B-E FFA Competes at the 91st South Dakota State FFA Convention
By Sydney Hoffman on April 15, 2019
The 91st Annual SD State FFA Convention took place from April 7 to April 9 in Brookings on SDSU campus. B-E FFA took 32 of its members to compete in the various Career Development Events, or CDEs, and the other activities that the campus and FFA state association have to offer. When the FFA members were not competing, they enjoyed networking with members from other chapters, packaging meals for the Meals of Hope community service project, attending workshops and watching sessions packed with awards, information and motivational speeches.
The following students competed on the following teams: Sophomores Brock Hofer and Adam Jaeger in Ag Mechanics; seniors Mercedes Mesman and Kristin Kotas, junior Lindsey Weeldreyer and sophomore Brooks Jansen in Farm and Agribusiness Management; seniors Katelyn Kotas, Taylor Clark and Sarah Schultz and freshman Grace DiGiovanni in Floriculture; seniors Joslyn Schrank and Sydney Hoffman and sophomores Sara Hofer and Marah Hofer in Food Science and Technology; junior Jasmine Tschetter and sophomore Morgan Terveen in Livestock Judging; seniors Bella DiGiovanni, junior Colby Weber, sophomore Johanna Tusha and freshman Cortney Kayser in Milk Quality and Products; senior Jevin Eddy, Nick Thon, Vanessa Hofer and Kinzer Glanzer in Natural Resources; seniors Nick Thon, Darby Hurd, Ashley Horvath and McKayla Kirby in Nursey/Landscape; sophomores Rylee Schultz and Hunter Uptagrafft and freshman Grace DiGiovanni in Poultry Evaluation and seniors Sierra Wollmann and Jada Wethor and sophomores Morgan Terveen and Brandon Jansen in Vet Science.
“Competing in two CDE’s at state convention was a great experience. I don’t like having much downtime, and I got to experience two different things in just two days! I participated in Poultry Judging and Floriculture, and let’s just say, I’m going to stick with the flowers. I don’t think chickens are my thing. This year was my first state convention, and it was great! I met new people and got to listen to some amazing speakers. I loved the final session the most, and I can’t wait for it next year. State convention was a great time, and I enjoyed every second of it,” Grace DiGiovanni said.
After competing the first two days of convention, awards were announced in the final session April 9. The top teams within the B-E chapter were the following: Farm and Agribusiness Management (3rd place), Nursey/Landscape (5th place), Food Science and Technology (7th place), Floriculture (7th place) and Poultry Evaluation (7th place).
Top B-E individuals were the following: Joslyn Schrank receiving 4th place in Food Science & Technology, Lindsey Weeldreyer receiving 7th place in Farm and Agribusiness Management, Nick Thon receiving 7th place in Nursery/Landscape, Brooks Jansen receiving 12th place in Farm and Agribusiness Management, Rylee Schultz receiving 12th place in Poultry Evaluation, Hunter Uptagrafft receiving 13th place in Poultry Evaluation, Sydney Hoffman receiving 13th place in Food Science & Technology, Grace DiGiovanni receiving 17th in Floriculture and Mercedes Mesman receiving 18th place in Farm and Agribusiness Management.
In addition to competing, most of the senior B-E FFA members received their state degrees and were honored on stage. To receive a state degree, you must already have your greenhand and chapter degree and been an FFA member for at least three years have also completed at least three years of high school agriculture classes (540 hours). The following 14 B-E seniors received their State FFA degrees at convention: Taylor Clark, Bella DiGiovanni, Jevin Eddy, Kinzer Glanzer, Vanessa Hofer, Sydney Hoffman, Katelyn Kotas, Kristin Kotas, Mercedes Mesman, Joslyn Schrank, Sarah Schultz, Nick Thon, Jada Wethor and Sierra Wollmann.
Along with receiving her state degree and competing, Kristin Kotas was also a proficiency winner in the Agricultural Services category, and she won a state star award in Agribusiness. Kristin was awarded these based on her Supervised Agricultural Experience, or SAE. Kristin’s SAE consisted of her T-shirt business.
Finally, community member, Greg Kotas, was awarded an Honorary State Degree and was recognized on stage for it.
“This year’s convention was such an amazing experience! To be able to take my SAE project as far as I have and to receive recognition for it in two different areas has been an absolute blessing, and I cannot wait to submit my proficiency and star applications to the national level. I am proud to have represented our chapter as our first state star winner and be one of our 14 members getting their state degree. Also getting to share the experience with my dad as he received his honorary state degree was incredible! The SD State FFA Convention is definitely the hardest ‘last’ of my senior year,” Kristin Kotas said.
