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By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Putting their skills to practical use has always been
the goal for the Edon chapter of the Future Farmers of
America. The current roster of FFA members in Bomb-er country exhibits this trait as well as any other in the
school’s history.
Chapter members spent part of the year mastering thecraft of cement art. Using plastic molds, the students were
able to create cement baseballs, footballs, pictures, Bat-man and Superman symbols, and even Bomber planes.
Not only does their work in cement art demonstrate thatthe Edon FFA has technical knowledge on building the
crafts, but displays their artistic side as well.
It was also members of the Edon FFA who built a dump-
ster for this year’s school musical “The Wedding Singer.” They shaped the prop from a large chunk of wood, which
they also painted blue for the show. Their latest endeavor is to build a smoker before the
year is over. Phillip Richmond is the architect behind thisplan. The senior found a “big fuel drum” in his basement
years ago. His father originally had the plan to transform
it into a smoker, but the younger Richmond will likelybeat him to the punch. The smoker will ideally be used
at the end of the year to roast an entire hog in an end ofthe year celebration, something about which the chapter’s
president, Garrett Trausch is quite adamant.“We’re going to do it!” Trausch’s enthusiasm ringing in
his words.
Four members of the program will be earning theirState Degrees come May. Kyle Long, Morgan Hiller, Tyler
Seamen, and Keith Brown will all be bestowed with theprestigious award at the State FFA Convention in Colum-
bus. There is also one former student coming back to earnhis American Degree for the Edon FFA. Recent graduate
Alex Baker will be making his return in order to receive
the organization’s highest honor. Two things are very apparent about the Edon FFA.
First, they really enjoy working with their hands. Second,
their members are driven and highly motivated, as is ap-parent not only in their projects, but the high number ofdegree recipients for the year as well.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
2 - “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015
PARRISH FARMS
Home Of C ha mp ions S in ce 1953
Howard: 419-272-2852www.thepigpage.com
email: [email protected]/4 Miles EastOf Edon, OH
-Total number of members: 82 kids-Male members: 54 boys
-Female members: 28 girls-Eighth Grade members: 14 kids
-Freshmen members: 11 kids
-Sophomore members: 26 kids-Junior members: 17 kids
-Senior members: 14 kids
2014 -2015 Edon Future Farmers Of America Chapter
2014-2015 Edon FFA Ofcers
Charting The Edon FFA
2014 - 2015 EDON NORTHWEST LOCAL SCHOOLS FFA CHAPTER
By: T.J. HugTHE VILLAGE REPORTER
It must be an odd feel-ing to have the same teach-
er that one’s own fatherlearned from in school.
Well, unless that personwas taking an agricultural
class at Edon High School.
For three years, KyleLong was one of many Edon
Future Farmers of America(FFA) to be a second gener-
ation student of Paul Stohl,who had taught at Edon
longer than most people
can remember. While Mr.Stohl is now enjoying his
retirement, Long easily rec-ognizes the impact his for-
mer teacher has had on theschool’s FFA program.
“Mr. Stohl really built a
great program here.”And that program is
something in which theEdon senior takes great
pride.“We’re the strongest FFA
chapter around here,” Long
proclaimed. “We’re reallyinvolved in the community.”
His connection to farm-ing goes well beyond his
membership in the FFA,or even his father, Steven
Long’s tenure with the orga-
nization, however. Instead,the younger Long’s agricul-
tural roots can be tracedback to his grandparents.
The elder Longs owned
their own farm, on whichSteven and Kyle worked for
many years. Of course, theland has since been willed
to Steven, keeping the landwithin the family.
It was the experienceof working on his family’sfarm that motivated Kyle
to join the FFA. His drivedidn’t stop with member-
ship, though. Over his four years in the program, Long
has held multiple ofces,
such as Recreational Lead-er and Historian. Currently,
he is serving as Vice Presi-dent for the organization.
One of Long’s mostmemorable moments in
the FFA occurred during
the National Convention in2012, which was held in
Indianapolis. While attend-ing, he found there wasn’t a
lack of things to do.“It was a week where we
got to experience a lot of
things.”But it was one experi-
ence that sticks out in hismind. At one point during
the trip, all fty-ve thou-sand national members
gathered together on the
city’s roadways.“They closed down the
streets,” Long recalled. “Wewere all dressed the same.
We kind of looked like a
cult.”Perhaps the memories
made at this year’s StateConvention in May will be
the ones to stay with him
for years to come. Long isone of four Edon members
who will be receiving theirState Degree at the event.
His father’s teacher
would be proud.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
Kyle Long: Continuing A Great Agricultural Tradition
Kaden Sapp
“It teaches you skills thatyou can take with you
later in life.”
Asks Edon FFA Members ...
“WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF THE FFA?”
Phillip Richmond
“Being with all your friends because you have
fun and learn a lot of
stuff.”
Kyle Long
“Meeting new people fromacross the state.”
Kenneth Ordway
“Learning to become aleader and meeting new
people.”
Garrett Trausch
“The FFA supports agri- culture, and that’s some-
thing I believe in.”
www.tristategrowerssupply.com
Front Row: Kenny Ordway (Recreation Leader), McKenna Trausch (2nd Vice President), Eliza Zulch (Student Advisor),
Samantha Trausch (Historian), and Phillip Richmond (Secretary). Back Row: Tyler Seaman (Treasurer) Kyle Long(Vice President) Garrett Trausch (President) Kaden Sapp (Reporter), Jordan Winebernner (Sentinel), and Evan Fisk
(Parliamentarian). (Not Pictured: Heath Brown, Chaplain)
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Contact Mark Tingley
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By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Garrett Trausch doesn't like to make
things too complicated. It's not that hecan't handle complexity, as he's proven he
can on several occasions. It's just his na-ture to nd joy in the simpler aspects in
life.For example, he doesn't worry about
following some sort of family legacy when
it comes to farming. For Trausch, there's amuch easier to understand reason for his
attraction to agriculture.“I farm. My family farms,” Trausch ex-
plained. “It's in the blood.”Not that he needed the conrmation on
the subject, but Trausch has earned his
Farming Degree through the FFA. So hisdestiny is both in the blood and the ink.
In his sophomore campaign, Trauschwas named the chapter's Chaplin. Not an
especially religious person, Trausch still
isn't exactly sure how that happened.
“I just kind of got the job,” he remem-bered.
The next year he became a Sentinel.It was in this role that Trausch learned
to take on more responsibility. The ofce
also encouraged him to develop his publicspeaking skills.
Now he is serving a term as the EdonFFA President, putting those skills to good
use.In a remarkable accomplishment,
Trausch was able to earn his State Degree
as a junior last year. He received the awardin Columbus during the FFA's State Con-
vention. What does he remember mostabout the feat?
“I got to walk across the stage.”
