.
Convention participants heard from motivational speaker Rhett Laubach, inspirational speaker Ed Gerety, and Morgan Parker, National FFA vice president from Colorado. Members attended workshops, LifeWork Expo, tours, viewed displays of outstanding achievers in the FFA and got involved in the event.
Monroe FFA chapter members Alicia Gordee, Kyle Klein, Joe Huber, Tabatha Huber, Katie Lenz, Sarah McKibben and Matt Minder were recipients of the Wisconsin FFA Degree, the highest degree a state association can bestow upon its members. To be considered for this honor, the FFA members must meet the following minimum qualifications: have productively earned and invested $1,000 or worked 1,500 hours; been an FFA member for at least two years and had 360 hours of agricultural classroom instruction; given two speeches, each a minimum of five minutes in length; been involved in at least five FFA activities above the local level and participated in five cooperative activities.
Kimberly Forrester of the Brodhead FFA chapter was elected to serve as the 2008-2009 Section 5 State FFA officer. Jillian Beaty is her advisor. Her parents are Todd and Natalie Forrester. Her experiences include serving as chapter president, competing in the extemporaneous speaking contest and attending the Washington Leadership Conference. She was a member of the meats judging, livestock judging and parliamentary procedure teams and worked as an Ag in the Classroom coordinator at her school. She has a Supervised Agricultural Experience program in beef production entrepreneurship. Her project consists of raising 38 registered Angus and Maine-Anjou beef cattle. She also is a three-time gold-rated proficiency award winner and an active member of the Green County Beef Producers. She attends University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she is majoring in agricultural education with an emphasis in teaching. She plans to pursue a career as an agriculture instructor and FFA advisor.
Tommy Butts of the Black Hawk FFA chapter was elected to serve as the 2008-2009 Section 4 State FFA officer. Richard Meske and Dustin Williams are his advisors. His parents are Randall Butts and Jayne Butts. He has been an active member of the Black Hawk FFA chapter for many years, serving as the chapter president, Leadership Committee chairman and was named a Wisconsin FFA Three-Star Leader. He has developed strong public speaking skills through FFA contests, placing fourth at state in the extemporaneous speaking contest, and was the state winner in the creed speaking contest. Butts has a Supervised Agricultural Experience program in dairy production placement. He started showing cattle through 4-H at the age of 9. He has worked for the past five years on his neighbor's dairy farm, where he learned proper milking and sanitizing techniques and field work systems. He plans to attend UW-Platteville to major in agricultural engineering.
Eleanor Nesimoglu of the Monroe FFA chapter was named a member of the State FFA Chorus and performed at the convention. Chorus members were selected by application and audition tapes. The first time the members practice together is the first morning of the state convention and shortly after perform for the entire convention. The State FFA Chorus represents the Wisconsin Association of FFA at the State Fair in West Allis in August. They perform over a four-day span at events during the fair.
Students must be a member of their local FFA chapter to participate in the State FFA Chorus. Students submit their application and audition tape to the Wisconsin FFA Center by Feb. 5. FFA advisors have applications.
Tabatha Huber, daughter of Robert and Nancy Huber, Monroe, received the Three Star Leader Award at State FFA Convention for being actively involved in chapter activities in Student Development, Chapter Development and Community Development. The Three Star Leader Award is based on the local FFA chapter qualifying and receiving, in the current school year, at least a bronze rating in the National Chapter Award Program. Three Star Leader Awards are sponsored by the Wisconsin FFA Alumni through the Wisconsin FFA Foundation.
The Argyle, Brodhead, and Monroe FFA chapters were among the 55 chapters receiving the P.R.I.D.E. Award, for continually recruiting and retaining members to increase membership by at least 10 members each year. P.R.I.D.E. stands for Promote, Recruit, Inspire, Develop and Educate. The Country Today sponsors this award as a special project of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Inc.