The West Boyd FFA members have been on an experience educational trip since the first of this school year.  Along with the classroom education most of the members have also had fantastic opportunities to experience education outside of the classroom.

The fall began with experiential learning in pastures and grasslands, learning different range plants and range management practices.  Most of the students then demonstrated their learning experiences in area and State range judging competitions.  In October we learned and practiced our livestock judging skills with a very beneficial livestock judging clinic hosted by Valentine chapter, and then we demonstrated those skills at the District 10 livestock judging contest hosted by the Elgin chapter.  The West Boyd Jr. livestock judging team of Ryan Kaczor, Alex Bendig, Ty Nelson and Jesse Davis placed second and earned the right to compete at State. 
During November and early December members were practicing their speaking skills as well as learning parliamentary procedure, interviewing skills and how to demonstrate various agricultural practices.  This practice paid off in District LSE’s with the Jr Parli team of Alex Bendig, David Engelhaupt, Kristen Reiman, Yazmin Bentz, Alix Mashino, Angela Haun, Tristan Mathison, and Lacey Baker being crowned the District Champions.  Other District 10 champions were Kristen Reiman in Creed Speaking, Angela Haun in Jr. Public Speaking, and Brooke Reiman in Extemp Speaking.  All of these as well as Chaney Black with 2nd place in Employment Skills  will be representing the West Boyd Chapter and District 10 at State competition in April.
After a very welcome Christmas break members closed out their SAE record books, and prepared Proficiency and State Degree applications.  Members earning Gold on their proficiency applications at the District level included Haylie Lechtenberg in Fruit Production,  Angela Haun in Fruit  and Beef Production, Chaney Black in Specialty Crop Production, Luke Zeisler in Dairy and Beef Production, David Engelhaupt in Ag Sales, and  Alex Bendig and Lacey Baker in Sheep Production.  The following students were very excited to be notified their applications were selected as one of the final three for State competition:  Haylie and Angela in Fruit Production, Chaney in Specialty Crop Production, and Luke in Dairy Production.

Senior members that will be receiving the State FFA Degree in April are Justin Haun, Tye Engelhaupt, and Shaun Kayl.  We are very proud of these students for their efforts and perseverance with their SAE’s   and leadership through out their FFA career.

During FFA week, guest speaker and former local FFA member Dr. Mindy Spiehs, an animal research scientist from the U.S. Animal research center spoke to the younger members about her work at MARC, and about various careers in agriculture.  Jill Peterson, Nebraska FFA officer also visited during National FFA week. 

 

Students really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Jill better, and truly enjoyed her interactive and fun educational presentations.  Other activities for FFA week included an appreciation breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs made and served by the FFA members to over 200 patrons and students.  Wednesday of FFA week was tractor day resulting in tractors lining the street in front of school on highway 281.  This was a fantastic way to make many travelers aware of the importance of agriculture.

As March came in like a lion, members also prepared like lions for CDE’s.  After all of the hard preparation, Haylie L, Chaney B, Brooke R. and Angela H. were selected as the District champions in Food Science.  Luke Z., Scott M. , Brandon F., and Kendell M. received 2nd in Agronomy and will be competing at State.  Others competing in State CDE competition are David E, Alex B., Cameron R., and Austin M. in the AgriScience contest.  West Boyd members are very excited about and eagerly looking forward to the upcoming State FFA convention.  We anticipate great competition and speakers and will enjoy renewing friendships with members from other chapters.