And, in doing so, Trausch put himselfdirectly in front of, at the very least, ten
thousand people.Winning such a prestigious honor so
early into his time in the Edon FFA, one
would think that doing so would be themost memorable thing he's done with the
organization. They would be wrong.So what is it that Trausch is most proud
of in his time with the FFA?
Tractor Drives.During FFA Week, there is a day in
which chapter members drive their trac-tors into the garage portion of the school's
workshop. Then, the younger students areallowed to see them up close, and even in-
teract with them. It's an event the fourth
year FFA member cherishes.“All the kids get to climb around on the
big toys,” recalled Trausch, “and then, see-ing all their faces light up.”
There is another thing in which Trausch
takes great pride, and that would be hisrocking chair. He made it himself, fash-
ioned from metal. The materials for thechair came from steel wheels off of a plant-
er, as pipes and wire mesh helped to shapethe chair as well.
Of course, it wasn't enough just to make
the furniture piece, it had to look good also. Therefore, Trausch did what anybody in
his position would do; he painted the chairwith the Alice Challenger logo.
It's amazing that such an accomplished
young man is less interested in what ac-colades he's received, and more into mak-
ing kids happy and what he's built with hisown two hands.
It really is the simpler things in life...T.J. Hug can be reached at
PHOTO PROVIDED
FARMING IS IN HIS BLOOD ... Gar-ret Trausch earned his Farming Degree
through the FFA and serves as Edon’s FFAPresident.
By: T.J. HugTHE VILLAGE REPORTER
There are few things in
life more challenging thanfollowing in the footsteps of
a legendary gure. Some-
one who is so closely asso-ciated with their profession
that it is difcult to distin-guish between the person
and their trade.Of course, it helps when
said legend hand picks that
person to take his place.In this instance, that
person is Hannah Cros-sen, who is in her rst
year of teaching Agricul-tural Education at Edon
High School. Paul Stohl,who taught the subject atEdon since two days after
the beginning of time, at-tempted to retire last year,
which didn’t quite work out
the way he planned. So, inhis second attempt to walk
away from the job, he setabout choosing his own
successor.It didn’t take long for him to call Cros-
sen.
Having received her Teaching degreefrom Ohio State University, spent the pre-
vious year teaching at North Union HighSchool, which is located by Marysville.
“We’ve been personal friends for a few years,” the new instructor explained their
connection.
Having worked at the State level of theFuture Farmers of America, Crossen was
already well versed in the reputation ofthe Edon chapter.
“I knew it was a great program,” Cros-sen stated. “It was a pretty easy choice
once Paul called.”
There was another reason Crossen waseager to accept the Edon vacancy. Her -
ance, Christopher Everetts, resides inEdgerton.
While Stohl may have selected her ashis replacement, that doesn’t mean they
do things in the same manner. Far from
it, actually.“Ms. Crossen does things by the book,
which we are not used to at all,” Garrett Trausch, President of the Edon FFA, con-
fessed. “We’re starting to turn her our
way, though.”Ms. Crossen disagrees.
“No,” she stated plainly when confront-ed with Trausch’s statement.
Crossen does admit that, in her rst year, the students have had to make some
adjustments.
“It’s very different from what they’reused to.”
The biggest difference between Stohl’sand Crossen’s respective styles, however,
has less to do with her personal prefer-ences, and more to do with the changing
standards in agricultural education. In
today’s academically inuenced world,
those classes are now more demandingfrom a book learning perspective than inthe past. While hands on work is still val-
ued, modern students are expected to bemore balanced in their education.
Things are a bit different for Crossen
as well, however. She has found that thepeople of Edon are more supportive of the
FFA than the residents of the North UnionSchool District. It’s not that her those
people had an issue with some of the proj-ects Crossen would set out to accomplish.
Rather, they simply did not have the same
level of understanding about such thingsthat a deeply agricultural community like
Edon does.“Here, everyone is involved in agricul-
ture in some way,” Crossen pointed out. That level of support is something that
will make replacing a local legend likePaul Stohl just a little bit easier.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015 “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE - 3
Good Luck Edon Bombers!
“We make hydraulic hoses”
Slatter
y Oil Co.
Your Marathon
Dealer
Edon FFA President Garrett Trausch: Laid Back, But Driven
Hannah Crossen: Stepping In For A FFA Legend
PHOTO BY T.J. HUG, STAFF
WELCOME TO EDON ... New Agricultural Instructor Han-
nah Crossen stands in the Edon school’s workshop.
PHOTOS PROVIDED
SUMMER CAMP ... These members of the Edon FFA are seen at the group’s Summer
Camp, enjoying some time with nature, as well as each other.
JUDGING THE SOIL ... Memebers of the Edon FFA take part in a soil judging, just one
of the many activities in which the organization has its members tak part.
Various FFA Activities Enjoyed
MORE EDON FFA NEWS
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By: T.J. HugTHE VILLAGE REPORTER
Some people simply allow life to take
them in whatever direction it sees t. There really isn't a better way to de-
scribe Adam Knepper's journey into andthrough the North Central branch of the
Future Farmers of America (FFA). A three
year member of the organization, Knepperclaimed membership at the beginning of
his sophomore year. He remembers exactlywhy he decided to join, too.
“My friend, Brady Zuver, said it wouldbe fun,” Knepper recalled. “I'm all about
fun.”
Despite having such a lackadaisicalreason for becoming a part of the FFA,
Knepper put everything he had into theactivities of the group. He particularly en-
joyed the community work he was doingwith his peers.
“A lot of smiles all the time,” Knep-
per explained of the chapter's communitywork.
In his junior year, after being in theNorth Central FFA for one year, Knepper
took ofce within the branch. He was madeSecretary, a job he truly loved.
“That was really fun,” admitted Knep-
per of being Secretary. “I took pride in be-ing an ofcer.
He had so much fun, in fact, that hechose to pursue a higher ofce. The high-
est one, actually. Knepper now sits as thePresident of the North Central Branch of
the FFA. He doesn't take his position light-
ly, either.“A lot of people look up
to the President,” Knepper
proclaimed.Knepper cites the hard
work and dedication thatgoes into running a branch
of the organization as theprimary reason people look
to the President for leader-ship.
Aside from just having
a good time, or earning therespect of his fellow mem-
bers, Knepper discoveredanother means of motiva-
tion through his FFA mem-bership. He found a career
path.
“I knew I wanted toget into business,” Began
Knepper, “ and marketingseed and fertilizer sounded
like a good time.”Agribusiness is the eld
to best prepare Knepper
to get into that particulararea of business. And since
there will always be a needto grow crops, he'll have a
certain degree of job secu-rity as a wholesaler of the
materials needed to accom-
plish that task.One issue he had with
being a part of the FFA wasthat he grew up in town.
That's not to say that hehad no idea of what went
into farming the land, as his
grandfather owns a farm.However, the environment
in which he lived madeKnepper feel as though he
didn't quite t in with therest of the organization, at
least at rst.
