Ag Department And FFA Chapter Accomplishments Detailed For School Board

By Alex Haglund

The NCHS Board received an annual report from the Agriculture Department and FFA Chapter at their final meeting of the school year, held the evening of June 25.
The report was presented to the board in paper form, by Principal Mark Begando.
“Mrs. Bond-Ledford has put out a few facts here,” Begnado said, distributing the reports to the board,” and it’s pretty amazing, honestly.”
Agriculture teacher Julie Bond-Ledford was not at the meeting in person, she was at a leadership conference in Washington, D.C., at the time it was occurring.
The report detailed numerous statistics for the Department and Chapter – both facts about the FFA chapter, and an exhaustive list of accomplishments.
The NCHS Chapter received numerous awards both on the state and national level, and for both the chapter collectively, and for individuals and teams.
For 2017, the NCHS Chapter, which is made up of 82 members, was ranked eighth in the state of Illinois, out of 323 total chapters. Those members collectively took part in 2,490 FFA events over the past year.
The entire report that was presented to the board is reproduced below.
“It’s phenomenal, the amount of work that they have put in,” said Begando. “It’s no secret, ag is a huge part of the economy around here. “
“It’s not just dairy,” remarked interim superintendent Thomas Hawkins. “Horticulture? Really? That’s awesome!”
“The big buzz in education – the connection from school to career,” Hawkins continued, “no program we have does it as well as this.”

NCHS AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT/FFA CHAPTER

ANNUAL REPORT

2017-2018 Program Facts

• There are 82 members in the Nashville FFA Chapter
• Every Nashville FFA Chapter member has at least one Supervised Agricultural Experience Program
• Members have collectively participated in 2,490 FFA activities this year
• Members of our Chapter competed in 4 national competitions this year
• Members of our Chapter competed in 17 state competitions this year
• Nashville FFA members competed in 28 different Career Development Events
• There were approximately 240 people at last year’s banquet
• Approximately 394 people visited the Fall Festival Petting Zoo
• It took 4 hours to sort all of the items from our cookie dough fundraiser
• Nashville FFA members appeared in the Nashville News, Centralia Sentinel, Okawville Times and other local newspapers approximately 93 times
• Nashville FFA Officers bought Christmas gifts for 5 local children this year
• Approximately 81 gallons of ice cream were sold at the Alumni stand at the Washington County Fair
• FFA members partnered with Washington County Ag in the Classroom to help educate grade school students about agriculture
• 7 members attended the National FFA Convention in October
• 9 members competed at State Proficiencies
• 2 members competed at the State STAR competition
• Our Chapter collected $1,150 from local supporters for the annual Illinois FFA Foundation Drive
• NOTS Logistics donated all of the “We Support Agriculture” signs to the Advocate for Agriculture Campaign
• Print Crazee donated the shirts for all participants of the Ag Inspirations photo contest
• Print Crazee donated 100 flyers for the Advocate for Agriculture Campaign
• The Nashville Animal Clinic donated $709 as a part of a rebate program through Zoetis
• Nashville FFA Members spearheaded the Healing Houston Campaign at NCHS to collect items and money for Hurricane Harvey victims
• Members made the front page of newspapers 5 times this year
• The Nashville FFA Chapter’s Advocate for Agriculture Campaign yielded 5,560 likes through social media

