News : Great Success at the 2021 V-S FFA Banquet

The 2021-2022 Officer Team takes their first group picture together after the FFA Banquet

Pictured: The retiring Officers with the newly elected officers

The 2021-2022 Officer Team takes their first group picture together after the FFA Banquet. (left to right): Paul Herger, Grace Schminke, Isabell Mullinex, Annabelle Newton, Josh Wiley, Bailey Weeks, Clayton McKenna, and Rachel Rollinger.

Members playing basketball at the President's Reception

By Grace Schminke, Co-Reporter

The Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Chapter held their annual end of the year banquet on Saturday May 15th, 2021. The Banquet was held at regular capacity and all members and guests were able to attend the meal before the Banquet. The night started off with a welcome speech from one of our former FFA members Maddie Moen. The program recognized all of the 2020-2021 accomplishments. The first round of awards that were given out was the Sub-Districts Competition. Sub-Districts were held February 24th, 2021 at Hawkeye Community College.The contests are as follows:

● Chapter Program-1st Gold-Advance to Districts - Emma Arnold, Carly Williams, and Alesha Brunssen

● Conduct of Meetings-Silver - Rachel Rollinger, Sammie Lundvall, Parker Arnold, Mathew Bookmeier, Tori Elwick, Lizzie Brummer, and Jerry Lee

● Ag Sales-Silver - Clayton McKenna

● Extemporaneous Speaking-1st Gold-Advance to Districts - Ethan Rollinger

● Public Speaking-2nd Gold-Advance to Districts - Josh Wiley

● Parli Pro-1st Gold-Advance to Districts - Annabelle Newton, Lizzie Noe, Autumn McGowan, Christopher Fleming, Grace Schminke, Baylee Wheeler, and Kate Timmerman

● Job Interview-2nd Gold-Advance to Districts - Emma Wiley

● Ag Broadcasting-Gold-Alternate - Paul Herger

● *Anabelle Hernandez had prepped for the creed speaking contest but was unable to join us that day.

● Greenhand Quiz: Matthew Bookmeier - Silver, Jerry Lee - Silver

● Chapter Farmer Quiz: Emma Wiley-4th Gold

The next round was the District Competition. Districts were held March 14th, 2021 at Independence School. The officer books are first judged at Districts. The contests are as follows:

● Secretary's Book - 2nd Gold - Advance to State - Maren Redlinger

● Chapter Website - 2nd Gold - Advance to State - Allie Geiger

● Chapter Program - 3rd Gold - Alternate to State

● Carly Williams, Alesha Brunssen, Emma Arnold

● Extemporaneous Speaking - 3rd Gold - Alternate to State - Ethan Rollinger

● Job Interview - 3rd Gold - Alternate to State - Emma Wiley

● Prepared Public Speaking - 3rd Gold - Alternate to State - Josh Wiley

● Reporter's Scrapbook - 3rd Gold - Alternate to State - Josh Wiley, Annabelle Newton

● Treasurer's Book - Silver - Bailey Weeks

● Parliamentary Procedure - Silver Performing: Grace Schminke, Chris Fleming, Autumn McGowan, Baylee Wheeler, Annabelle Newton, Lizzie Noe, Kate Timmerman

● Experience the Action - Silver - Eli Powers, Bailey Weeks, Destiny Slager, Maren Redlinger, Matthew Bookmeier, Jerry Lee

● Greenhand Quiz - Matthew Bookmeier - Silver, Jerry Lee - Silver, *Silver team rank

● Chapter Quiz - 5th Gold - Annabelle Newton (5th Gold Team of 1 as well!), Gold - Emma Wiley, Bronze - Clayton McKenna

● Farm Business Management Quiz - Bronze - Clayton McKenna

● District Officer Elections: Josh Wiley was elected as Northeast District Reporter

o Annabelle Newton and Christopher Fleming also interviewed for district officer. Annabelle was balloted. Each of these 3 represented our chapter with pride and gained many new skills to use throughout their life.

