FFA bestows awards

(Proficiency award winners have been added at bottom. For more of our FFA coverage, including a video and slide show)

COLUMBUS — The 85th Ohio FFA Convention was filled with hundreds of award winners from across the state. Here’s a look at a few of the top awards and who won.

Ohio Star awards

Jakob Wilson, star in agricultural placement; Elizabeth Hayes, star in agribusiness; and Austin Wippel, Ohio’s Star Farmer.

Ohio’s national winners

Diversified Crop Production-Placement, Jakob Wilson, Fairbanks FFA. Equine Science-Entrepreneurship, Elizabeth Hayes, Marysville FFA. Swine Production-Entrepreneurship, Garrit Sproull, Harrison Central FFA. Swine Production-Placement, Nick Rutschilling, Versailles.

Star American winners

Ohio’s Star American in Agribusiness is Elizabeth Hayes from Marysville. Ohio’s Star American in Agricultural Placement is Tonya Fender from Lynchburg-Clay FFA. The state Star American Farmer is Dara Howser from Western Brown FFA.

Top 10 chapters

These chapters are the top overall in the state: Anna, Fayetteville, Felicity Franklin, Hardin Northern, Lynchburg Clay, Marysville, Miami East-MVCTC, Otsego, Ridgemont, Versailles.

Speaking

Maddy Buschur of Versailles won the extemporaneous speaking contest; Tyler Parcell of Fayetteville, advanced prepared; and Evan Smith of Bloom Carroll, beginning prepared.

Video contest

A newly added video contest required chapters to submit 60-second video clips showing their involvement in agriculture and their communities.

The state winner was the Edon FFA, followed by Bloom Carroll and Mowrystown.

Charity funds

Ohio FFA members and chapters helped raise $42,548 for The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals this year. FFA chapters and members also raised $8,200 for CROP/Church World Service over the past year.

Honorary membership

Crystal Ashby, Loudonville FFA alumni; Melissa Bell, director, Ohio FFA Foundation; Anna Creswell, agricultural education teacher, Hardin Northern; Robert Evans, owner, Evans Excavating, Lynchburg Clay FFA supporter; the late Gary Green, Buckeye Central supporter; Greg Hendricks, agricultural education teacher, Lorain County JVS; Mike & Gretchen Huttleston, business owners, Plymouth FFA supporters; Mike Keys, farm/seed salesman, Elmwood FFA supporter; Ryan Kolb, landscape company owner, adjunct professor Columbus State; Dolores Kramer, retired teacher, Miami East supporter; Dr. David Latshaw, retired OSU poultry professor; Jack Mason, retired teacher and auctioneer; Sarah Noggle, agricultural education teacher, Paulding; Mike Smith and Dan Ramey, broadcasters, WKKJ/WBEX radio stations; Richard Reighley, principal, Firelands High School; Thomas Rubright, instructional aide, Tolles Career and Technical Center; Janice Sheahan and the late James Sheahan, business owners and Genoa FFA supporter; William Spahr, school board member, Greene County Career Center; Tracy Stuck, assistant vice president for student life, Ohio State University; John Torres, director, leadership development, American Farm Bureau Federation.

Proficiency winners

Accounting, Brittany Conkey, Fairview High School; Agricultural communications, Courtney Rose, Versailles High School; Agricultural mechanics design and fabrication, Dylen Price, Tri-Village-MVCTC; Agricultural mechanics energy systems, Isaac Schaffner, Wauseon High School; agricultural mechanics repair and maintenance entrepreneuership, Kurt Wyler, Ridgewood High School; agricultural mechanics repair and maintenance placement, Garrett Kite, A.B. Graham Ohio Hi-Point High School; agricultural processing, Tanner Mick, Miami Trace High School; Lauren Williams, Miami East-MVCTC High School; agricultural sales placement, Josh Dawson, Elida High School; agricultural services, Zachary Stuckey, Wynford High School; agricultural research-animal systems, Chrysta Beck, Pettisville High School; agricultural research-integrated systems, David Glass, Zane Trace High school; agriscience research-plant systems, Austin Douglas; Beef production-entrepreneurship, Brittany Conkey, Fairview High School.

Beef production placement, Logan Russell, Botkins High School; dairy production-entrepreneurship, Chelsea Skidmore, Mississinawa Valley MVCTC High School; dairy production-placement, Ted Schmitmeyer, Versailles High School; diversified agricultural production, Keith Bohman, Marion Local High School.

Diversified crop production, Austin Mikesell, Tri-Village-MVCTC High School; diversified horticulture, Tori Wilt, Miami Trace High School; diversified livestock production, Blake Campbell, Waterford High School; emerging agricultural technology, William Potter, Otsego High School; environmental science and natural resources management, Donovan Smith, Mohawk High School; equine science-entrepreneurship, Megan Weir, River Valley High School; equine science-placement, Kaylee Kuns, Margaretta High School; fiber and/or oil crop production, Jakob Wilson, Fairbanks High School; food science and technology, Audrey Hoey, Zane Trace High School; Forage production, Clay Armstrong, West Holmes High School.
Forest management and products, Antigone Castellucci, Marlington High School; fruit production, Emma Northeim, Firelands High School; Anna Powell, goat production, Ridgewood High School; grain production-entrepreneurship, Nate Hager, Wapakoneta High School; grain production-placement, Cody Adams, Fayetteville High School.

Home and/or community development, Kristen Hemmlgarn, Marion Local High School; landscape management, Wesley Roby, Delphos High School; nursery operations, Lindsey Pleiman, Fort Loramie High School; Organic ag-Ohio only, Theo Schlater, Minster High School; outdoor recreation, Brittany Costa, Marlington High School.

Poultry production, Jessica Zurcher, Firelands High School; sheep production, Chelsea Shell, Blanchester High School; small animal production and care, Matthew Klopfenstein, Wayne Trace High chool; specialty animal production, Andrew Scharf, Ridgemont High chool; specialty crop production, Caitlin Pauley, Riverdale High School; swine production, Doug Seger, Fort Loramie High School; swine production-placement, Logan Brookhart, Versailles High School.

Turf grass management, Evan Riggs, Arcadia High School; vegetable production, Christopher Teaford, Miami East-MVCTC High School; veterinary medicine, Carmen Meyer, Marion Local High School; Wildlife production and management, Jeremy Ruger, Wauseon High School.