2017-2018 Accomplishments

• 2017 National Chapter Award: 3 STAR National Ranking
• 2017 National Chapter Award State Competition: Triple Gold
• 2017 National Chapter Award State Competition: National Finalist
• 2017 Illinois FFA Chapter Rankings: ranked 8^th in the state of 323 chapters
• 2017 National Chapter Award-Growing Communities: Section Winner
• Delo Tractor Restoration Competition National Finalist: Andrew Brown
• National Specialty Crop Production Entrepreneurship Gold Emblem: Cole Herrmann
• National Dairy Production Entrepreneurship Silver Emblem: Mason Niedbalski
• 2 members recommended for the American FFA Degree: Tyler Jahnke & Brendon Schettler
• Members made an appearance on stage at the 2017 National FFA Convention
• State Winner Chapter Scrapbook Competition: Chloe Pelka
• State Winner Harvest for All Campaign
• State Winner Dairy Judging Team
• State 1^st Place Individual in Dairy Judging CDE: Carli Hoffman
• State Winner Nursery Landscape Team
• State Winner Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship: Austin Schorfheide
• State Winner Diversified Horticulture Production: Cole Herrmann
• State Winner Grain Production Placement: Zach Williamson
• State Finalist STAR in Agbusiness: Kyler Klingenberg
• State Finalist STAR in Agriculture Placement: Zach Williamson
• State Gold Emblem Chapter President Award: Austin Schorfheide
• State Top Ten Chapter Reporter Award: Alex Johannes
• 9 members recommended for the State FFA Degree
• 9 members received the State FFA Degree
• 8 members selected to work State Convention Press Corps
• Members made 17 separate trips across stage at State Convention
• State Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship Winner: Alex Johannes
• State Century Challenge Award Recipient – 15 years
• State Leadership Camp Scholarship Winner: Meghan Felts
• State 212° Conference Scholarship Winner: Cade Hoffman
• 9 District Proficiency Winners
• 20 Section Proficiency Winners
• 38 Different Proficiency areas represented
• Section 21 Star Greenhand Farmer: Kinze Fox-1^st Place
• Section 21 Star Greenhand in Ag Placement: Logan Donaho-1^st Place
• Section 21 Star Greenhand in Ag Business: Dillon Herrmann- 1^st Place
• 1^st Place Career Development Events Wins – 24
• Top Ten Individual CDE Finishes – 59
• Washington County Farm Bureau awarded 8 members $8,000 in scholarships
• Collected 68,551 pounds of food items in the Harvest for All Campaign
• Collected 2,962 items valued at $5,564.50 for the Women’s Center, Inc.
• Members had 106 entries at the Section 21 FFA Fairs
• Members earned $3,318 from the Fall FFA Fair & $408 from the FFA Livestock Fair
• Members earned $1,075 in Illinois FFA Alumni Scholarships
• Members sold 1,955 items in our annual cookie dough sales
• Chapter members participated in 29 Career Development Events
• Chapter members participated in 16 major leadership events
• Chapter members participated in 87 different community service projects
• Chapter members completed 1,638 community service hours
• Members distributed 66,085 pounds of food to Washington county residents as a part of the Mobile Food Market in partnership with Washington County 4-H & Extension
• The Ag Department was awarded a $10,000 Improving your Agricultural Education Program grant
• The Nashville FFA Chapter was awarded a $500 grant from Pioneer

