FFA Holds Annual Banquet

May 9th was the Chinook FFA banquet recognizing FFA members and their annual accomplishments. 120 family and friends attended. CJ Stevenson, the 2016-17 State 1st Vice President of the Montana State FFA Association, spoke about the opportunities FFA brought to him. FFA senior members recognized included Bradley Pelesky, Michael Warburton, and Wade Schneider.

The FFA fundraises year-round to be able to travel to many contests, leadership events, and to recognize our members accomplishments. The member that sold the most Fruit, Chocolate, and Jerky was Alyssa Gruszie. This year we had the Randy Reed Memorial Scholarship. $100 is awarded to an FFA member to be used towards their Supervised Agriculture Experience or continuing education. Bradley Pelesky received a $100 NAPA gift certificate to use towards welding supplies that he can use when he attends Helena this fall.

The following members were recognized for competing in livestock judging: Colton Liddle, Jade Cecrle, Ethan Liddle, Rielly Wiegand, Larissa Getten, Anna Getten, Tye Mitchell, Kurtis Hamilton, Anna Mitchell, Jackson Schmele, Wylee Brown, Austin Swanson, Natalia Pomeroy, Jasmine Klingaman, and Alyssa Gruszie.To compete in livestock judging you need to identify cattle, swine, sheep,and goats and place them from the animal that you think is a higher quality to the one that has the lower quality. There are two members that competed in the range contest: Wade Schneider and Sierra Swank. To compete you need to identify different types of plants, soil sites, and range condition. The following members competed in Agronomy: Wade Schneider, Anna Mitchell, Larissa Getten, Anna Getten, Garrett Lowham, and Jade Cecrle. In agronomy you identify crop and range seeds, insects, soils and crops. You must also demonstrate skills in solving complex problems related to crop production. There are five members that competed in sales and service: Michael Warburton, Cristen Friede, Jackson Schmele, Garrett Lowham, and Kurtis Hamilton. In sales and service you are trying to sell a product to a target audience. This year FFA members sold John Deere balers. The officer team competed in Parliamentary Procedure: Cristen Friede, Wade Schneider, Michael Warburton, Paxtin McCann, Rachel Gunderson, Alyssa Gruszie, and Sierra Swank. In Parliamentary Procedure you run a meeting and you are given a topic to discuss. The following 10 members competed in Ag Mechanics: Patrick McMaster, Alyssa Gruszie, Jackson Schmele, Ethan Liddle, Austin Swanson, Cord Schneider, Brad Pelesky, Michael Warburton, Tye Mitchell, Wade Schneider. In Ag Mechanics you identify parts, tools, and equipment. Each year there are multiple rotations that could be electrical, construction, manure management, welding, and my other components. One member competed in prepared speaking, Sierra Swank, with a topic of Organic Farming. You need to write and deliver a six-to eight - minute speech about a current agriculture-related topic to compete in prepared public speaking. The following four members competed in farm business management: Cristen Friede, Rachel Gunderson, Hailey McMaster, and Kendra McMaster. Farm business management helps members learn business skills and apply economic principles to agricultural businesses. The following eight members competed in Quiz Bowl Kendra McMaster, Cristen Friede, Ryle Elliot, Hailey McMaster, Wade Schneider, Alyssa Gruszie, Sierra Swank, Garrett Lowham. In quiz bowl you’re asked a random agriculture related question and then you have one minute to answer and if you get the question right you move on to the next round. Garrett Lowham, Sierra Swank, and Michael Warburton competed in food science. In this contest you taste food and judge the food based on the senses triangle. FFA members also have to develop a product and market it to the judges. The following two members competed in horse evaluation Rebecca Stroh and Rielly Wiegand. You judge the horses on how they perform and look. The following three members competed in vet science. Jase Pursley, Rebecca Stroh, and Rielly Wiegand. In this contest you handle animals, give injections,and take a written test. The following four members competed at the Envirothon: Sierra Swank, Hailey McMaster, Rielly Wiegand, and Wylee Brown.