“I felt like a street kid.”As he became more in-
volved in the goings onwithin the FFA, however,
that feeling evaporated. In
place of it, his fun-lovingnature expanded its domain
within his heart.
With a laid back disposition, and a
proper balance between having fun and
being a leader, Knepper has truly begunto evolve into the person he wants to be in
the future. That's a fairly heavy concept tograsp, considering he joined the organiza-
tion just because it might be fun. Then again, what better compass could
life use than fun?
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
4 - “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015
Emerald Newton
“Family is everything.
This is like our little family.”
Asks North Central
FFA Members ...
Jordan Bailey
FFA isn’t just about
agriculture. It’s aboutturning young students
into leaders.”
WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED IN THE FFA?
Zandra Vassar
“No matter where you’re
going to go, you’re alwaysgoing to see agriculture. It
just always follows you.”
Adam Knepper
“Agriculture is more than
just a business. It’s agroup of individuals
coming together for a
greater purpose to help
further advance futuregenerations.”
Colton Pilmore
“We learned the value
of a dollar. How muchwork goes into it. Time.
Money. Labor.” In refer-
ence to a failed project
with Adam Knepper.
Ethan Douglass
“Everything revolves
around agriculture insome way.”
TOM MARSHALL
517-320-4481
DEKALB ASGROW BRODBECKS WELLMANS
06331 County Rd. M-50 Montpelier, OHOfce 419-485-5605
TRENT THOMAS
419-553-6478
19180 State Rte 15
Pioneer, OH. 43554
Ofce: 419-459-4538
Home: 419-737-2460
Cell: 419-212-3448
Proudly saluting area members of the FFA
Artesian of Pioneer 50 Industrial Ave • Pioneer, OH
AOPWATER.COM
By: T.J. HugTHE VILLAGE REPORTER
Jessica Tracey is more than just ateacher of agriculture. Her inuence goes
beyond simple Future Farmers of America(FFA) protocol. She teaches her students
about life. Tracey is in her fth year of instructing
the youth of Pioneer in the ways of agricul-
ture. Before accepting a position at NorthCentral, she had previously held a posi-
tion teaching the same subject matter atPlymouth High School, which is situated
just south of Norwalk. Shortly after start-
ing her new job, Tracey was quick to real-
ize that this would not be the same as her
previous one.“It was different,” Tracey noted, “but
they were both rural school districts.” The biggest difference she noticed be-
tween Plymouth and North Central washow much more active the students at the
latter school were in their agricultural edu-
cation outside of the classroom. The NorthCentral FFA was lled with students who
cared about what they were learning bothinside the classroom and out.
Maybe it's that level of dedication thatallows Tracey's students to get more out
of her classes. While she is well versed
in teaching agricultural courses, there'ssomething else those sitting in her class-
room pick up from her.“My students get more life skills and life
lessons out of the class,” Tracey confessed.
“That's what they remember the most.”Skills such as leadership and compas-
sion are developed and ne tuned in theNorth Central FFA, and that is due in part
to Tracey's inuence over her students. That's not to say the nine year FFA ad-
vising veteran hasn't picked up on a few
lessons herself along the way. In fact, it'shard for her to single any one of such les-
sons out.“There's a lot of them.” Stated Tracey
on the things she's learned from the FFA.“There's too many of them.”
Which must be why her students learn
so much from her. There's just so muchknowledge that Tracey has acquired over
the years, that it just seeps into her stu-dents.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
Jessica Tracey: A TeacherOf Lasting Life Lessons
Adam Knepper: Success On A Whim
Front row: Jess Tracey - Advisor, Jordan Bailey - Sentinel, Ethan Douglass- Vice President, Brady Zuver - Reporter, Kirby Miller - Secretary, Emerald Newton - Treasurer, MeganUlrich - Parliamentarian, Josh Sawyer - Student Advisor, Adam Knepper - President, Dakota Pitts - Chaplain. 2nd Row: Drew Mitchell, Nick Henry, Ryan France, Kayla Votaw,
Zandra Vassar, Makayla Hayes, Jessi Cummins, Robert Vaughn, Brock Zuver. 3rd Row: Evan Munger, Brayden Nicolen, Shayleigh Barnett, Kirsten Helinski, Cody Winkler,Megan Laney, Jessica Cheesbro, Joe Galloway, Ryan Taylor, Michaela Hobbs. 4th Row: Allyson Fenicle, Skylar JoHantgen, Kodi Bentley, Andrew Baughman, Peggy Michael,
Erin Ryan, Keean Livensparger, Josh Bailey, Josh Roesener, Jeremy Miller. 5th Row: Cole Tyre, Darian Wilson, Ashton Keller-Brown, Dakota Athy, Zane Haskell, Lanie Green,Cody Tomblin, Kaleb Geiser, Steven Williams, Seth Altaffer, Noah Wolfrum. 6th Row: Addison Hollstein, Hunter Wilson, Gavin Cogswell, Cheyanne Yeasley, Sean Mervyn, Jon
Baker, Cameron Nafziger, David Pinc
2014 -2015 North Central Future Farmers Of America Chapter
QUICK ASCENCION ... Although he’s onlybeen a member of the FFA for three years,
Knepper has swiftly risen through theranks to become the President of his chap-
ter.
TEACHING MORE THAN AGRICULTURE... Jessica Tracey, who has been teaching
at North Central for ve years, instructsher students in life lessons as well as agri-
cultural ones.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015 “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE - 5
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6 - “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015
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2014-2015 West Unity Future Farmers Of America Chapter
2014-15 WEST UNITY CHAPTER OF THE FFA … Front - Michael Tule, Sam Shilling, Austin Schaffner, and Ethan Dunson. Middle - Advisor Mr. Pat King, Justin Athy, ZachRoehrs, Lea Carothers, Quinn Smith, RyLee McCain, Joe Shilling, Tim Maneval, Baiden Jones, and Kaedin Gigax. Back - Briea Krabill, Chance Grapengeter, Jack Blaisdell, Ben
Garcia, Dallas Timberman, Kriatian Grapengeter, Colin Sabins, Scott Goodnight, George Kunkle, and Collin Todd.
