REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Kyle Schirm, of West Salem, Ohio, is one of 10 young people honored for their accomplishments in the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest.
The contest recognizes outstanding achievement by junior Jersey breeders in four areas: work with registered Jerseys, related dairy activities, relative progress, and future goals.
They were selected from 17 outstanding youth nominated by state Jersey associations.
The American Jersey Cattle Association presented cash awards totaling $3,000, including $600 to the contest winner, at the junior banquet held in conjunction with The All American Junior Jersey Show in Louisville, Ky.
Top three
Amber Ettinger, daughter of Ed and Cheryl Ettinger of Kinards, S.C., is the winner of the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest.
A junior majoring in dairy science at Virginia Tech, she has completed 14 years with Jersey youth projects. Over that time, she has developed a herd of 28 cows and 25 heifers with the cows averaging 19,265 pounds milk, 892 pounds fat and 663 pounds protein, mature equivalent, in 2010.
Her efforts have earned recognition from South Carolina State 4-H, numerous scholarships, and selection to the inaugural class of Jersey Youth Academy. Ettinger was voted the Outstanding Freshman of the Year Award for her involvement with Virginia Tech Dairy Club. She was also South Carolina honoree for the President’s Volunteer Service Award and Outstanding Junior Civitan of the Year.
Ranking second was Kyle Schirm, the son of Paul and Dawn Schirm, West Salem, Ohio. By making key purchases at the Pot O’Gold Sale and more recently utilizing sexed semen, he now owns 19 cows and 11 heifers.
The average of 11 lactation records completed in 2010 was 17,589 pounds milk, 818 pounds fat and 648 pounds protein, with four of his cows scored Excellent.
Selected for the first Jersey Youth Academy, Schirm is majoring in finance at Ashland University. In 2010, Schirm received the Peter Jackson Scholarship and earned his American FFA Degree. He recently completed an internship with Weaver Leather’s Livestock Sales Division.
Third place went to Cassandra Chittenden, a fourth-generation Jersey breeder from Schodack Landing, N.Y., and daughter of Brian and Beth Chittenden. She now owns a herd of 28 cows, averaging 20,381 pounds milk, 1,003 pounds fat and 709 pounds protein in 2010.
She is a sophomore at Cornell University, majoring in animal sciences with plans to minor in agribusiness. As a student at Cornell, she is a member of the Red Carpet Society, an organization that hosts prospective students and provides guests with college experiences.
Chittenden was a member of the first class of Jersey Youth Academy classes and received numerous state and national scholarships last year.
Ranking fourth through 10th in the contest were:
• Kelli Ann Carstensen; the daughter of Neal and Sally Carstensen, Petaluma, Calif.
• Stacey A. Theobald; the daughter of Charles and Amy Theobald, Creamton, Pa.
• Cassandra Krull, the daughter of Cindy Krull and the late Brian Krull of Lake Mills, Wis.
• Kara Maxwell, daughter of John Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa.
• Tera Koebel, daughter of Terry and Jennie Koebel, of Three Oaks, Mich.
• Avery Lutz, daughter of Wayne and Karen Lutz, Mocksville, N.C.
• Corbin Wood, son of Steve and Christine Wood, Littlestown, Pa.
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