Career Development Events

Jefferson County Soil Judging – 2^nd Place
R. Bergmann, A. Schorfheide, C. McClay, T. Kozuszek, M. Schuette, J. Woods
Section 21 Soil Judging – 4^th Place
A. Schorfheide-5^th, M. Schuette- 8^th, T. Kozuszek-10^th, R. Bergmann, J. Woods
Farmyard Follies – 2^nd Place
H. Fullerton, K. Lamczyk, A. Holle, C. Lamczyk, Z. Williamson, A. Johannes, E. Stern, C. Hoffman, R. Bergmann, M. Smith, L. Bierman, K. Voss, A. Schwartzkopf, C. Pedtke, D. Parrish, C. Fullerton, J. Davis, D. Borrenpohl, S. Zyk, D. Payne, R. Restoff, M. Felts, H. Liszewski, O. Holle, T. Huge, A. Melton, C. Wolters, B. Bauza, A. Stanowski
Section 21 Horse Judging – 1^st Place
K. Fox-1^st, E. Wisely-5^th, C. Hoffman, C. Krueger, J. Bannert
District Horse Judging – 2^nd Place
E. Wisely-9^th, C. Hoffman, K. Fox, C. Krueger, J. Bannert
Section 21 Tractor Driving – 1^st Place
K. Lamczyk-1^st, Z. Williamson-2^nd, A. Holle, R. Restoff, C. Hoffman, B. Bauza
Section 21 Greenhand Quizbowl – 2^nd Place
L. Parrish, B. Middleton, G. Pedtke, C. Krueger, B. Bauza, O. Holle, L. Boester, A. Stanowski, K. May, A. Melton, T. Huge
Section 21 Job Interview – Varsity: 1^st Place, JV: 1^st Place
V: A. Schorfheide-1^st, C.McClay-3^rd, JV: C. Pelka-1^st, C. Hoffman-2^nd
District V Job Interview – Varsity: 1^st Place, JV: 1^st Place
V: A. Schorfheide- 2^nd, JV: C. Hoffman-1^st, C. Pelka-3^rd
Section 21 Public Speaking
Creed: J. Bannert-3^rd, K. Barbee-5^th, V. Extemp: A. Schorfheide-1^st, V. Prepared-C.McClay-3^rd, JV Extemp: C. Pelka-2^nd, JV Prepared: A. Hill-1^st, KC Invitational: C. Herrmann-2^nd
Farm Bureau Quizbowl – 1^st Place
C. McClay, A. Johannes, A. Schorfheide, Z. Williamson, R. Bergmann
District & SIU Invitational Public Speaking
V. Extemp: A. Schorfheide-1^st, J.V. Prepared: A.Hill – 3^rd
Section 21 Horticulture –1^st Place
A. Schorfheide-1^st, R. Bergmann-2^nd, A. Johannes-4^th , H. Fullerton-6^th, E.Stern-7^th, B. Melton, M. Smith, E. Wisely, K. Voss, D. Parrish, R. Clark, L. Bierman, L. Parrish
Envirothon – 1^st Place Washington County, 3^rd Overall
A. Schorfheide, Z. Williamson, R. Bergmann, T. Kozuszek, C. Herrmann
Section Poultry – 4^th Place
C. Herrmann- 1^st, C. Hoffman-6^th, T. Jahnke, M. Felts, A. Johannes
Section Livestock – 2^nd Place
C. McClay-2^nd, K. Fox-5^th, R. Bergmann-6^th, M. Schuette, Z. Williamson, A. Stanowski, H. Liszewski, L. Boester, S. Zyk, C. Fullerton
Section 21 Dairy Judging – 3^rd Place
C. Hoffman-1^st, C. Herrmann-9^th, K. Lamczyk, C. Pedtke, J. Karmeier, C. Wolters, M. Felts, C. Hoffman, O. Holle, A. Holle
SIU Horticulture – Varsity – 1st Place, JV – 1^st Place
Varsity: R. Bergmann-1^st, A. Schorfheide-2^nd, H. Fullerton-3^rd, A. Johannes-6^th, T. Kozuszek-7^th, JV: E. Stern-1^st, K. Voss-2^nd, L. Bierman-3^rd, D. Parrish-4^th, B. Melton-6^th, E. Wisely, K. Barbee, R. Clark, L. Parrish, B. Middleton, R. Stofferahn, M. Smith
SIU Livestock Judging – JV- 4^th Place
Varsity: C. McClay, M. Schuette, Z. Williamson, K. Fox, H. Liszewski, JV: L. Boester-9^th, B. Bauza, A. Stanowski, C. Fullerton
State Dairy – 1^st Place
C. Hoffman-1^st, C. Herrmann-3^rd, M Smith-6^th, K. Lamczyk, C. Hoffman,
State Horticulture – 2^nd Place
A. Schorfheide-2^nd, R. Bergmann-4^th, T. Kozuszek-7^th, A. Johannes, H. Fullerton
State Livestock – 49^th Place
C. McClay, M. Schuette, K. Fox, A. Stanowski, L. Boester
State Poultry – 18^th Place
C. Herrmann-13^th, E. Stern, C. Hoffman, G. Pedtke, M. Felts

Charitable Contributions

• Gateway FS donated $815 to our chapter as a part of their Fueling our Future Campaign
• Lutz Agency Inc. donated $1,000 to our chapter
• The Oakdale Eggstravaganza Committee donated $500 to our chapter
• Nascote made a $350 donation to our Chapter
• Ransom Fertilizer donated $500 to our Chapter
• Diedrich Implements donated $150.00 to our Chapter