2015 WEST UNITY FFA OFFICERS - Front - Zach Roehrs – Student Advisor, RyLee Mc-Cain – President, Joe Shilling – Vice President, Tim Maneval – Secretary. Back - Leah
Carothers – Reporter, Quinn Smith – Treasurer, Isaac VanArsdalen – Sentinel
Past
Trap Shoot
Lions Club Feather Party Rural Soil Judging
Urban Soil JudgingFruit Sale
Prop Construction for HighSchool Musical
Library Landscaping
ProjectFeather Party
Pizza Party
Upcoming Events
FFA Week Events
Corn Hole TournamentStaff Meal
Apple BobbingFFA Quiz
Agriculture Education Day Spring Contests
Poultry
Livestock MeatsEquine
FFA State Convention
2014-15 West Unity FFA Activities
1957
George Beatty 1959
Ted Maneval1980
Raymond Reamsnyder
2004 Jessica Short
2005
Taysha Short2006
Lauren Mercer2008
Emma Short
2010Hannah Clark
West Unity FFA AmericanFarmer Degree Recipients
1945Maurice Borton
1947Lynn Polter
1953
Tom Klopfenstein1954
John GreenGeorge Beatty
Bill Maneval1955
Richard Miller
1956 Ted Maneval
Charles ReamsnyderLarry Brown
1957
Maurice Clark Terry Klopfenstein
1958Ray Reamsnyder
Jack Cotter1959
Rex Ridgeway
1960Keith Bowers
Bob Coy Jan Hutchinson
1961Dave Wineland
John Hatchel
1963Bob Stuckey
1964 Jim Gunn
1965
Bill Kunkle1966
Lowell CumminsRon Oxender
1967Dave Johantgen
Max Stuckey
1968Cleo Short
1970Ron Apple
Steve Batterson
Kent Short1973
Craig Brillhart1974
Tom GerigPhil Stotz
1975
Steve Eisel1976
Ron EiselScott Burrowes
1977Kevin Beatty
1978 Jim Batterson
1980 Tony Reamsnyder
1981
David Reamsnyder1984
Bill Stipe1985
Wayne LehmanSam Beaverson
Scott Maneval
Chad Oxender1988
Cindy Wieland1992
Matt Cox
1993Matt Eisel
2002 Jessica Short
2003 Taysha Short
Lauren Mercer
2006Emma Short
2008Hannah Clark
2009Seth Miller
West Unity FFA Degree Recipients
FFA SETBUILDERS … Taking a break from their construction work on the set of theupcoming Hilltop production of ‘Sweeney Todd’ are FFA members Dallas Timberman,
Ben Garcia, RyLee McCain, Zach Roehrs, Colin Sabins, and Joe Shilling.
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Asks West Unity FFA Members ...
“HOW HAS FFA IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?”
Quinn Smith
“FFA has affected me byhaving animals in my life.
The animals have taughtme responsibility. I have
made many friends
through it and havelearned a lot of life les-
sons. FFA has developedmy leadership and com-
munication skills.”
Joe Shilling
“FFA has given me lots ofknowledge that I can use
outside of the classroom,such as how to use a lot
of tools, and how to
design projects. Some ofthe tools that I have
learned to use in the AgRoom, such as the torch, I
now use at work.”
Dallas Timberman
“FFA has impacted my
life because I have beenable to experience new
things. I have been able
to participate in fundrais- ers, go to meetings and
experience Ag Class. I amglad that I decided to join
FFA this year and I wishthat I had decided to be a
part of it all throughout
high school.”
Sam Shilling
“FFA has changed my
life by teaching me howto help the community,
learning agricultural
related subjects, respon-sibility, and lastly, how to
be a leader.”
RyLee McCain
“The FFA inspired me to
be more responsible inmy school work, as well
as in my home life. It hasmade me more helpful in
my community. With help- ing in our community proj-
ects, like the Feather
Party Bingo put on by theLions Club and redoing
the landscaping at theLibrary, the team has
become a very close, tight
knit group.”
Tim Maneval
Secretary Tim Maneval -
“Being in FFA has taught
me responsibility. I’vemade friends, and gotten
closer with many people.”
2014 AWARD WINNERS … Award winners from 2014 included Joe Shilling (Star Chap-
ter Farmer and Prociency Award), Tim Maneval (Star Green Hand and ProciencyAward), Brooke Chapin (Leadership Award Winner), and Brady Livensparger (Scholar-
ship Award Winner)
FRUITS OF THE LABORS … Shown with their projects and their awards from the 2014
Williams County Fair are Seth Altaffer, Chance Grapengeter, Leah Carothers, IsaacVanArsdalen, RyLee McCain, Joe Shilling, Quinn Smith, and Tim Maneval.
PHOTOS PROVIDED
HEAVY FOILAGE … Working at the Library landscaping project are RyLee McCain,
Isaac VanArsdalen, Joe Shilling, Quinn Smith, Leah Carothers, Chance Grapengeterand Seth Altaffer.
FEATHER PARTY CREW … Assisting the Lions Club at their Feather Party were FFA
members Jack Blaisdell, Kristian Grapengeter, Quinn Smith, Ethan Dunson, NicScheiber, Tim Maneval, Leah Carothers, RyLee McCain, Austin Schaffner, Joe Shilling,
Mitchell Tule, Baiden Jones, Isaac VanArsdalen, Chance Grapengeter, Sam Shilling,and Mr. Pat King.
The Millcreek-West Unity FFA has along standing tradition in Williams Coun-
ty. Since its beginning in 1936, therehave been eight FFA Advisors who have
directed and taught the program at HilltopHigh School.
56 young men and women have earned
the State FFA Degree and nine of thosehave gone on to earn the American FFA
Degree.
The FFA is an active organization inWest Unity, Brady and Millcreek town-
ships, providing community service in nu-merous ways throughout the years. Recent
projects have been to partner with the WestUnity Lions Club as runners for their an-
nual Feather Party at the Kissel Building.Another project was a partnering with the
West Unity Public Library to remove the
landscaping and prepare it for new plantsto be installed. The chapter has also been
instrumental in starting and maintaininga Junior Fair livestock bid fund to support
members of the West Unity Schools andarea, who are exhibiting and selling their
livestock projects at the Williams County
Fair.Agriculture, being a major contributor
to the economy of Alvordton/West Unity
areas, is a very important course at HilltopHigh School. The leadership and commu-
nity service portions of our chapter, which
is a major part of our curriculum, is pre-paring our students to be solid contribut-
ing members of whatever community theyare living in. The curriculum also provides
for agricultural knowledge, and preparesmembers to enter the agricultural eld in
many areas for further study or for em-
ployment.It has been my method of instruc-
tion to locate and work with my studentseach year on one or more service projects
for our school and community. These in-clude design and construction of musical
sets, a new podium, landscaping, concrete
work, designing and building shelves forteacher use in their classrooms, etcetera.
These projects are fun learning activitiesfor these students, and prepare them to do
many things for themselves in the future.One of the best things about FFA and Ag
Ed is the hands on activities for our stu-
dents. Learning in this way provides solidtransferable skills for the members in a
way that is fun and challenging. Competi-tion in Career Development Events allows
for the students to test their knowledge
and skill against other FFA members fromthe area.
Ag Ed and FFA are a vital part of ourschool here in West Unity, and must con-
tinue to provide opportunities for our stu-dents at Hilltop High School. The class-
room study is moving toward a more
science based curriculum which is a posi-tive direction as agriculture incorporates
more technical information in the produc-tion and marketing of a safe and sufcient
food supply. As our chapter transitions toa new instructor /advisor, I would encour-
age you as community members to sup-
port, and become involved in the Millcreek-West Unity FFA Chapter.
