B-E Students Prepare for South Dakota State FFA Convention
By Sydney Hoffman on April 5, 2018
During the spring, FFA chapters participate in competitions called Career Development Events (CDEs). Unlike the competitions in the fall, these contests are more hands-on rather than centered around public speaking. South Dakota offers the contests Agricultural Mechanics, Agronomy, Biotechnology, Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Farm Business Management, Floriculture, Food Science and Technology, Horse Evaluation, Livestock Evaluation, Meats Evaluation, Milk Quality and Products, Natural Resources, Nursery/Landscape and Veterinary Science. Bridgewater-Emery participates in most of these events.
To prepare for these events at the South Dakota State FFA Convention, some FFA chapters across the state hold practice Career Development Events. Bridgewater-Emery attended practice CDEs in Platte, Flandreau, Tri-Valley and Lennox.
Only district IV schools attended the Platte CDE. Bridgewater-Emery’s CDE teams placed first in Milk quality and Products and Food Science and Technology. Second place teams from B-E included Agronomy, Biotechnology, Farm Business Management and Floriculture. Then at the Flandreau CDE, the Milk Quality and Products team placed first, the Farm Business Management team placed second and the Agronomy team placed third.
Due to some practice CDEs not having all of the contests, many Bridgewater-Emery FFA members jumped around between the teams that they would compete on; however, the teams that would go to state convention were finalized at the Tri-Valley CDE. Top teams from B-E included Agronomy placing third and Milk Quality and Products placing first. Top individuals from B-E included Lindsey Weeldreyer (Farm Business Management; 3rd place), Lindsey Berg (Agronomy; 4th place), Sydney Hoffman (Food Science and Technology; 5th place), Mercedes Mesman (Milk Quality and Products; 1st place), Joslyn Schrank (Milk Quality and Products; 2nd place) and Kristin Kotas (Milk Quality and Products; 4th place).
The Lennox CDE was set on the date April 6, which was also the date of prom; therefore, only three members attended.
At state convention, the final teams will be as follows: Adam Jaeger, Derek Weber and Colby Weber on Agricultural Mechanics; Lindsey Berg, Lucas Berg, Bradlee Schultz and Dustin Weber on Agronomy; Taylor Clark, Sarah Schultz and Jasmine Tschetter on Biotechnology; Jessica Jaeger, Rebecka Hoffman and Isabelle Lehrman on Dairy Cattle Evaluation; Kori Heezen, Brandon Jansen, Brooks Jansen and Lindsey Weeldreyer on Farm Business Management; Haley Hofer, Katelyn Kotas, Sarah Schultz and Eunice Vinales on Floriculture; Marah Hofer, Sara Hofer, Sydney Hoffman and Andrea Gorriz on Food Science and Technology; Jayke Glanzer, Morgan Terveen, Jasmine Tschetter and Johanna Tusha on Livestock Evaluation; Brock Hofer, Mason Plagmann, Rylee Schultz and Hunter Uptagrafft on Meats Evaluation; Libby Bailey, Kristin Kotas, Mercedes Mesman and Joslyn Schrank on Milk Quality and Products; Jevin Eddy, Kinzer Glanzer, Vanessa Hofer and Duot VanSickle on Natural Resources; Ashley Horvath, Darby Hurd, McKayla Kirby and Jada Wethor on Nursey/Landscape and Jessica Jaeger, Madison Mentele, Isabelle Lehrman and Nick Schallenkamp on Vet Science. Some FFA members decided to take on two contests in an effort to make a full team for a particular event.
“I tried Agronomy last year, and I decided to try it again this year because I really like the way the contest is run. I am also very proud of how my team has done so far,” senior Lucas Berg said.
State convention is also a time to award proficiencies and state degrees. Proficiency top three finalists announced at state convention will include Lindsey Berg in Agriculture Education Placement, Jessica Jaeger in Dairy Cattle Placement and
Kristin Kotas in Agriculture Sale Entrepreneurship. These awards are based on the individual’s hard work in their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs).
State degrees are awarded to seniors that have been in FFA for at least three years and have completed a certain number of hours in their SAE. State degrees this year will be awarded to Lindsey Berg, Lucas Berg, Haley Hofer, Rebecka Hoffman, Jessica Jaeger, Cassie Kerkhove, Bradlee Schultz, Eunice Vinales and Dustin Weber.
