News : V-S FFA Finishing the Year with Annual FFA Banquet!

The full lunchroom during the FFA banquet meal.

The Middle School Members being recognized for their merit points.

Members being awarded their certificates for a job well done during contest season.

Officers getting recognized with a plaque and a blanket for their year of service.

Chaperones being recognized for their leadership during State Convention.

Scott and Jenni Birker, Kelli and Ryan McClintock receiving their Honorary Degree

All members pose for a picture after the conclusion of the program.

By: Co-Reporter, Izzie Birker 

The annual Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Banquet took place on Saturday, May 4th at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School.

Before the meal, President Andrew Pingenot welcomed all of the guests and thanked them all for their support. Officer at Large, Cooper McClintock gave the blessing for the food. Tables were dismissed by Cole Birker and Jameson Demuth.

The meal consisted of sliced roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, a spring salad, dinner roll, and various desserts. A special thanks goes to Merchants Grilling and the officer's parents for preparing the food and a thank you to the supporters who ran the drink bar.

After the delicious meal, everyone went into the high school auditorium to start the ceremony. The ceremony started with the officers giving their opening ceremony and Alumni President Brent Gatter giving his welcoming speech to all of the FFA members.

Eleanor Moen and Zane Helter presented the FFA Creed. Next, Secretary Megan Schlitter announced all of the Appreciation Awards. This year over 100 Appreciation Awards were given to those that helped with the Crop Plot, Contest Judging, Contest Preparation, Various Assistance, and Unconditional Support.

Next, the leadership-merit awards were given to Discovery Members, Greenhand Members, Chapter Members, and Officers. Every year each member has to get a specific amount of merit points they need to earn to receive this award.

A Discovery member must attend a minimum of 7 activities, a Greenhand must earn at least 175 merit points, a Chapter member at least 250, and Officers are required to earn at least 500 points. There were 62 members that received these Leadership Awards. After that, 21 individuals were recognized as committee chairs that helped with the chapter's program of activities.

Next, the top salesmen for fruit sales from the year were announced. The chapter raised over $44,204 through the sale. The top salesmen for the year were Will McKenna in third, Ben Buhr in second, and setting a new chapter sales record for first place was Andrew Pingenot.

The middle school strawberry salesmen were recognized. They had raised over $8,858. From tenth to first, these salesmen were Eli Blackwell, Ayden Nosbisch, Dallas Dee, Wyatt Shaver, Will Kreutner, Cole Birker, Kendalyn Appleby, Jameson Demuth, Zoey McClintock, and Abby McKenna.

Recognition was given to the many CDE and LDE contestants from the past year. These members have spent many hours preparing for contests both individually and as a group. Then, seniors with a GPA of 3.5 or higher were given the Academic Achievement Awards including Grayce McClintock, Jordyn Williams, Anabelle Hernandez, Levi Ferguson, Rachel Rollinger, Vann Lessig, Bradley Reeves, and Matthew Bookmeier

This year four members achieved the requirements for earning their state FFA Degrees including Jerry Lee, Grayce McClintock, Megan Schlitter, and Austin Noe.

Next, the State Convention chaperones were recognized including, Nichole McKenna, Jenni Birker, Mark Pingenot, Stacie Buhr, Brent Geater, Chad Newton, Adam, and Anna Demuth. This year, the chapter had four Honorary Degree recipients including Kelli and Ryan McClintock and Scott and Jenni Birker.

Proficiency awards are given to each member for excellence in their Supervised Agriculture Experience or SAE. In February, 5 members applied for the State Proficiency Awards.

In the area of Beef Production Placement, Izzie Birker received a Bronze, in the area of Goat Production, Megan Schlitter received a Silver, in the area of Ag Sales Placement, Sam Lundvall received a Silver, in the area of Equine Science Placement Alana Fleming received 2nd Place Gold, and in the area of Ag Sales Entrepreneurship Andrew Pingenot received 1st Place Gold and will advance to Nationals.

Recently, members also had the opportunity to apply for a local-level proficiency which 11 members received.

-The winner in the area of Ag Mechanics Design and Fabrication was Levi Lutz.

-The winner in the area of Ag Sales Entrepreneurship was Andrew Pingenot.

-The winner in the area of Ag Sales Placement was  Sam Lundvall.

-The winner in the area of Beef Production Entrepreneurship was Izzie Birker.

-The winner in the area of Beef Production Placement was Conner Bridgewater.

-The winner in the area of Diversified Ag Production was Brihanna Dulin.

-The winner in the area of Equine Science Placement was Alana Fleming.

-The winner in the area of Grain Production Placement was Will McKenna.

-The winner in the area of Goat Production was Megan Schlitter.

-The winner in the area of Small Animal Production and Care was Bridgette Castle.

-The winner in the area of Swine Production was Grayce McClintock.

This year's Star Greenhand was awarded to Sophia Newton. Grayce McClintock received this year's Star Chapter Farmer Award. Sam Lundvall was named as the Star Placement Award recipient. Andrew Pingenot received the SAE Award.

The Chapter Scholars were named next including Freshman Ciara Dods, Eleanor Moen, Kara Rollinger, and Amaia Sloop, Sophomore Eli Ollinger, Junior Alana Fleming, and Senior Grayce McClintock.

Next the Outstanding Classmen was named for each grade. They were 6th Grade: Dallas Dee, 7th Grade: Will Kreutner, 8th Grade: Colton Birker, Freshman: Callie Nosbisch, Sophomore: William McKenna, Junior: Andrew Pingenot and Senior: Rachel Rollinger. Grayce McClintock received the DeKalb Award, and Matthew Bookmeier received the Senior Service Award.

Scholarship recipients were then announced including those that participated in the Iowa Youth Institute: Bridgette Castle, Izzie Birker, Andrew Pingenot, and Grayce McClintock.

Farmers Savings Bank announced Grayce McClintock as the recipient of their scholarship.

Todd Wiley announced Kelcie Appleby as the recipient of the Ross and Shirley Wiley Scholarship.

Andrew Pingenot announced Rachel Rollinger as the recipient of the Advisor's Scholarship sponsored by theYedlik Family.

Next, Izzie Birker shared the Year in Review Video she created.

Seniors Kelcie Appleby, Matthew Bookmeier, Mac Goodell, Kevin Heckmann II, Anabelle Hernandez, Jerry Lee, Sam Lundvall, Grayce McClintock, and Rachel Rollinger were recognized for all of their accomplishments in FFA.

After officer recognition and parent recognition, the 2024-2025 FFA officer team was appointed:

President is Andrew Pingenot

Vice-President is Alana Fleming

Secretary is Megan Schlitter

Treasurer is Will McKenna

Co-Reporters are Izzie Birker and Sophia Newton

Sentinel is Zane Helter

Officer at Large is Brihanna Dulin

Congratulations to all of these amazing FFA members for all of their accomplishments and we wish the officers good luck in this coming year of service!