● Northeast District Member of the Month - Emma Wiley

The next round was the State Competition. State Competition was held from April 18th to April 20th 2021. The contests we as follows:

● Chapter Website (Allie Geiger) 3rd Place Gold

● Secretary's Book (Maren Redlinger) Silver

● Chapter Display (Emma Arnold, Emma Wiley, Aza Swayzer, Kailey Bahmann, Isabel Mullinex, Josh Wiley, Jerry Lee) Gold

● Talent (Paul Herger-Tumbling) 4th Place

● Teach Ag Signing (Carly Williams, Alesha Brunssen, Emma Arnold)

● State Band (Sam Lundvall, Rachel Rollinger)

● State Chorus (Matthew Bookmeier)

● Massing of the Flags (Bailey Weeks)

● Courtesy Corp (Josh Wiley)

● Delegates (Emma Wiley, Ethan Rollinger)

● POA Committee (Emma Wiley)

● State Officer Candidate (Emma Arnold)

● Proficiency - Service Learning (Grace Schminke) 3rd Place

Emma Arnold, Lydia Radeke, Maren Redlinger, Josie Sagan, and Aza Swayzer all received State academic achievement. Alyssa Hansen, Bailey Weeks, and Isabel Mullinex all received their State Degrees. Rachel Rollinger received the Star Greenhand Award. Kailey Bahmann received the Star Chapter Farmer Award. Maren Redlinger was given the Star Placement Award. Ryan Lane received the Star Agriscience Award. Our chapter received a few awards as well. We received the Ambassador Award in recognition of our financial support to the Iowa FFA foundation and the Supreme National Chapter Award we placed in the 24th Place in the Gold Award in State and the award was recognized in three overall categories of growing leaders, building communities, and strengthening agriculture. Following this are the CDE skills. They are as follows:

● Ag Biotechnology (Ethan Rollinger, Eli Powers, Maren Redlinger) 4th Place Team, Eli was 6th Place Individual

● Ag Communications (Paul Herger, Annabelle Newton, Autumn McGowan, Baylee Wheeler) 9th Place Team Overall, 1st Place Project Proposal

● Ag Sales (Grace Schminke, Gunnar Schminke, Christopher Fleming, Kate Timmerman) Bronze

● Farm Business Management (Ethan Rollinger, Clayton McKenna, Kail Evans) Silver

Following were the Leadership-Merit Awards. They are shown as listed

● Greenhands:Matthew Bookmeier, Tori Elwick, Levi Ferguson, Kevin Heckmann II, Jerry Lee, Ty Lillibridge, Sammie Lundvall, Rachel Rollinger

● Chapter Farmers:Emma Arnold, Kailey Bahmann, Andrew Brummer, Alesha Brunssen, Kalie Burke, Alyssa Hansen, Paul Herger, Charlee Johnson, Ryan Lane, Autumn McGowan, Clayton McKenna, Isabel Mullinex, Lizzie Noe, Matthew Rippel, Grace Schminke, Gunnar Schminke, Destiny Slager, Aza Swayzer, Kate Timmerman, AJ White, Carly Williams

● Officers:Christopher Fleming, Annabelle Newton, Eli Powers, Maren Redlinger, Ethan Rollinger, Emma Wiley, Josh Wiley, Bailey Weeks

Members who made the $1000 club for fruit sales were also recognized. Those members were Tori Elwick, Kalie Burke, Annabelle Newton, Kate Timmerman, Christopher Fleming, Josh Wiley, Bailey Weeks, Emma Arnold, Ethan Rollinger, Ryan Lane, Emma Wiley, Alyssa Hansen, and Matthew Rippel. The third place seller was Kate Timmerman, second place was Mathew Ripple, and first place was Christopher Fleming. Isabell Mullinex was then recognized for the SAE award. The Chapter Scholar Awards were awarded to Rachel Rollinger as freshmen, Josh Wiley as sophomore, Isabel Mullinex as junior, and Ethan Rollinger as Senior. Outstanding Classmen Awards were given to Matthew Bookmeier as freshman, Christopher Fleming as sophomore, Bailey Weeks as junior and Emma Wiley as senior. Emma Wiley received that annual DeKalb award. Following the DeKalb award were the scholarship recipients. The recipients were:

● National FFA Scholarship: Emma Arnold

● Farmers Saving Bank and Trust: Ethan Rollinger

● Ross and Shirley Wiley Scholarship: Emma Wiley

● Advisor's Scholarship-Sponsored by the Yedlik family: Emma Arnold and Alesha Brunssen

