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Reporter Lincoln B. Sentinel Jessica Garner POA Jamie Ikenberry

Local business shows support for FFA

By Salena Gano
Four senior girls--Kaylee Smith, Beth Hafliger, Jacy Bucholz, and Jessica Garner--traveled to Denver last weekend to attend the Denver Livestock Show on January 21-23. The girls earned the trip because they sold at least $500 of fruit each year of high school.

The FFA members, accompanied by Sponsor Ron Smith and family, kicked off the activities with a visit to a mall before making it to the stock show, where the travelers broke into smaller groups to take in the trade show, career shows, and animal exhibits.

To end their activities on Saturday, the seniors went to the Draft Horse and Mule Show, where they watched draft horse/team pulling races. The group found watching 84 draft horses pull six different types of wagons the highlight of the show.

On Sunday morning, the group traveled to the Denver Aquarium where they got to see a sloth, tigers, and fish. They also viewed a mermaid show and fed stingrays. Later, they returned to the stock show grounds to watch the finals of the PRCA National Western Stock Show Rodeo.

“The rodeo was my favorite part of the trip,” said Beth Hafliger, who found steer wrestling the most exciting event.

The FFA traveling group concluded their trip with a movie on Sunday evening.

Lee Sells, mangager of Crop Production Services, presents an FFA jacket to Jamian Ikenberry and a $500 check to the local FFA organization. CPS took part in a national challenge by Syngenta corporation to support FFA.

Businesses show support for local FFA

Wakeeney-Crop Production Services, together with Syngenta, one of the world's leading companies, participated in a program through the National FFA Foundation for an opportunity to have an FFA jacket awarded to Jamian Ikenberry, a member of Trego Community High School’s FFA.

Syngenta issued a challenge and made a generous offer to its retail partners: Contribute $2,500 to the National FFA Foundation, and Syngenta will match it. In recognition of each retailer’s contribution, a local FFA chapter that has been designated will receive an official FFA blue jacket and a $500 check for the chapter.

“Syngenta is proud to partner with many of our retailers in supporting the Blue Jacket program,”  said Scott Desotel, Iowa District Manager, “This is an outstanding opportunity to help ensure  the future of agriculture across the U.S. while positively impacting local chapters and relationships with our leaders of tomorrow.”

“FFA prepares young people to lead, grow and achieve future success in more than 300 diverse careers through agricultural education” said Dwight Armstrong, chief executive officer of the National FFA Organization.

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 540,379 student members as part of 7,489 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress, and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online (http://www.FFA.org), on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/nationalFFA), on Twitter (http://twitter.com/nationalFFA) and FFA Nation (http://FFAnation.FFA.org).

Syngenta, with more than 26,000 employees in over 90 countries, is dedicated to one purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to customers, Syngenta helps to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information, please go to www.syngenta.com.

PALs strengthens youngsters' skills

By Allison Carr

TGS fourth grade students benefited from a Partners in Active Learning event, presented by the local FFA members at the grade school on January 18.

Communication, teamwork, and leadership were the topics of the high school/grade school’s mentoring program.

In the first team-building exercise, the youngsters made a free-standing balloon tower together. Then the fourth graders tackled the challenge of connecting short tubes to make a long tunnel for a marble race. Finally, the students teamed up to pick up a tennis ball with a string and a rubber band before placing the ball in a cup.

FFA President Kaylee Smith said, “PALs is important because it is a mentoring program that allows FFA members to interact with youth and teach them life skills, while, at the same time, have fun.”

Ron Smith, FFA advisor, announced FFA’s upcoming schedule.

On January 23, four seniors--Kaylee Smith, Beth Hafliger, Jacy Buchholz, and Jessica Gardner-- will attend the Denver Stock Show.

On February 22, the FFA members will host a career fair at TCHS for students from 1:00 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. The students will have the opportunity to visit with career specialists, colleges, and local businesses. To end the fair, the chapter will provide cookies and drinks in the commons area. After the fair, FFA members will attend a workshop with a State Officer.

FFA returns from National FFA Convention

Contributed by Ron Smith
Eight members of TCHS attended the 84th annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, from October 18-22.

