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Waupaca FFA first in state

The Waupaca FFA won first place in the National Chapter Award category at the 82nd annual Wisconsin FFA Convention.

Waupaca FFA ranked first out of all the chapters in the state.

The members earned runner-up in Student Development division, runner up in Chapter Development division, and first in Community Development division, which resulted in earning first place.

This is one of the best years the Waupaca FFA chapter has experienced.

Over 3,000 Wisconsin FFA members, advisors and guests were in attendance at the convention that took place June 13-16 at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison.

Hannah Pienkowske participated in the Wisconsin FFA Prepared Speaking Contest. She performed well, placing second and took in the experience to make herself a better speaker. She will use this experience as a building block for the future.

Waupaca members earned the first place in the Food for America Award competition. Food for America is a program designed by the National FFA Organization to encourage agriculture literacy. Erin Hanson and Morgan Eilers were interviewed about the application at the convention.

The chapter took home first place for the Cooperative Leadership Award. This award program creates a desire to understand the cooperative form of business, encourages youth to develop their business and leadership abilities, develops the skills of cooperation for self-improvement, and encourages cooperative leaders to support high school agricultural programs.

The chapter earned third place for the Membership Recruitment Award. This award recognizes the accomplishments of the chapter in their efforts to recruit new members and agricultural education students. The current chapter officers and leaders are the most vital form of membership recruitment.

FFA members were recognized for their supervised agriculture experience (SAE) programs and proficiency applications. Five members earned top honors in their area: Stephanie Johnson – Beef Production Entrepreneurship; Brandon Fay – Agricultural Processing; Devon Feldt – Wildlife Production and Management; Jakken Batten – Specialty Animal; and Landon Boelter – Food Service. First-place winners will compete on the regional level in July.

Students who earned state gold ratings include Erin Hanson – fifth gold, Equine Science and 17th gold, Diversified Livestock; Ben Nickel – second gold, Grain Production; Ashley Orr – 11th gold, Sheep Production and third gold, Diversified Livestock; Kaley Cardinal – seventh gold, Small Animal Production and Care; Jessica Sroka – fifth gold, Veterinary Science and 17th gold, Small Animal Care and Production; Jason Cardinal – ninth gold, Poultry Production; and Morgan Eilers -13th gold, Diversified Livestock and 20th, Sheep Production.

The proficiency application consists of eight pages, which is an overview of their knowledge, goals set and accomplished, competencies, and money earned and invested. Students also needed to incorporate six pictures with captions, a rèsumè, an inventory, a personal page and one recommendation.

Four Waupaca FFA members earned their Wisconsin FFA Degree at the convention: Alex Hanson, Stephanie Johnson, John Haertl and Devon Feldt. The State FFA Degree is the highest degree a state association can bestow on 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 work 1,500 hours; has been an FFA member for at least two years and has 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.

Waupaca FFA was honored to have Devon Feldt as the 2010 Wisconsin Star in Agriscience runner-up, and Stephanie Johnson earned sixth place as the 2010 Wisconsin Star Farmer. The Wisconsin Star application includes the Wisconsin FFA Degree application, along with six battery pages, a rèsumè, personal history page, three recommendations, a personal SAE page and six pictures plus captions.

Erin Hanson earned the recognition of a three-star leader. This honor rated her as one of the best FFA members in Wisconsin during the 2010-11 school year. The Three Star Leader Award recognizes a selected FFA member from a local chapter for being actively involved in chapter activities in National Chapter Student Development, Chapter Development, and Community Development divisions.

Morgan Eilers helped kick off the convention when she participated in the FFA Parade of Flags.

Ellyssa Grant and Jessica Allen represented the Waupaca FFA chapter and community during a tour of the state Capitol.

Eight members worked in the newsroom and courtesy corps. Students took pictures, proofed articles and wrote news releases in the newsroom. Six courtesy corps members worked behind stage, assisted as ushers, took tickets for luncheons and helped with workshops.

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