“I am very excited for state convention this year because I am participating in two CDEs, a proficiency and am being awarded my state degree. FFA has given me so many great opportunities and memories, so despite being excited for state convention this year, I am also sad that it will be my last one,” senior Jessica Jaeger said.
The 2018 South Dakota State FFA Convention will be hosted on the SDSU campus at Brookings April 15-17.
To prepare for these events at the South Dakota State FFA Convention, some FFA chapters across the state hold practice Career Development Events. Bridgewater-Emery attended practice CDEs in Platte, Flandreau, Tri-Valley and Lennox.
Only district IV schools attended the Platte CDE. Bridgewater-Emery’s CDE teams placed first in Milk quality and Products and Food Science and Technology. Second place teams from B-E included Agronomy, Biotechnology, Farm Business Management and Floriculture. Then at the Flandreau CDE, the Milk Quality and Products team placed first, the Farm Business Management team placed second and the Agronomy team placed third.
Due to some practice CDEs not having all of the contests, many Bridgewater-Emery FFA members jumped around between the teams that they would compete on; however, the teams that would go to state convention were finalized at the Tri-Valley CDE. Top teams from B-E included Agronomy placing third and Milk Quality and Products placing first. Top individuals from B-E included Lindsey Weeldreyer (Farm Business Management; 3rd place), Lindsey Berg (Agronomy; 4th place), Sydney Hoffman (Food Science and Technology; 5th place), Mercedes Mesman (Milk Quality and Products; 1st place), Joslyn Schrank (Milk Quality and Products; 2nd place) and Kristin Kotas (Milk Quality and Products; 4th place).
The Lennox CDE was set on the date April 6, which was also the date of prom; therefore, only three members attended.
At state convention, the final teams will be as follows: Adam Jaeger, Derek Weber and Colby Weber on Agricultural Mechanics; Lindsey Berg, Lucas Berg, Bradlee Schultz and Dustin Weber on Agronomy; Taylor Clark, Sarah Schultz and Jasmine Tschetter on Biotechnology; Jessica Jaeger, Rebecka Hoffman and Isabelle Lehrman on Dairy Cattle Evaluation; Kori Heezen, Brandon Jansen, Brooks Jansen and Lindsey Weeldreyer on Farm Business Management; Haley Hofer, Katelyn Kotas, Sarah Schultz and Eunice Vinales on Floriculture; Marah Hofer, Sara Hofer, Sydney Hoffman and Andrea Gorriz on Food Science and Technology; Jayke Glanzer, Morgan Terveen, Jasmine Tschetter and Johanna Tusha on Livestock Evaluation; Brock Hofer, Mason Plagmann, Rylee Schultz and Hunter Uptagrafft on Meats Evaluation; Libby Bailey, Kristin Kotas, Mercedes Mesman and Joslyn Schrank on Milk Quality and Products; Jevin Eddy, Kinzer Glanzer, Vanessa Hofer and Duot VanSickle on Natural Resources; Ashley Horvath, Darby Hurd, McKayla Kirby and Jada Wethor on Nursey/Landscape and Jessica Jaeger, Madison Mentele, Isabelle Lehrman and Nick Schallenkamp on Vet Science. Some FFA members decided to take on two contests in an effort to make a full team for a particular event.
“I tried Agronomy last year, and I decided to try it again this year because I really like the way the contest is run. I am also very proud of how my team has done so far,” senior Lucas Berg said.
State convention is also a time to award proficiencies and state degrees. Proficiency top three finalists announced at state convention will include Lindsey Berg in Agriculture Education Placement, Jessica Jaeger in Dairy Cattle Placement and
Kristin Kotas in Agriculture Sale Entrepreneurship. These awards are based on the individual’s hard work in their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs).
State degrees are awarded to seniors that have been in FFA for at least three years and have completed a certain number of hours in their SAE. State degrees this year will be awarded to Lindsey Berg, Lucas Berg, Haley Hofer, Rebecka Hoffman, Jessica Jaeger, Cassie Kerkhove, Bradlee Schultz, Eunice Vinales and Dustin Weber.
“I am very excited for state convention this year because I am participating in two CDEs, a proficiency and am being awarded my state degree. FFA has given me so many great opportunities and memories, so despite being excited for state convention this year, I am also sad that it will be my last one,” senior Jessica Jaeger said.
The 2018 South Dakota State FFA Convention will be hosted on the SDSU campus at Brookings April 15-17.
