FFA Spring Banquet
by Brooke Thoene
The 59th annual spring banquet of the Pender FFA Chapter was held on Friday May 7, 2010 in the Pender High School gymnasium. The 147 guests and 57 chapter members who attended the banquet enjoyed a meal catered by Welsh’s Pizzeria. Following the meal, awards were given to individuals to recognize their hard work and dedication to the Pender FFA Chapter.
Certificates of Appreciation opened up the awards program. The parents of the Senior FFA members were recognized for the dedication that they put in to the Pender FFA chapter throughout their child’s years in the Pender FFA. The 2010 Top Fruit Salesmen were recognized for selling over $500 during fruit sales. The top salespersons were: Levi Hesse-$795, Kelsea Siebrandt-$808, Chelsea Brinkman-$1059, Garrett Bowder-$1170, Zack Bartlett-$1206, Logan and Brant Peters sold $1507. Blake Reppert, one of the top three salesperson, sold $1547 and received a check for $10. Whitney Kaser, second in the top three salespersons, sold $1602.50 and received a check for $20. The top salesperson for 2009 was Angie Dunn. Angie sold a total of $2943.
Three individuals were recognized for sharing their gifts with the Nebraska FFA Association. Zack Bartlett, Bennett Lamplot, and Garrett Bowder were part of the State FFA Choir at the 82nd annual State FFA convention. Bennett Lamplot and Garret Bowder both auditioned for solos and performed a solo. These FFA members were presented with a state choir pin and a certificate.
The top three FFA students taking Ag classes were recognized for putting forth the extra effort in the classroom. Students recognized in Ag I were freshman: Ben Burmester, Rebecca Dahlman, Austin Weborg, Kate Nelson, Zack Bartlett, and Jayde Bensen. In the sophomore class, Ag II Chelsea Brinkman, Rachael Dahlman, and Logan Peters. Ag III junior students were Dylan Kent, Callie Janke, and Kelsea Siebrandt. The seniors in Ag IV class: Jay Schrader and Jordan Nelson, and in Ag Mechanics: Brant Peters, Jay Schrader, and Jonathan Smith.
The members who received the perfect attendance award were; freshman Zack Bartlett, Jayde Bensen, Angie Dunn, Bennett Lamplot, and Kate Nelson. Sophomores Chelsea Brinkman, Alexia Henschke, Blanca Moreno, Marivel Paredes, and Logan Peters. Dylan Kent was the only junior to receive the perfect attendance award. The Alumni also gives a 50 dollar cash prize to the seniors that have a perfect attendence those seniors were: Quinn Fillipi, Brant Peters, Jay Schrader, Jonathan Smith, and Celsey Wichman received the award.
Each year the chapter recognizes its top points winners. Members earn points in the following ways: National events are worth 30, state 20, and district, county, and local events are worth 10. The top FFA point winners were falling in the 500 point category were: Jayde Bensen, Rebecca Dahlman, Bennett Lamplot, Tyler Thomsen, Ben Burmester, Alexia Henschke, Christina Smith, and Callie Janke. The 600 point club winner was Garrett Bowder. Under the 700 point club were Celsey Wichman and Angie Dunn. In the 800 point club were Dylan Kent, Chelsea Brinkman, Marivel Paredes, and Jonathan Smith. Brant Peters was the 900 point winner with a total of 980 points. Under the 1000 point club was Logan Peters with a total of 1020 points and winning the Blue and Gold award with a total of 1040 was Zack Bartlett.
New this year was the Most-Best Award. The chapter created it to recognize the members who earned the highest awards in the most contest. It was based on a points system rewarding a purple ribbon with five points and then reduced from there. The state level competitions are worth double points. This years top five in Most-Best were 5th Logan Peters-45, 4th Ben Burmester-49, 3rd Zack Bartlett-51, Jon Smith-53 and 1st was Brant Peters- 60.