See Page B7: FFA Banquet

At the envirothon you learn about wildlife, crop cover, and other natural resources. Then FFA members develop a presentation about the given envirothon problem. The following four members competed in Meat Evaluation: Tye Mitchell, Sierra Swank, Hailey McMaster, and Kendra McMaster. In meat evaluation you identify different types of meat and you give reasons on why you placed the meat in the order you placed them in. The following two members competed in Farm Bureau Speech: Jase Pursley and Rebecca Stroh. In farm bureau speech you need to do a campaign speech advocating for montana agriculture. The following three members where Delegates: Rachel Gunderson, Ethan Liddle, and Paxtin McCann. When you are a delegate you debate on topics to better Montana FFA.

The members that had outstanding supervised agricultural experiences (SAE), a strong academic record, and most active in FFA received awards: Star Discovery was received by Austin Swanson, Star Greenhand was received by Alyssa Gruszie, Outstanding Sophomore was received by Cord Schneider, Outstanding Junior was received by Sierra Swank and Outstanding Senior was received by Wade Schneider. In an entrepreneurship SAE, members work for themselves to be paid by sales of their own business. In a Placement SAE, members work for someone to be paid and learn skills. Beef Production Placement, Tye Mitchell, Beef Production Entrepreneurship,Paxtin McCann, Equine Sciences Entrepreneurship Reilly Wiegand, Swine Production Entrepreneurship Alyssa Gruszie, Forage Production Entrepreneurship, Wade Schneider- State Silver Award, Sheep Production Placement Kendra McMaster, Ag Mechanics Design and Fabrication, Dalton Peck, Ag Education Kurtis Hamilton, Grain Production Placement Sierra Swank, and in Veterinary Science Jase Pursley. Individuals who have excelled in their Supervised Agriculture Experiences were awarded: Agribusiness was received by Alyssa Gruszie. Alyssa has a business raising show hogs. Chapter Ag Placement was received by Bradley Pelesky. Brad currently works at American Garage every day after school. Chapter Star Farmer was received by Wade Schneider. Wade works with his parents on the family's farm. There were six members that lettered Alyssa Gruszie, Paxtin McCann, Kendra McMaster, Rielly Wiegand, Kurtis Hamilton, and Larissa Getten. The following 10 members receive pins Ryle Elliot, Cristen Friede, Tye Mitchell, Cord Schneider, Colton Liddle, Sierra Swank, Wade Schneider, Michael Warburton, Hailey McMaster, and Rachel Gunderson.

We recognized outstanding community supporters of this past year. Bear Paw Livestock provided the livestock yards and facilities for our Judith Basin District Contest in September. Max Hofeldt provided a hillside to host our District Range contest in September. The following businesses brought livestock to our district contest, Shipwheel cattle, Trish Gruszie, Jordyn Skoyen and Marvin Cross. Chinook Schools, Triple T Sales, and Pike Construction were instrumental in donating materials to start the community garden.

The following six members received their discovery degree Jackson Schmele, Anna Mitchell Rebecca Stroh, Anna Getten, Ethan Liddle, Patrick McMaster. The following nine members received their greenhand degree: Jasmine Klingaman, Natalia Pomeroy, Kurtis Hamilton, Wylee Brown, Rielly Wiegand, Jaye Anderson, Paxtin McCann, Alyssa Gruszie, Kendra McMaster. Alyssa Gruszie recited the creed by E.M. tiffany. The following 11 members received their chapter degree. Ryle Elliot, Larissa Getten, Sierra Swank, Hailey McMaster, Colten Liddle, Rachel Gunderson, Cristen Friede, Garrett Lowham, Tye Mitchell, Bradley Pelesky, Cord Schneider. Michael Warburton received his state degree during state convention in March.

The new 2017-2018 officer team is: President - Sierra Swank, Vice president - Cristen Friede, Secretary - Paxtin McCann, Treasure - Garrett Lowham, Reporter - Alyssa Gruszie, and Sentinel - Colten Liddle.

Congratulations to all the FFA members. We look forward to having another fun filled and productive year.