-Pat King
Millcreek-West Unity FFA Advisor
A Statement From TheMillcreek-West Unity FFA Advisor
Tony: 419-212-1961
Nick: 419-212-1746
Adam: 419-212-1901
Fax: 419-459-4422
01463 Co. Rd. P-25
Edon, OH 43518
Tom Nye3645 County Road 3B
Edgerton, OH 43517
Phone 419-636-8080
Cell 419-212-2459
Fax 419-298-3645
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Coatings
• Single Ply Membranes
• Blown Insulation
• Flat Roof Repairs
Williams County SolidWaste Reduction &
Recycling Program
419-485-3141
Grasshopper/ToroSimplicity/Snapper
419/636/[email protected]
05124 CR 15Bryan, OH 43506
• BACKHOES
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1 mile north of Camden, MI on M-49517-368-5266 8 a.m.-5p.m. Mon.-Fri.
MORE HILLTOP FFA NEWS Hilltop FFA ParticipatesIn Various Events
PAT KING
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015 “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE - 7
8/9/2019 2015 FFA Tribute.pdf
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By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
The Fayette Future Farmers of America(FFA) take contests very seriously.
Perhaps the competition for which they
are best known is Parliamentary Proce-dure. Members of the Procedure team
are tasked with holding a simulation of aprofessional, well organized meeting. In-
dividual team members are given abilitiesto perform as well. Any mistakes in FFA
etiquette are met with a points deduction.
These Procedure teams are run by theFFA chapters' ofcers. And Fayette's of-
cers always seem as though they are aforce with which to be reckoned. Each
year, the school's branch in the nationalorganization makes a deep run in the Par-
liamentary Procedure contest, typically
making it out of the county level of compe-tition, which takes place in Wauseon, and
even making State on occasion. This year, they made it to Districts, held
in Anthony Wayne, in another ne show-ing.
All Fayette ofcers also get to attend
the FFA National Convention, which washeld in Louisville, Kentucky this past year.
Right away, motivational speakers inspirethe crowd of students from around the
country, which is an thrilling experience.
“It's almost like a concert at the begin-
ning,” Adrianna Hibbard, Vice President ofthe Fayette FFA, described.
Of course, those taking part in the con-vention did more than just listen. There
was a good bit of community service toperform as well. In honor of the National
Day of Service, all FFA members in atten-
dance planted trees throughout the Louis-ville landscape. The people of the city were
thankful for the service, according to Fay-ette FFA President Leah Bussing.
“People would walk up to us and thankus,” Bussing recalled.
With the entire array of Fayette ofcers
feeling the true spirit of the event, the localchapter planted more trees than any of the
other branch representatives in their im-mediate area.
Touring the city was a treat in and of it-self. Between visiting candy shops and the
Louisville Slugger, there was plenty of fun
to be had for the Fayette representatives. They even got to see the Kentucky Derby
in person.In May, Fayette's ofcers will travel to
Columbus for the FFA State Convention.
There, some will be receiving their StateDegree, the second highest honor that can
be bestowed upon a member.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
8 - “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015
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Activities Of The Fayette FFA
By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
There are a number of things that Adri-
anna Hibbard has accomplished duringher time in the Fayette Future Farmers of
America (FFA).Having been in the program for four
years, ve if you count an unofcial trialmembership in the eighth grade, Hibbard
has held ofce for three of them. The Fay-
ette senior served as the organization'sSecretary during her sophomore year. For
the last two, however, she's been elected asits Vice President.
Hibbard has also been quite active onthe contest scene. Not just because of their
competitive nature, but also due to the les-
sons which she gets to depart on youngermembers of the Fayette FFA as well.
“I love the contests, and helping otherswith their leadership skills,” Hibbard con-
fessed.
Parliamentary Procedure is among Hib-bard's favorite competitions. She takes
great pride in her school's reputation as aforce in the event, as she looks to uphold
that winning tradition. While the pressureof such a precise contest may get to most
people, Hibbard seems to thrive on it.
“It's a very fast paced meeting,” Hib-bard described with a smile.
And yet, despite the success she's hadworking within the system offered by the
Fayette FFA, Hibbards legacy on the pro-gram is something she was able to create
from within that system.
A horse riding competition.Known as Equine, such a contest has
existed among the FFA contests as awhole. Yet Fayette had never competed in
those contests, with no member having theslightest clue where to begin in terms of
preparation. That's where Hibbard came
in.Growing up on a farm holding a lot of
family history, Hibbard had always lovedhorses. And she was good with them, too.
Whether it involved riding or taking care ofthem, Hibbard was quite skilled in dealing
with her horses.“I've been involved with horses mywhole life,” explained Hibbard.
It was during her freshman year thatshe approached Mrs. Schultz with the idea
to participate in Equine contests. The ag-ricultural teacher agreed with the idea and
the school's rst appearance in the even
occurred in March of that year.“I taught everyone what they needed to
know,” Hibbard remembered.Now, Fayette regularly sends members
to Equine contests. That isthe mark Hibbard left on
the program.
To do something likethat as a freshman, it's
no wonder Hibbard is ea-ger to impart knowledge
on leadership to younger
members. She's practicallybursting with the stuff.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
Adrianna Hibbard: Fayette’sEquestrian Innovator
2014-2015 Fayette FFA Ofcers
2014-2015 Fayette Future Farmers Of America Chapter
BRINGER OF CHANGE ... Adrianna Hib-bard not only thrived in the Fayette FFA,
she gave the organization a new way to
thrive as well, creating the opportunity tocompete in equine contests for the school.
Charting The Fayette FFA-Total number of members: 74 kids
-Male members: approximately 40 boys-Female members: approximately 30 girls
-Freshmen members: 19 kids
-Sophomore members: 31 kids-Junior members: 13 kids.
Senior members: 11 kids
SEVENTY-FOUR STRONG ... Front Row Left to Right: Casen Burkholder, Emilie Keiser, Paige Aschemeier, Adrianna Hibbard, Jennaya Hibbard, Taylor West, Miranda Minzey,Leah Bussing, Joel Smith, Alexis Fruchey, Pamela Schultz (Advisor). Row Two Left to right: Ceairia Keller, Cyleigh James, Kaelyn Borton, Kylie Dennison, Paige Blad, Brynn
Ballmer, Courtney Cuff, Tharyn Colegrove, Paige Keefer, Kamrin Hunter, Dylan Stannard, Presley Pennington, Haley Perdue, Kelsey Fruchey. Row Three Left to right: Tony
Stiles, Brock Miller, Kegan Carnicom, Spencer Lester, Cole Stuckey, Dakota Swirles, Dylan Keefer, Dallas Ludeman, James Kuebler, Mason Maginn, Alexis Mapes. Row Four Leftto Right:Jessie Wheeler, Robert Wyatt, Drake Bowditch, Noah Logston, Alex Jaramillo, Austin Lopez, Travis Wagner, Grant Reinking, Max Baker, Trevor McClain, Christopher
Jaso. Row Five Left to Right: Kenny Ludeman, Dustin Wilson, Jennifer Brehm, Trinity Leady, Grace Eberly, Caleb Sager, Vaughn Keller, Josh Anderson, Skyler Jones, AlexusBall, Mason Clark, CJ Renner. Top Row Left to Right: Michaela Bates, Kaela Seiler, April Beaverson, Marcos Molina, Jordan Simon, Karrsen Schaffner, Jorden Douglass, Hayley
Burkholder, Kamren Randall, Isaiah Garrett, and Garett Reinking.
