News : Serious pig kissing event wraps up FFA Week

Ms. Sudtelgte reacts after kissing the pig last Friday during the VSHS assembly.

Mr. McGrew was one of the two 'winners' in the FFA pig-kissing fund-raiser Friday.

Cookie Walk: FFA advisor Mrs. Fleming watches the contestants.

Tanner Davis displays the winning cookie walk strategy.

Mr. Kingsbury attempts the no-hands 'Cookie Walk' during Friday's assembly.

On Friday, the Vinton-Shellsburg FFA students wrapped up FFA Week by driving their tractors to school and bringing the student body together to watch a couple of teachers kiss a pig

The VSHS students "voted" on which teacher would earn this honor by placing money in jars with each teacher's name.

By the end of the week, Mr. McGrew had the most, but Ms. Sudtelgte was a close second. FFA members asked for a few more dollars in donations to make it a tie.

The students laughed and cheered at the sight of the two kissing the pig, held by its owner, FFA President Caleb Svoboda.

The $100 raised will go toward the Aiming for a Cure organization, which is dedicated to fighting cancer. The donation is made in honor of Ben Ries, the cousin of FFA member Riley Ries, who died a few years ago from cancer at age 12.

America's Farmers also donate to Aiming for A Cure

On that same day, former V-S FFA member Austin Siela helped with a $2,500 donation to Aiming for A Cure. He was chosen by the America's Farmers Grow Communities organization (sponsored by the Monsanto Fund). Siela entered a drawing late last year and was recently notified that his entry had been selected.

'Cookie Walk'

The assembly ended with a comical 'Cookie Walk,' as VSHS Principal Matt Kingsbury and three students took a seat on the auditorium and each faced the challenge of moving a cookie from his or her forehead to get it close enough to their mouth to take a bite. After a few minutes, freshman Tanner Davis won the contest.