Eighteen FFA members applied for the district proficiency awards. Receiving bronze were: Jordan Vande Brug, Kelsea Siebrandt, Blanca Moreno, Crystal Moreno, Robbie Thomsen, Zack Johnson, Kayla Clark, Marivel Paredes, Austin Heineman, Chelsea Brinkman, Levi Heese, Catherine Svoboda, Alexia Henschke. Callie Janke and Dylan Kent received silver. The following members received gold at the district level but also received state awards: Brant Peters-silver, Blake Reppert-gold, Logan Peters also received state gold but also won 5th in Poultry Production.
First Year members were recognized with the Greenhand Degree and with a “FFA MEMBER LIVES HERE” sign. This year’s Greenhands were Conner Albus, Zach Bartlett, Jayde Bensen, Garrett Bowder, Ben Burmester, Rebecca Dahlman, Angie Dunn, Dyllon Frederickson, Bennett Lamplot, Caitlin Malmberg, Tiffani Morgan, Kate Nelson, Jeremy Pirok, Rebekah Potter, Casey Prokop, AJ Rutar, Micheal Schimdt, Chelsey Soll, Nicholas Svoboda, Tyler Thomsen, Brody Vande Brug, and Austin Weborg.
The chapter degree recipients were: Chelsea Brinkman, Emerald Buhr, Kayla Clark, Rachael Dahlman, Douglas Essmann, Dillon Fendrick, Austin Heineman, Alexia Henschke, Zack Johnson, Taylor Krusemark, Quinn Malmberg, Blanca Moreno, Crystal Moreno, Zach Morgan, Marivel Paredes Logan Peters, Beau Rediger, Blake Reppert, Whitney Kaser, Cynthia Schimdt, Brenden Selck, Christina Smith, Jordan Vande Brug, and Cory Sebade.
The Chapter Star in Agricultural Placement was presented to senior FFA member Jonathan Smith. Brant Peters another senior FFA member earned the Chapter Star in Agribusiness award. Both members earned their State FFA Degree through quality record keeping in their Supervised Agricultural Experience program. In addition, the Chapter Star Greenhand was awarded to the freshman with the most complete total Ag Ed program of SAE, FFA Points, and Ag Ed grades. The award was presented to Zack Bartlett.
The chapter also gives back to the community and recognizes the ones who give their dedication to our chapter by time, money, or support. All awards are voted on by the chapter. The award for Teacher of the Year went to Mrs. Corky Malmberg. The Community Partner of the Year was presented to the Pender Volunteer Fire and Rescue. Ceremoniously inducted into honorary membership were Bill and Susie Thomsen, Joan Hansen, Ryan and Deena Jensen, and Corky Malmberg.
A group of people that the FFA chapter could not survive without is the FFA Alumni. Comments were made by the FFA Alumni Vice President Brent Svoboda. The drawing for the FFA calendar winners (for buying advertisement or buying calendar) was conducted, with the awards going to: John Smith ($300), Pender State Bank ($200), and Anna Schademann ($100). Also bringing greetings to the chapter from the Nebraska FFA Foundation was Mr. Rick Keith, CEO of Producers Livestock, Inc. Mr. Keith presented the chapter a check for $751 from the foundation, as part of the “I believe in the future of Ag ” campaign.
The 2010-2011 FFA officers were installed by the retiring officers, while the retirees were recognized for a successful, productive year in office. The new Pender FFA Chapter officers are president Logan Peters, Vice president Dylan Kent, Secretary Chelsea Brinkman, Treasurer Marivel Paredes, Reporter Crystal Moreno, Sentinel Kate Nelson, Parliamentarian Ben Burmester, and Historian Christina Smith.
Mr. Bartlett, Advisor, brought comments to the chapter and guests, describing its involvement through the FFA Motto: Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, living to serve.
After the new officers were installed into office it was time for the senior FFA members to retire their FFA jackets. Following the retirement, the meeting was adjourned.
Pender FFA Chapter Reporter
Crystal Moreno