Front Row: Adrianna Hibbard (Vice President), Jennaya Hibbard (Assistant Reporter),
Taylor West (Secretary), Miranda Minzey (Reporter), and Leah Bussing (President). BackRow: Casen Burkholder (Student Advisor), Emilie Keiser (Sentinel), Paige Aschemeier
(Treasurer), Alexis Fruchey (Assistant Secretary), Joel Smith (Assistant Treasurer).
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By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
It's no secret that the agricultural life-
style is valued differently by each village
and town, even in a place such as Wil-
liams County, where farming is mostly
considered the norm.
People want to be surrounded with
others who hold similar interests to their
own. They also hope to put themselves
in the best position to explore those in-
terests. In order to do that, however, a
change of scenery is sometimes in order.
That's exactly how Leah Bussing felt
at Bryan High School.
With her grandfather owning a busi-
ness in the eld of agriculture, Archbold
Agriservices, Bussing had
always felt a passion thesubject. She looked to her
school to fulll that pas-
sion.
Then a freshman, Bus-
sing wished to be part of
a rich, thriving Future
Farmer's of America (FFA).
Yet, the home of the Gold-
en Bears was unable to
provide one for her. There-
fore, she did what most
would do in such a situation; Bussing
sought to transfer.
And, quite honestly, she couldn't have
found a better t than Fayette. The suc-
cessful FFA program drew her in imme-
diately, as the school is very well known
throughout the area in that regard. That
was something Bussing wanted to con-
rm for herself.
“”It really intrigued me,” the transfer
student stated. “I took the opportunity
and ran with it.”
So Bussing enrolled at Fayette in her
sophomore year. Shortly thereafter, sheknew she had found the right place. Mrs.
Schultz, the teacher in charge of the FFA,
strongly encouraged her to be as involved
as possible. In that rst year at Fayette,
Bussing took part in livestock contests,
soil judgments, and tab interviews. None
of that would have been possible at her
old school.
During her junior year, Bussing found
her way into a leadership role within the
program. She took on the position of
Student Adviser. From there, she earned
a shot at the organization's Presidency, a
position she currently holds in her senior
campaign.
While this is what she wanted to do,
joining the Fayette FFA wasn't exactly
what she expected.
“It's honestly a lot more than I'd everthought it would be.”
Indeed, through the FFA, Bussing
learned things she never even considered
related to the program. Things like how
to be a leader, and being able to speak
up when having an idea on an issue.
She also learned a few things about
friendship.
“I've made friends with a lot of people I
never thought I'd be friends with,” admit-
ted Bussing.
That's what happens when one is able
to actually share their interests with oth-
ers.
T.J. Hug can be reached at
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015 “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE - 9
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Leah Bussing: A New Beginning
By: T.J. HugTHE VILLAGE REPORTER
Since the program's revival in 2006, Pa-
mela Schultz has been has been charged
with guiding the Fayette Future Farmer's of
America (FFA). In her ninth year of teach-
ing agricultural classes, Schultz has only
ever done so in the Fayette School District.
After obtaining an associate's degree
in Science from the Ohio State University-
Agricultural Technical Institute, she went
to Columbus, where she earned her bach-
elor's degree in Science from Ohio State's
main campus. Finally, she got her master'sdegree in Educational Administration from
Bowling Green State University.
While her education credentials are im-
pressive, it's Schultz's relationship with her
students that sets her apart. Not content to
simply assist them with what they feel like
doing, the teacher will give those students
who exhibit the potential to succeed in a
project or contest a push in that direction.
“Mrs. Schultz is very encouraging,” Fay-
ette FFA Vice President Adrianna Hibbard
stated.
There is a great explanation for that.
Schultz loves to see her students succeed.
“I really enjoy being able to see those
students who don't really have a nicheanywhere else in the building become suc-
cessful,” Schultz herself admitted. “It is
always interesting to watch our students
learn and grow throughout their time in
the program.”
This drive to see her students thrive hashad some of them liken her to a parental
gure. Someone who they want to make
proud.
“She's like a mother to us,” Leah Bus-
sing, President of the Fayette FFA claimed.
“We don't want to disappoint her.”
Indeed, if one really stops and thinks
for a moment, Mrs. Schultz could be con-
sidered the mother of the program as awhole, as she rebuilt it from the ground
up. Watching the progress of what she had
built has fascinated the teacher as well.
“Throughout my time at Fayette High
School, I have been able to see the program
grow from a start of twenty-seven students
to over one hundred students, if you in-
clude junior high students.”
And that progress has come rather
quickly. The Fayette FFA has seen six of its
number earn the ever prestigious Ameri-
can Degree, while twelve members have
received a State Degree. Keep in mind that
this is in a span smaller than ten years. A
truly impressive feat.
Parents from an agricultural back-ground need not worry about sending their
kids to Fayette to learn of the eld; Pamela
Schultz will treat them as if they were her
own.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
Pamela Schultz: MotherTo The Fayette FFA
BRINGING THINGS ALONG ... Pamela
Schultz has been a part of the Fayette FFAsince its revival, and she has grown the
organization through hard work and close
relationships with her students.
By: Miranda Minzey
Fayette FFA Reporter
It has been a very busy year for the Fay-ette FFA. They have done quite a few ac-tivities this year. Since FFA week last yearmembers have participated in a wide vari-ety of contests, events, and activities. Firstup was the Cooperative Education Contest.Riley Martin, Seth Beaverson, Wade Burk-
holder, and Thomas Ehman competed in thecontest where their knowledge of co-ops wastested. This team placed 2nd in the districtand 11th at the state level. Up next for theFFA were the various contests that manymembers competed in. These contest con-sisted of General Livestock Judging, Meats Judging, Poultry Judging, Dairy Judging,and the Dairy Handlers contest. Memberson these teams traveled to the Ohio ExpoCenter early one Saturday in March. Mem-bers were not only able to compete in thesecontest, but they were also able to meet andassociate with many other FFA membersfrom around the state.
