Mississinawa Valley-MVCTC FFA Holds Annual Parent/Member Banquet

Star Greenhands - First year members earning the award of Star Greenhand were (L to R)  Cody Dirksen, Blake Scholl, Mason Hummel, and Emily Schmitz.

The Mississinawa Valley-MVCTC FFA Chapter held its Annual Parent and Member Banquet on March 10, 2016 in the cafeteria; over 300 parents, members, and guests were served. The welcome was given by freshman, Jake Connor, and the invocation was led by Levi Livingston. The banquet was called to order by FFA president, Leslie Dirksen, along with the 2015-2016 officer team.

Donor awards were presented to the following sponsors for their continued support and loyalty this past year: Jim Atchley, Gwen Bergman, Joe Hartzell, Jeffrey Winchester, Kim Livingston, Frank Miller Lumber, Thienman’s Sports Bar and Grille, The Mississinawa Valley Custodial Staff, Nick Hamilton, Sherry Dirksen, Lois Livingston, Harry Birt and Birt’s Store, Jeff Stachler, Kevin Bergman, Kurt Bergman, Jason Moore, Natalie Mallott, Homestead Quality Bedding, Kim Berger and the Cafeteria Staff, Preston Deeter, John Guttadore, Mississinawa Valley-MVCTC FFA Alumni, Jana Brueggeman, Jeff Keller, K&L Tractor Sales, Didier Hardware, Doris Schweppe, Jeff Slyder, Aislinn Miller, Bill Stocksdale, Sarah Stocksdale, Barb Bateman, Erma Stump, David Harter, Betsy Harter, Andrea Townsend, Betty Teegarden, Roxanne Stocksdale, Brim Construction, Shelby Pitsenbarger, Sandy Denniston, Morgan Doppler and Rod Saintignon at Versailles Painting Service, Mike Kahlig & Son, Kaelyn Marker, Sam Custer at Darke County Extension Office, Jason Manning of County View Family Farms, Heather Manning, Vore’s Welding and Steel, Welbourn Farms, Treaty Soils, S.M. Stachler Farms, Cy Hiestand, Sara Hiestand, Janice Eby, Richard Livingston, Fort Recovery Insurance Agency, Jeff and Lori Cox, Dale Breymier, Amy Hanes, Matt Hiestand, Rick Scholl, Sandy Skidmore, Shawn Peters, Union City Pak-a- Sak and Subway, Justin Herth, Darke County Soil and Water, Rodeheffer Trucking, Brad Lentz and the Ansonia FFA, Wiley Well Drilling, Morning Fresh, Nunez Tires, Kerns Bros., Hummel Farms, and Cal-Maine.

Mrs. Carmen Hartzell and Mrs. Gwen Bergman, Mississinawa Valley’s FFA Advisors, presented chapter awards to students with outstanding Supervised Agriculture Experience Programs and other outstanding achievements.

This year Mrs. Hartzell and Mrs. Bergman agreed to present the Star Greenhand award to four first-year students that have promoted our chapter and attain immense potential. The recipients of this year’s Star Greenhand awards were Blake Scholl, Cody Dirksen, Mason Hummel, and Emily Schmitz.

Honorary - Shelby Pitsenbarger and Rick Scholl were inducted
into Honorary Membership into the Mississinawa Valley-MVCTC FFA
Chapter for their support of the chapter.

Kasey Hummel was recognized as the Star Chapter Farmer. Kasey has built an SAE including Breeding and Market Beef Cattle, Home and Barn Improvements, and a hay field. She has joined the agronomy team this year, served the chapter as Secretary for two years, as well as managing athletics and academics. Kasey has been accepted at Wilmington, Purdue, and Ohio State. In the fall, she will continue her path at one of those institutions with a major in the areas of agronomy and Ag business.

This year’s Star Ag Placement was Zach Dirmeyer; Zach has worked diligently at Dirmeyer Farms, at times managing the farm in the absence of his father. He has done a tremendous job of balancing work responsibilities with school and sports. Zach plans to continue his education in the fall at Wilmington, majoring in Ag business.

The recipient of the blue and gold award was Hope Jankowski. Hope has exhibited a passion for FFA and is always eager to volunteer. Her sincerity, smile, and willingness to take another member under her wing all went into her receiving this award. Hope wishes to pursue radiologic technology. Her reliability and dependability will insure her success wherever her path leads.

