Category Archives: FFA

Hay Springs Agricultural Science and FFA members are successful at virtual
State FFA and Agri-Science competition

The results of the State FFA and Ag Education competition are in and I am very proud of our students. Several of these contests are in areas that the students had to qualify at districts in order to compete at state and some are contests that are open to state wide competition.

In the “Leadership Skills Events” we had two individuals and one team qualify to compete. Abigail Russell represented district XII in the “Creed Speaking” contest and ended up with the fifth place Gold award. RyLee Wolken qualified in Senior Public Speaking and received a Bronze award in state competition. Our CCM “Chapter Conduct of Meetings” after previously winning District competition competed at state and received a bronze ranking as well. Members of this team were: Abigail Russell, President, Taden Tobiasson, Vice-President, Alexa Tonjes, Secretary, Jordyn Anderson, Reporter, Noah Kelly, Treasurer, Abigail Nelson, Sentinel, and Jarhett Anderson as the Advisor. Alternates to the team were Ava McKillip, Hayden Boles and Adrianna Haffner. Leadership Skills Events are ranked Bronze, Silver and Gold with a maximum of two competitors from each district so there was a maximum of 48 teams or individuals in each of the leadership events.

Hay Springs students competed in ten different “Career Development Events“. Of the ten contest areas we competed in we received a ribbon award in seven of the team competitions. Hay Springs teams also placed in the top 25 teams in seven of these ten areas state wide all classes. The greatest area of competition was in the Agri Science competition they were 98 teams and 364 individuals. Our team of Ava McKillip, Abigail Russell, Abigail Nelson and Alexa Tonjes placed 7th which is in the top 7% of all teams competing.

Individually we had three students receive Purple ribbons, Ava McKillip, 7th in Agri Science top 2%, Braydon Binger, 24th in Agronomy top 8%, and Colter Meeks 26th in Farm and Agribusiness Management top 9%. We also had several students receive ribbons in two or more contest areas, Colter Meeks received Purple in Farm & Agribusiness Mgt., and Reds in Junior Livestock Selection and Meats Evaluation and Technology. Jett Rasmussen received Blue awards in Agronomy and in Farm & Agribusiness Mgt. and a White in Agricultural Sales. Braydon Binger received a Purple in Agronomy and a Red in Meats Evaluation and Technology. Abigail Nelson received a Blue in Agri Science and a Red in Nursery and Landscape, and Jaiden Anderson received a Red in Senior Livestock Selection and a White in Environmental & Natural Resources.

As a chapter we received seven team ribbons (1 Purple, 4 Reds & 2 Whites) and twenty-four individual ribbons (3 Purples, 6 Blues, 10 Reds, & 5 Whites). For a chapter that is in its second year, the community should be extremely proud of these young men and women. Great Job!
The FFA and Agricultural Science Education program gives our students a very diverse opportunity to learn and study the many different areas of agriculture and leadership development and then compete in their areas of interest at local, district, state and national level. We are so grateful for the support of our community and the board of education in this process.

The complete team and individual CDE placing and scores are listed in the table below.

From Sandhills State Bank:

Three more days remaining to help your local FFA Chapter win $1,000! The next 9 chapters will also receive donations to their programs. Only one vote per person this year so make sure you share away with all of your friends and family!

Click here to vote!

Here is a picture of the top 20 as of today:

State FFA Convention and Agricultural Science Leadership & Career Development Events Competition

The Hay Springs FFA members have had a very successful second year and are preparing to compete in three of the Leadership Skills Development Events. Abigail Russell will be competing in the State Creed Speaking Contest after winning the District XII contest, and RyLee Wolken will be competing in the Senior Public Speaking Contest. Our Freshman Chapter Conduct of Meeting Team also won the District XII competition and will be competing at State. Members of this team include: Abigail Russell, Alexa Tonjes, Abigail Nelson, Ava McKillip, Noah Kelly, Jarhett Anderson, Jordyn Anderson, Taden Tobiasson and alternates Adrianna Haffner and Hayden Boles. This contest will all be held virtually so the educational opportunity to travel to Lincoln and compete in person experience will not be part of this state competition.

Several members will also be competing in the state Career Development Events after qualifying in district competition. Team and individual competitions from earlier in the year is as follows:

Agricultural Sales Team: Hannah Hoos, Logan DeCoste, Jett Rasmussen, and Abigail Russell

Food Science Team: Hally Johnson, Laney Smith, Breely Smith and Alexa Tonjes

Farm and Agribusiness Management Team: Hannah Hoos, Logan DeCoste, Jett Rasmussen, Braydon Binger, Colter Meeks and Abigail Russell

March 3rd, Hay Springs FFA Chapter members competed in individual and six different team contests in Kimball, Nebraska. The six contests were Agricultural Science, Senior Livestock Evaluation, Junior Livestock Evaluation, Meat Evaluation, Nursery and Landscape, and Agronomy.

The Senior Livestock team placed 5th and qualified for state. These individuals judged 7 classes of beef, swine and sheep and gave reasons on two classes: the sim-angus bulls and the breeding gilt classes. The team consisted of Jett Rasmussen(placed 20th), Colter Meeks(placed 23rd), Jaiden Anderson(placed 25th), Logan DeCoste(placed 33rd), and Augustus Scott(placed 44th).

The Junior Livestock team included Abigail Russell(placed 1st), Mia Skinner(placed 15th), Molly Spicer(placed 17th). Breely Smith(played 31st), and Hally Johnson(placed 42nd). The team placed 4th and is a state qualifier.

The Nursery and Landscape team had to identify equipment, parasites, plants and flowers, took a general knowledge test and had to design a landscape activity as a team. Overall the team placed 3rd and qualified for state. The team members were: Bailey Scherbarth(placed 6th), Abigail Nelson(placed 7th), Alexa Tonjes(placed 11th), Laney Smith(placed 12th), and Sissy Reina.

The Ag Science team placed 1st and qualified for state. The contest was the completion a 50 question test about the agricultural industry including agribusiness, ag processing, animals, plants and dissection of a flower while identifying the parts of a flower. The first team included Ava McKillip(placed 1st), Abigail Russell(placed 2nd), Alexa Tonjes(placed 3rd) and Abigail Nelson(placed 5th). The second Hay Springs ag science team placed third and consisted of Noah Kelly, Jordyn Anderson, Jarhett Anderson, Adriana Haffner. Alternate team members were Taden Tobiasson and Hayden Boles.

The Meats team competed well and will also be competing at state. The teams were scored based on a meat evaluation test, the placing of 4 classes of wholesale and retail cuts including: T-Bone steaks, short loin, pork chops, and rib chops. They also had to identify 30 retail cuts via slideshow. The Meats team consisted of Braydon Binger, Toby Scherbarth, and RyLee Wolken.

The Agronomy team had to do some math questions about fertilizer and acres, and identify crops, insects, weeds, crop diseases, and equipment. Team members also completed a test about crops, soils and water conservation, and fertilizer etc. The Agronomy team consisted of Noah Kelly, Jordyn Anderson, Jarhett Anderson and Taden Tobiason. Our Agronomy team will also be competing at state.