Following a spring full of contests, theFFA was in full force to put on its 8th An-nual Fayette FFA Banquet. This year’s ban-quet was host to 268 FFA members, par-ents, guests, and school ofcials. The nightwas a great reection of the many accom-plishments that the chapter had throughoutthe year. This year some of the top awardswere given to the following FFA members. The Honorary Chapter award went to TomFranks and Ruth Hutchinson. The Out-standing Service Award went to HibbardExcavation and Phillips Heating and Cool-ing. The Star Greenhand award went toPaige Aschemeier, Jennaya Hibbard, and Jared Armstrong. The Star Chapter went toCasen Burkholder and Alexis Fruchey. TheOutstanding Junior award was presented to Taylor West, while the Outstanding Senioraward was given to Jena Myers. Next up theFarm Credit Service 110% award was pre-sented to Ceairia Keller. Demi Powers wasthis years recipient of the DeKalb Award. The awards for the evening were wrappedup with the Kellen Keiser Memorial awardwhich, was given to Haley Perdue.
With another successful night of hon-oring all of our FFA members, the FayetteFFA was on the move again. This time, 35FFA members were headed to the 87th StateFFA convention. The convention is a two daylong event where FFA members, chapters,and alumni are recognized for their manyaccomplishments throughout the year. This year, two members walked across the stageto receive their State FFA Degree. This isthe 2nd highest degree that an FFA membercan obtain. Thomas Ehman and Jena Myerswere the members to receive their degreesthat night.
With the school year coming to an end
the Fayette FFA was still busy. Memberswere readying their fair projects and Su-pervised Agricultural Education projects forMrs. Schultz to come and evaluate. Eachmembers project is evaluated on-site each year by Mrs. Schultz. Along with home vis-its, Mrs. Schultz and 9 FFA members head-ed to FFA Camp Muskingum for a week fullof fun in the sun.
With the summer coming to a close and
school back in session, FFA members wereout in full force readying projects for thefair, preparing for soils contests, and plan-ning a trip to the National FFA convention.
With the fair just ending, the FFA was just beginning again. Many of the membershad animals or other projects to exhibit atthe fair. It was great to see them shine inthe events that they do all the time. The FFAis excited to have many new contests to dothis year. While members were still busywrapping up the fair, they were also gearingup for another great year in Career Develop-ment events. First up would be the Ruraland Urban Soil judging contest. Fifty eightstudents participated in the event on Sep-tember 19th, hosted by the Fulton CountySoil and Water ofce. Through this contesteight students were selected to participatein the District land judging contest. Rural
members consisting of Taylor West, DylanKeefer, Andrew Lichtenwald, Casen Burk-holder, Jennaya Hibbard, Paige Blad, ColeStuckey, and Garett Reinking. These stu-dents were evaluating soil based on charac-teristics to see if the land would be suitablefor agricultural purposes. The seven Urbanmembers who moved onto districts wereLeah Bussing, Joel Smith, Kaela Seiler, Isa-iah Garret, Wade Burkholder, Keegan Carni-com, Dylan Stannard. These students weregiven the task of judging soil on character-istics to determine if soil would be good forbuildings, basements, roads, septic tanks,etc. The seventh and eighth graders alsohad the chance in participating this year.
This year the Fayette FFA ofcers as-sisted the county in the Annual 3rd GradeAg Fest. The ofcer team set up a stationwhere students learned about various ani-
mals that included: cows, horses, guineapigs, ducks, chickens, puppies and kittens. The ofcers taught the students about ani-mal care, safety, and general facts about thespecies.
Wrapping up the year, FFA members pre-pare for the National FFA Week, held Febru-ary 18 – 25. They will be celebrating with adistrict wide spirit week, teacher luncheon,and Ag. Olympics for both the elementaryand Jr./High school students. This weekwill be a great week for the FFA members toshow their pride in their organization andbe proud of being part of the largest youthorganization in our country!
Fayette FFA Year-In Review
Ceairia Keller
“Livestock. I’ve done 4H,
and I like animals.”
Asks Fayette FFA Members ...
Dylan Stannard
“Livestock. I work on ahog farm, and I nd it
interesting.”
“AGRICULTURE OR LIVESTOCK. WHICH ASPECT OF FFA DO YOU PREFER?”
Jordan Ramos
“Agricultural. I know more
about that than livestock.”
Taylor West
“I like both of them
equally the same.”
Kamrin Hunter
“Agricultural. I work withmy dad doing landscaping
and agricultural work.”
Paige Keefer
“Livestock, because I take
animals to the Fair.”
Miranda Minzey
“I like the livestock partbecause I enjoy taking
care of animals.”
Presley Pennington
“Livestock. We get out of
school for it, and I used toshow.”
Adrianna Hibbard
“Livestock, because of the
contests, and becauseof 4H.”
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE ... Any
doubt Leah Bussing had about transfer-ring to Fayette left her mind when she
joined the school’s chapter of the FFA.
MORE FAYETTE FFA NEWS
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By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
There is a preconceived notion about
the Future Farmers of America (FFA), aswell as its members. One can hardly be
blamed for making the quick judgment,asthe very name of the organization seems to
imply its implicit truth. After all, if a per-
son joins the FFA, they must be planningon either owning or working on a farm one
day, right?Wrong.
Zandra Vassar, a four year member ofthe North Central FFA, has no intention
of raising her own livestock when she gets
out of school. Nor is her plan to get into theagricultural sector. And yet, she still joined
her school's chapter of the national groupdedicated to both teaching and encourag-
ing future generations to farm.So why is she a part of the organiza-
tion?
“I joined the FFA because it gives you so
many opportunities.” Those opportunities include taking
part in contests, soil judging, and working
on her public speaking skills. The seniordoesn't actually do a lot of public speaking
herself in the group, but she does set up
for such events and admire those who docompete or speak.
But the biggest opportunity offered bythe FFA is the chance to work with animals
both large and small. In her younger days,Vassar wished to own her own cow, as she
wanted to take care of the bovine creature
from her own home. That wasn't in her fu-ture, however.
“I wasn't allowed to take big animals.”Instead, Vassar was allowed to get a
rabbit. As it turns out, she was pretty good
at taking care of it. That's probably why
her mother and father decided that shewas ready for a little more responsibility.Well, either that or they just thought it was
just so cute.“My parents liked them, so they got me
nine of them.”
Currently, Vassar owns ve HollandLops and four Dutch rabbits. Having
owned them for years now, there is nodoubt that she knows exactly what she's
doing when it comes to raising bunnies.It was in the eighth grade that Vassar
nally discovered to FFA. Upon joining the
organization, she has competed in sever-al competitions, including Parliamentary
Procedure, Poultry, Soils, and dairy cattle,at last giving her a chance to interact with
the animal she really wanted to keep athome.
Between what she has learned in the
classroom and in contests, Vassar hascome across a treasure trove of valuable
information. And not just about agricul-ture, either.
