South Dakota FFA members leave their mark on National FFA Convention

Students flooded the city of Indianapolis with a record attendance of 68,900 for National Convention as they attended workshops, competed in different events and heard inspiring messages from keynote speakers. SD FFA members and agricultural educators represented our state with class, integrity, and passion for agriculture, and were recognized for months of hard work and preparation as the convention proceedings finished up in Indianapolis. A few highlights to note:

National Winner in Service-Learning Proficiency – Grace DiGiovanni, McCook Central

Runner-up Diversified Crop Production Proficiency – Carson Weber, Bridgewater-Emery

Runner-up Grain Production Proficiency– Landon Roling, McCook Central

2^nd – Agriscience Fair Animal Systems Division 3- Colton Stiefvater, McCook Central

2^nd – Milk Quality Written Exam – Vivian Koepsell, McCook Central

2^nd – Agricultural Communications individual– Grace DiGiovanni, McCook Central

3^rd -Agricultural Communications Team– McCook Central (gold individual: Grace DiGiovanni (2^nd individually), Tayah McGregor and Abby Wagner; silver individual: Paul Kaffar)

2^nd Compact Equipment area, Agricultural Technical & Mechanical Systems individual- Jaden Anderberg, Miller

3^rd – Compact Equipment area, Agricultural Technical & Mechanical Systems– Miller

3^rd – Agriscience Fair Environmental Services/Natural Resources Systems Division 2– Ty Oyen and Gage Egger, Tri-Valley

3^rd – Sheep/Goat Division, Livestock Evaluation – Quinton Berg, Bridgewater-Emery

4^th – Agriscience Fair Plant Systems Division 5– Grace DiGiovanni, McCook Central

4^th – Agriscience Fair Power, Structural and Technical Systems Division 2- Tucker Peterson and Gavin Kipp, McCook Central

4^th – Agriscience Fair Power, Structural and Technical Systems Division 4– Brody Ahlquist and Hunter Foster, Tri-Valley

5^th – Agriscience Fair Environmental Services/Natural Resources Systems Division 1– Noah Felderman, Doland

5^th – Agriscience Fair Plant Systems Division 3- Tanner Eide, Gettysburg

Additional National FFA Agriscience Fair Results-

6^th -Environmental Services/Natural Resources Systems Division 3: Karlie Stiefvater, McCook Central

6^th -Environmental Services/Natural Resources Systems Division 4: Harlee Nielson and Mikael Nielson, Hitchcock-Tulare

6^th – Plant Systems Division 1: Deegan Moes, Doland

7^th – Food Products and Processing Systems Division 2: Gracie Pederson & Clara VanDerVliet, Tri-Valley

7^th -Social Systems Division 2: Kaylee and Karlee Klinkhammer, McCook Central

7^th -Social Systems Division 4: Lauren Roling and Madison Lauck, McCook Central

7^th -Social Systems Division 6: McKenna Sichmeller and Josslin Jarding, West Central

8^th -Social Systems Division 1: Summer Koch, McCook Central

8^th -Animal Systems Division 1: Julianne Grady, McCook Central

Additional Career and Leadership Development Event Results-

Gold teams and individuals:

Agronomy Team 10^th place- McCook Central (gold individuals: Landon Roling, Mason Pulse, and Jonathon Schock; silver individual: Samara Wolf)

Conduct of Chapter Meetings- McCook Central

Silver teams and individuals:

Agricultural Sales – Tri-Valley (gold individual: Hunter Foster; silver individuals: Brody Ahlquist and Nolan Schmidt; bronze individual: Weston VanDerVliet)

Agricultural Technical & Mechanical Systems – Miller; (gold individual: Trevor Werdel; silver individuals: Jaden Anderberg, Briggs Runge and Dylan Hass)

Creed Speaking – Bennett Gordon, Sturgis

Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management – Parker (gold individual: Natalie Haase; silver individual: Paige Haase; bronze individuals: Neil Haase and Vanessa Dunkelberger)

Employment Skills- Megan Sanders, Hot Springs

Farm and Agribusiness Management – Hitchcock-Tulare (gold individuals: Caden Bottum, Andrew Brooker, Danielle Nowell, and Jedidiah Waldner)

Food Science and Technology – Freeman (gold individual: Ava Andersen; silver individuals: Vaida Amman, Riley Knittel, and Emily Knodel)

Livestock Evaluation – Bridgewater-Emery (3^rd Individual Overall in Sheep/Goat Division- Quinton Berg, silver individuals: Landon Berg and Quinton Berg; bronze individuals: Cash Lehrman and Ryan Wollman, Bridgewater-Emery)

Nursery-Landscape – West Central (silver individuals: Andrew Rick; bronze individuals: Jack Linneman, Bennett Sebert, and Connor Siemonsma)

Parliamentary Procedure– Belle Fourche

Prepared Public Speaking – Matea Gordon, Sturgis

Veterinary Science – Brookings (silver individuals: Tara Feucht, Hailey Graham, Ava Thvedt, and Janine Warne)

Bronze teams and individuals:

Agricultural Issues – West Central

Environmental and Natural Resources Evaluation – McCook Central (gold individual: Brode Dennis; silver individual: Landon Flogstad; bronze individuals: Derek Schock and Mathew Krempges)

Extemporaneous Public Speaking – Ellie Olsen, Deubrook

Horse Evaluation – Brookings (silver individuals: Kennedi Gerjets, Heather Rudd, and Jordyn Tibbs; bronze individual: Jaxon Bowes)

Floriculture – Wolsey-Wessington (silver individuals: Faith Nelson and Giyahna Richmond; bronze individuals: Mya Boomsma and Hailey Clarke)

Marketing Plan- Garretson

Meats Evaluation and Technology –McCook Central (bronze individuals: Ryann Blagg, Brock Norlund, and Noah Schnee)

Milk Quality Products – McCook Central (silver individual: Vivian Koepsell (2^nd high individual written exam); bronze individuals: Isabela Jimenez, Grace Stoffel, and Shea Klinkhammer)

Poultry Evaluation – Chester (silver individuals: Makaylyn Borecky, Cadence Olivier, and Lauren Roberts; bronze individual: Trey Hofeman)

American Degree Recipients:

Doland- Danielle Houghtaling, Taren Tschetter

Gettysburg- Cody Simon

Groton- Tessa Erdmann

Harrisburg – Allyson Beninga, Mitchell Healy, Jackson Klemme, Grant Koerner, Kacey Lias, Parker Poppe, Kayla Smeenk, MaKenzie Voss

Lennox Sundstrom- Blake Gibney, Kayleigh Thill

McCook Central – Abigail Blagg, Paige Peterson, Lauren Stiefvater

Parker- Geoff Dunkelberger

Sioux Valley- Alicia Vanderwal

Tri-Valley- Rhegan Oberg

West Central – Jami Bergeson, Kiara Ebbinga, Luke Nichols, Noah Pressler, Kenny Vockrodt

National Convention Chorus:

Amanda Blare, Winner; Kaizha Blasé, McCook Central; Michael Freeman, Ethan; Erika Starr, Harrisburg

National Star Chapter Award:

2 Star: Beresford, Bridgewater-Emery, Hitchcock-Tulare, Howard, McCook Central, and Scotland