The students who attended included Kaylee Smith, Beth Hafliger, Jacy Buchholz, Jamian Ikenberry, Tyler Lowry, Shaylee Flax, Destiny Milford and Logan Zahn, along with FFA Alumni sponsors Jeff and Michelle Hafliger and Advisor Ron Smith.

Eight TCHS FFA members took in various activities as they attended the National FFA Convention at Indiana on October 18-22

On the trip to the convention, the travelers stopped in St Louis for an educational tour of Monsanto.

Ron Smith commented about the tour.

“ It was tremendous to see the research and technology they are using to be leaders in the agriculture industry through the development of higher yielding,  drought- resistant and pest-resistant products but not just through chemical application but through gene mapping and plant selection.”

Once in Indiana, the travelers toured the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 NASCAR race.  Members also attended convention sessions in which the main theme was “I believe.” These sessions focused on developing premier leadership, personal growth and career success. The opening session featured guest speaker Dave Roever, who emphasized following through on personal dreams and staying true to the character development of the blue and gold. In addition, the group was able to go through the FFA Career Show, which featured colleges and businesses from across the U.S. that were promoting production agriculture, agri-science, agribusiness and power/technologies that members will be pursuing in the future of the ag industry, as well as sponsoring many activities of  the FFA.

FFA Alumni was also well represented at the alumni convention at which Anita Schneider was elected as president-elect for the coming year. In addition, the WaKeeney FFA Alumni was honored as a Top 5 Chapter in the United States, which is truly an honor and shows the great support they have earned in partnering with their local chapter. Furthermore, National FFA Alumni has launched the i-connect program to help reconnect those former FFA members to the local organization. The campaign invites a person who has been involved with FFA or anyone who is interested in supporting our organization, to visit www.FFA.org/Connect, to get in touch and establish a new or renewed relationship with FFA.

In addition to the leadership opportunities, the group was able to relax and enjoy the FFA Concert featuring Dirks Bentley at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts, and attend the FFA PBR Rodeo at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Another career success tour featured a trip to Indiana Downs Race Track where the students learned the career opportunities involved in the racing equine industry. From business administration, electronics, mechanics to veterinarians, trainers, and communication specialists, this industry has many paths that can open new growing opportunities.

“With over 52,000 FFA members in attendance at this year’s convention, this is truly and once in a lifetime trip that many will benefit from in the years to come,” said Smith.

Land judgers compete at Norton

Eight students compete in the District Land Judging competition at Norton on September 21.

Eight Trego FFA members participated at District Land Judging, held in Norton on September 21.

Beth Hafliger led the senior team in scoring, while Destiny Milford placed 4th in the Greenhand division.

The event required that competitors evaluate land and home-site soils for texture, slope, permeability, surface runoff and nutrient requirements.  They also classified soils for cropland, wetland, pasture, or recreational suitability. For home-site evaluations, students analyzed soils for building and foundation potential, lawns and landscapes, and septic systems and lagoons.

The event provided practical hands-on experience that each student can use later in life or in many agronomy and agricultural-related careers.

District attendees included Hafliger, Connor Karnes, Tyler Lowry, Milford, Isaiah Fabrizius, Logan Zahn, Shaylee Flax, Jessica Werth and Sponsor Ron Smith.

4th graders partner up with FFA members

By Tabitha Wolf
Twenty-three FFA members traveled to Trego Grade School on September 7 to interact with youngsters in the Partners in Active Learning program.

FFA members introduced themselves and the PALs program to TGS's fourth graders on September 7. FFA members will travel to TGS each month this school year to teach the youngsters about concepts related to agriculture, environment, and leadership, among other things. (Photos by Jacy Buchholz)

PALs is a mentoring program sponsored by the National FFA Foundation. It is carried out locally by the WaKeeney FFA Chapter as members work to promote agricultural literacy, leadership, and citizenship with Liz Deines’ and Laraine Mohler’s fourth-grade students.

For each monthly PAL event, FFA officers organize and and then train participating members before visiting their TGS PALs. This month PALs event featured “get-to-know you” activities and group games to get more comfortable with the FFA members.

Each year the FFA Alumni helps to sponsor PALs program, and each fourth grader receives a complimentary t-shirt designed by FFA officers.

Upcoming events for PALs will include tie-dyeing T-shirts, learning about environmental topics, and taking part in AG Farm Day at the fairgrounds.