● Crop Plot Scholarships:Alyssa Hansen, Kailey Bahmann, Maren Redlinger, Carly Williams

The next awards were the Honorary Degrees, awarded to Cal Rickels, Mark Pingenot, Jay Appleby, and Emily Henkle. Carson Brincks, past Iowa FFA State Officer, then came as the guest speaker for the night. The next set of awards were the Proficiency Awards. The recipients of these awards are as follows:

● Star in Specialty Animal: Autumn McGowan

● Swine Production: Clayton McKenna

● Service Learning: Grace Schminke

● Equine Science: Kailey Bahmann

● Ag Education: Emma Arnold

● Ag Service: Emma Wiley

The Senior Service Award was the next award presented and Emma Arnold received it. Appreciation Awards were then presented John Anderson, Jeff Rollinger with New Century Farm Service, Tama Benton Coop, Eric Henkle, Christopher and Scott Fleming were recognized for their contributions to the chapter's Crop Plot. Susie Henkle, Mr. Matt Kingsbury, Jay Appleby, Emma Henry, Greg Walston, Todd Wiley, Mr. Kyle Koeppen and Bob Hanson were recognized for their contributions for CDEs.

The following are recognized for their contributions to our chapter in various ways throughout the year: Belle Plaine FFA, Benton Community FFA Chapter, Benton County Fair Board, Benton County Iowa State Extension and Outreach Office, Paul Bierschenk, Cedar River Ink, Fareway Grocery, Inc., Farmer's Savings Bank, Frazier Nursery, Cheryl Knaack, Brandon Farmer, GO VS, Mr. Matt Kingsbury, Corynn Downs, Kristin Mossman, Emma Henry, LaPorte - Dysart FFA Chapter, McDowell's, Allen Merchant, Merchant's Grilling, Teresa Meyer with Farm Bureau Financial Services, Laura Payne, Mark Pingenot, Sam Power, Scott Garwood, Theisen's, Mr. Eric Upmeyer, V-S Cooks, Vinton Newspaper, Vinton Today, Vinton Trophy, The Vinton Vet Clinic, John and Nichole McKenna, Todd and Denise Wiley, Scott and Louise Fleming. The following are recognized for their contributions to our chapter's Labor Auction: Anonymous, Ariane Geiger, Bar-Y-Acres, Bob Hanson, Brian Carlson, Brian Schminke, Bryon Geater, Denny Sturtz, Duane Fisher, Farmers Savings Bank, Garett Witmer/Lora Mae and Kay, John Anderson, John Buhr, Kyle Henkle, Lori Lang, Mason Malget, Nature's Corner, R and A Farms, Robert Hanson Farms, Sara Yedlik, Sheri Mullinex. John Anderson and Duane Fisher were recognized for their unconditional support of the Ag Ed/FFA Program.

Following the appreciation awards, graduation shirts were given out to all of the senior FFA members. Those members we as follows:Emma Arnold, Kailey Bahmann, Alesha Brunssen, Alyssa Hanson, Ryan Lane, Jenna Pattee, Eli Powers, Lydia Radeke, Maren Redlinger, Mathew Rippel, Ethan Rollinger, Josie Sagan, Cordell Sparks, Aza Swayzer, Emma Wiley, and Carly Williams. Following the graduation shirts there was a senior presentation and then the officer recognition were Emma Wiley as President, Ethan Rollinger as VP, Maren Redlinger as Secretary, Bailey Weeks as Treasurer, Josh Wiley as Reporter, Annabelle Newton as Reporter, Eli Powers as Sentinel, and Christopher Fleming as Officer At Large all hung up their jackets. Following the hanging of the jackets each FFA member presented their parents with a carnation and then the year in review slideshow played. Following the slideshow the banquet ended with the installation of the new officers. Carson Brincks announced the new officers as follows:

● Officer At Large - Rachel Rollinger

● Sentinel - Paul Herger

● Co-Reporters - Isabel Mullinex & Grace Schminke

● Treasurer - Bailey Weeks

● Secretary - Clayton McKenna

● Vice President - Josh Wiley

● President - Annabelle Newton

The Banquet was wrapped up with a President's Reception that was an overall success and a lot of fun.