The next and final FFA event of the school year will be the B-E FFA chapter banquet in the Emery multipurpose room May 6, where accomplishments in the chapter throughout the year are recognized and new chapter officers are selected.
The following students competed on the following teams: Sophomores Brock Hofer and Adam Jaeger in Ag Mechanics; seniors Mercedes Mesman and Kristin Kotas, junior Lindsey Weeldreyer and sophomore Brooks Jansen in Farm and Agribusiness Management; seniors Katelyn Kotas, Taylor Clark and Sarah Schultz and freshman Grace DiGiovanni in Floriculture; seniors Joslyn Schrank and Sydney Hoffman and sophomores Sara Hofer and Marah Hofer in Food Science and Technology; junior Jasmine Tschetter and sophomore Morgan Terveen in Livestock Judging; seniors Bella DiGiovanni, junior Colby Weber, sophomore Johanna Tusha and freshman Cortney Kayser in Milk Quality and Products; senior Jevin Eddy, Nick Thon, Vanessa Hofer and Kinzer Glanzer in Natural Resources; seniors Nick Thon, Darby Hurd, Ashley Horvath and McKayla Kirby in Nursey/Landscape; sophomores Rylee Schultz and Hunter Uptagrafft and freshman Grace DiGiovanni in Poultry Evaluation and seniors Sierra Wollmann and Jada Wethor and sophomores Morgan Terveen and Brandon Jansen in Vet Science.
“Competing in two CDE’s at state convention was a great experience. I don’t like having much downtime, and I got to experience two different things in just two days! I participated in Poultry Judging and Floriculture, and let’s just say, I’m going to stick with the flowers. I don’t think chickens are my thing. This year was my first state convention, and it was great! I met new people and got to listen to some amazing speakers. I loved the final session the most, and I can’t wait for it next year. State convention was a great time, and I enjoyed every second of it,” Grace DiGiovanni said.
After competing the first two days of convention, awards were announced in the final session April 9. The top teams within the B-E chapter were the following: Farm and Agribusiness Management (3rd place), Nursey/Landscape (5th place), Food Science and Technology (7th place), Floriculture (7th place) and Poultry Evaluation (7th place).
Top B-E individuals were the following: Joslyn Schrank receiving 4th place in Food Science & Technology, Lindsey Weeldreyer receiving 7th place in Farm and Agribusiness Management, Nick Thon receiving 7th place in Nursery/Landscape, Brooks Jansen receiving 12th place in Farm and Agribusiness Management, Rylee Schultz receiving 12th place in Poultry Evaluation, Hunter Uptagrafft receiving 13th place in Poultry Evaluation, Sydney Hoffman receiving 13th place in Food Science & Technology, Grace DiGiovanni receiving 17th in Floriculture and Mercedes Mesman receiving 18th place in Farm and Agribusiness Management.
In addition to competing, most of the senior B-E FFA members received their state degrees and were honored on stage. To receive a state degree, you must already have your greenhand and chapter degree and been an FFA member for at least three years have also completed at least three years of high school agriculture classes (540 hours). The following 14 B-E seniors received their State FFA degrees at convention: Taylor Clark, Bella DiGiovanni, Jevin Eddy, Kinzer Glanzer, Vanessa Hofer, Sydney Hoffman, Katelyn Kotas, Kristin Kotas, Mercedes Mesman, Joslyn Schrank, Sarah Schultz, Nick Thon, Jada Wethor and Sierra Wollmann.
Along with receiving her state degree and competing, Kristin Kotas was also a proficiency winner in the Agricultural Services category, and she won a state star award in Agribusiness. Kristin was awarded these based on her Supervised Agricultural Experience, or SAE. Kristin’s SAE consisted of her T-shirt business.
Finally, community member, Greg Kotas, was awarded an Honorary State Degree and was recognized on stage for it.
“This year’s convention was such an amazing experience! To be able to take my SAE project as far as I have and to receive recognition for it in two different areas has been an absolute blessing, and I cannot wait to submit my proficiency and star applications to the national level. I am proud to have represented our chapter as our first state star winner and be one of our 14 members getting their state degree. Also getting to share the experience with my dad as he received his honorary state degree was incredible! The SD State FFA Convention is definitely the hardest ‘last’ of my senior year,” Kristin Kotas said.
The next and final FFA event of the school year will be the B-E FFA chapter banquet in the Emery multipurpose room May 6, where accomplishments in the chapter throughout the year are recognized and new chapter officers are selected.
