Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, April 20, 2006

A total of 11 Mount Ayr Community high school FFA chapter members received their Iowa FFA degrees when the state leadership conference was held in Ames last week. In addition, chapter members received several other awards and participated in many activities during the conference.

Seniors Camron COLLIER, Nathan CREVELING, Brad ENGLAND, Jennifer HOSFIELD, Adam JACKSON, Andy MERCER, Alan PENNINGTON, Cody ROBERTS, Brandon STILL, Cody SOBOTKA and Amy WEEDA received the award, joining 185 previous chapter members named to receive the award since 1940. The Iowa FFA degree is the top award that FFA member can receive on the state level.

Camron COLLIER is the son of Doug COLLIER of Kellerton. His supervised ag experience project included a 3/4 acre commercial garden that he takes care of. He has been part of the farm management, crop judging, soils judging, parliamentary procedure and conduct of meetings teams and has been very active in local activities of the chapter.

Nathan CREVELING is the son of Kevin and Tammy CREVELING of Ellston. His supervised ag experience project has been a lawn mowing business he has in the Ellston area. He has been on the ag sales, soils judging and conduct of meetings teams among others and has been active in many local events as well.

Brad ENGLAND is the son of Todd and Julie ENGLAND of Mount Ayr. His supervised ag experience project has focused on beef cattle and working at Southwest Builder Supply in Mount Ayr. He has shown cattle at the state fair and been on the soils judging, program of activities and several other contest teams. He has been very active in local programs of the chapter as well.

Jennifer HOSFIELD is the daughter of Gary and Linda HOSFIELD of Redding. Her supervised ag experience project has been in a cow-calf beef operation. She has been active on quiz teams, attended the Washington, D.C. leadership conference, a chairman of the Senior Citizen Prom and active in many chapter activities.

Adam JACKSON is the son of Kurt and Teresa JACKSON of Redding. He has a lawn care business for his supervised ag experience project, mowing several cemeteries and parks. He has served as chapter sentinel and been on conduct of meetings, parliamentary procedure, and crop judging teams among others. He has also been very active in the chapter.

Andy MERCER is the son of Rich and Lori MERCER of Kellerton. His supervised ag experience project has been employment at Mercer Farms, Hy-Vee and currently at Hoover Angus Farms. He has been on the greenhand quiz team, soils judging and other contests, attended the national convention and has been active in the toxic waste cleanup and other chapter activities.

Alan PENNINGTON is the son of Kraig and Wanda PENNINGTON of Mount Ayr. PENNINGTON has worked with cattle and worked in other employment such as Reasoner Garage as his supervised ag experience projects. He has been on the soils judging and crop judging teams and been active in the Food for America, faculty breakfast and Senior Citizen Prom among local activities.

Cody ROBERTS is the son of Greg and Kelly ROBERTS of Mount Ayr. His supervised ag experience projects have included a yard care business and working for the 3BOutfitters. He has been on the parliamentary procedure, soils judging, conduct of meetings and ag sales teams and been active in local activities such as farm safety and tire cleanup.

Brandon STILL is the son of Brad and Cherrye STILL of Kellerton. He has grown corn and soybeans for his supervised ag experience project and worked for Still Farms. He has been on the ag mechanics, soil judging, greenhand quiz and chapter quiz teams among others. He has been chairman of the farm safety program and active in other local activities.

Cody SOBOTKA is the son of Gary and Darla SOBOTKA of Mount Ayr. His supervised ag experience project has included crops, with hay and oats focused on. He has been treasurer and assistant treasurer of the chapter and been on the conduct of meetings, parlimentary procedure, crops judging, ag sales, soil judging and farm management teams. He has also been very active in local chapter activities.

Amy WEEDA is the daughter of Danny and Carol Ann WEEDA of Mount Ayr. Her supervised ag experience program has included employment at Substation and Southwest Builder Supply. She has been chapter president and taken part in the conduct of meetings and parliamentary procedure teams and has attended state and national conventions and the Washington, D.C. leadership conference. She has been very active in local chapter activites as well.

The chapter members also picked up several medals and recognition at the state meeting as well.

Leading the way was the farm business management team of Adam JACKSON, Cody SOBOTKA, Cody ROBERTS and Camron COLLIER, which received a gold medal and placed third out of 79 teams. Camron COLLIER placed seventh individually and Cody SOBOTKA was tenth individually.

The treasurer's book kept by Cody SOBOTKA and Zach LYNCH received a silver at state and the reporter's book kept by Brandon WERNER and Tara BAKER received a silver at state as well. This is the best book medals in 25 years, according to Jack COOK, chapter advisor.

The ag sales team of Brennon SHIELDS, Zach LYNCH, Chad BAILEY and Ben GRAHAM earned a silver award.

The greenhand quiz team entry earned a silver for Allison FOOKEN and a bronze for Michael BENTLEY.

The chapter received a gold national chapter award and a $100 award from the Iowa Farm Development Authority. The chapter placed tenth in the state in this category.

The chapter also received a trophy from the GroMark Foundation for qualifying as one star sponsor of the Iowa FFA Foundation.

The Des Moines Register publications award and the WOI-Radio Food for America project awards were also received by the chapter.

Allison FOOKEN sang in the state choir and Tara ADAMS played in the state band. Tara BAKER served on the state officer nimintaing committee and Joe CATANZARETI and Brandon WERNER were the chapter delegates to the conference.

Others attending included Jeff INLOES, Adler ADAMS, Daniel LEONARD, Jordan STEWART, Jennifer ANGUS, Emily CAMPBELL, Cass HOSFIELD, Brian INLOES and Megan REED.

Lori MERCER and Jack COOK were chaperones for the conference.

Photograph courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2012