Honorary Membership was awarded to Shelby Pitsenbarger and Rick Scholl. Shelby is a graduate of Versailles High school and was very active in FFA and volleyball. Shelby previously served as an FFA advisor for the Mississinawa Valley- MVCTC FFA Chapter. Rick Scholl is a retired school board member and former graduate of Mississinawa Valley. In high school, Rick was very active in the FFA, and he has continued to support our chapter ever since.

The following members were recognized for their significant roles in fundraising for the chapter through the annual fruit sale:

Raising $200 to $400
Jake Connor, Sarah Howard, Amanda Armstrong, Kaylee Clark, Colton Hines, DJ Howell, Hope Jankowski, Trenton Perkins, Arianna Caixba, Justin Miller, Angel Schaffer, Macy Stewart, Kyler Guillozet, Kyler Mote, Olivia Murphy, Audree Weimer, Wade Gilbert, David Townsend, Dalton Marker, Makayla Connor, and Shelby Manning.

Raising $400-$600
Blake Scholl, Laura Bland, Ethan Bowman, Payton Reichard, Haley Loy, Makenna Price, Paxton Scholl, Daisy Brim, and Shaiann Livingston.

Raising over $600
Colyn Nelson, Day Hall, Kelsie Hunt, Jennifer Teegarden, Max Dirmeyer, Zach Dirmeyer, Kinsie Blocher, Casey Carrico, and Bailey Johnson.

Raising Over $1,000
Cody Dirksen, Leslie Dirksen, Kasey Hummel, Mason Hummel, Tom Schmitz, Emily Schmitz, Madison Stachler, and Grant Stachler.

The top two sales teams were the Hummel family, Kasey and Mason, with a total of $1,317 in sales and the Dirksen family, Leslie and Cody, with a total of $3,215 in sales.

Attendance awards were given to students with a perfect attendance record at the monthly meetings. Those students were: Amanda Armstrong, Andrew Reichard, Arianna Caixba, Audree Weimer, Bailey Johnson, Blake Scholl, Brad Slyder, Brianna Puderbuagh, Casey Carrico, Cody Dirksen, Colyn Nelson, Daisy Brim, Damon McGhee, Dilyn Rammel, Dominique Champ, Elijah Livingston, Emily Schmitz, Ethan Bowman, Grace Skye, Grant Stachler, Hope Jankowski, Jake Connor, Joseph Teeter, Justin Miller, Kasey Hummel, Kelsie Hunt, Kinsie Blocher, Kya Lavy, Kyler Guillozet, Kyler Mote, Leslie Dirksen, Levi Livingston, Luke Livingston, Macy Stewart, Madison Stewart, Madison Stachler, Mason Hummel, Megan Wilson, Olivia Murphy, Paxton Scholl, Payton Reichard, Shaiann Livingston, Shelby Manning, Tom Schmitz, Trenton Perkins, and Will Hall.

The new 2015-2016 Chapter Officers were installed into office and they are:

Madison Stachler President
Shelby Manning, Vice- President
Mason Hummel, 2nd Vice-President
Kelsie Hunt, Secretary
Cody Dirksen, Treasurer
Blake Scholl, Assistant Treasurer
Shaiann Livingston, Reporter
Justin Miller, Assistant Reporter
Tom Schmitz, Sentinel
Kyler Mote, Assistant Sentinel
Emily Schmitz, Student Advisor
Sidnie Hunt, Historian
Olivia Murphy, Parliamentarian

The following proficiency awards were also handed out at the chapter level:

Entrepreneurship

Beef Cattle Production Kasey Hummel
Sheep Production Zach Dirmeyer
Poultry Production Megan Wilson
Swine Production Madison Stachler
Fruit Production Grant Stachler
Ag Services Madison Stachler
Home Improvement Shelbey Copeland
Vegetable Production Madison Stachler

Placement

Ag Services Bailey Johnson
Wildlife Production and Management Hope Jankowski
Ag Mechanics Repair and Maintenance Leslie Dirksen
Specialty Animal Production (Aqua culture) Tom Schmitz
Forage Production Brad Slyder
Diversified Livestock Production Darin Miller
Swine Production Zach Dirmeyer
Beef Production Tom Schmitz
Landscape Management Jose Cantu
Landscape Management Khile Jones
Landscape Management Kyler Mote
Home Improvement Grant Stachler

The 2016 Mississinawa Valley- MVCTC parent-member banquet was adjourned by newly inducted President, Madison Stachler.