“You learn a lot more than just farmingskills,” Vassar claimed.
In Vassar's time with the North Central
FFA, she has learned a lot of basic skillswhich can be applied to everyday life. Her
Agricultural Business course, for example,taught her how to create a resume, as well
as setting up business proposals.But perhaps the most valuable lessons
she has learned thus far are in the way she
deals with people.“FFA has improved my communication
skills.” Those skills will come in handy at some
point in the future, as the ability to com-
municate is a versatile trait considered keyto several jobs. As it happens, Vassar is
hoping to take up photography when sheis ready to settle into a career. Dealing
with clients in that eld involves a signi-cant amount of both talking and listening.
Barring some unforeseen cirumstanc-
es, Vassar is not going to become a futurefarmer, in America or any other country.
That doesn't mean her timein the North Central FFA
has been wasted, though.In fact, there may not be an
organization at the school
which could better prepareher for her own future, re-
gardless of what direction ittakes.
T.J. Hug can be reached at
10 - “THE VILLAGE REPORTER” - 2015 FFA TRIBUTE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015
EXECUTIVE GUEST ... The Edon FFA Ofcers pose in a picture with their special guest,current Vice President of the State FFA Ofcers, Shelby Furer.
A BREAK FOR THE OFFICERS ... Hannah Crossen takes the ofcers of the Edon FFAon an Ofcer’s retreat, as the group sets out to participate in an all-out paintball war.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
Various FFA Activities Enjoyed GOING TO CAMP ... Kylie Dennison, Paige Aschemier, Kaelyn Borton, Kelsey Fruchey,and Haley Perdue, Paige Blad pose for a picture while attending the FFA Camp Musk-
ingum.
AG FEST! ... A member of the Fayette Future Farmers of America takes part in the Ful-
ton County Ag Fest.
FORGING THE LEADERS OF THE FUTURE ... Michaela Bates (right) is participating in
the Fayette Future Farmers of America’s Leadership Night.
Fayette FFA Participates In Several Activities During School Year
Charting The North Central FFA
-Total number of members: 62 kids
-Male members: 31 boys
-Female members: 31 girls-Freshmen members: 30 kids
-Sophomore members: 16 kids-Junior members: 5 kids
-Senior members: 11 kids
Zandra Vassar: Not A Future Farmer
By: T.J. Hug
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
From a pancake sausage breakfast to acornhole tournament, it has been a busy
year for the North Central branch of theFuture Farmers of America (FFA).
One event in which the organization
took part was the Kaleb McLaughlin Me-
morial Ride. There was a particular senseof pride for the members helping out withthe event, as they were honoring one of
their own.“It was for a good cause,” Chapter Pres-
ident Adam Knepper said of the Ride. “We
all knew him.”McLaughlin's mother, Kim Oxender,
still assists FFA members in nding schol-arships.
As a Christmas project each year, the
North Central FFA has an adopt a fam-ily program. For this program, they build
something for the children in that family. This past Christmas, the group built a pair
of toy boxes for a two child family.
“We try to do something like that every year,” said Jessica Tracey, the teacher in
charge of the North Central FFA.For the third year running, the North
Central Future Farmers have taken partin the Stockings For Soldiers campaign.
Students bring things to ll stockings to
school from their homes, and the lledstockings are sent to troops overseas. Last
Christmas, the organization sent out sev-enty-two stockings to American soldiers.
One of the newest undertakings of theNorth Central chapter is raising some
chickens hatched by the school's animal
science class. Of the sixteen eggs they at-tempted to incubate, nine of them hatched.
Currently, those baby chicks are living un-der a heat lamp in Tracey's classroom.
With all of these happenings, therehaven't been too many dull moments in
the North Central FFA chapter.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
Activities Of The North Central FFA
MORE FAYETTE FFA NEWS
Front Row: Megan Ulrich (Parliamentarian), Emerald Newton (Treasurer), Kirby Miller
(Secretary), Adam Knepper (President), and Dakota Pitts (Chaplain). Back Row: BradyZuver (Reporter), Jordan Bailey (Sentinel), Josh Sawyer (Student Advisor) Ethan Doug-
lass (Vice President), and Colton Pilmore (Historian).
MORE THAN FARMING ... Zandra Vassar
has found that the North Cenral FFA isabout more than just agriculture and live-
stock.
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Lindsay Fager: From A Farming FamilyBY: T.J. HUG
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Heritage can be a tricky
thing.It undoubtedly plays a
substantial role in how onelives their life. And yet,
people have precisely zero
control over their heritage,as the decisions of their fa-
milial predecessors weighheavily on their own path
on this Earth. It’s almost
enough to make one ques-tion the very notion of free
will.How can the choices
made by others have sucha deep impact on our own
reality? Is it the pressure to
follow a family legacy thatdictates the way in which
one navigates through theirexistence? Or might it be
that, as children grow intoadulthood, they begin to
see the wisdom in their an-
cestors’ ways?
For Lindsay Fager, itwould most certainly be thelatter.
Claiming four yearsof membership in the
Wauseon High School chap-
ter of the Future Farmers ofAmerica (FFA), Fager is de-
scended from farmers. Notonly did her parents work
the land, but each of themgrew up on family farms as
well. That deep family con-
nection with farming hasn’tgone unnoticed by Fager.
“I’ve always been rootedin agriculture,” the senior
girl stated. The Fagers owned a farm
in Fremont, Ohio before
moving to Wauseon. Aftersettling in their new home
town, the realization thattheir was no longer a fam-
ily farm came to the chil-dren. There was absolutely
no pressure to carry on the
work of their parents. Itwas a fresh start, and the
sky was the limit in termsof their respective futures.
“If anything,” Fager said,
“we were less likely to be in-volved in agriculture.”
So in what direction didthe Fager kids choose to
take their high school ca-reers?
All of Lindsay’s siblings
not only joined the FFA, butheld ofce in the organiza-
tion as well. She herself
took on the role of Recorder
during her junior year, aposition which had a greatdeal of inuence over her.
“That gave me someleadership skills I didn’t
have (before),” recalled
Fager.Now poised to graduate
from Wauseon, Fager hopesto put those leadership
skills to use at the colle-giate level. Her destination
is Ohio State University,
where she incoming fresh-man plans to study Agricul-
tural business and AppliedEconomics. Beyond that,
she’s looking to build a ca-
reer in agribusiness, possi-bly even working on the leg-
islative side of agriculture.“It depends on what I
nd after four years,” Fagerproclaimed.
Of course, Fager isn’t
waiting for her time at uni-versity to begin opening her
pathway to the future. Theeducation she’s receiving at
Wauseon is doing plenty tohelp her along the way. As
a member of the school’s
FFA program, she’s par-ticipated in ve Career De-
velopment Events (CBEs). These include Soil Judging,
Agronomy, and Farm Busi-ness Management. These
CBEs have not only served
to educate Fager on agricul-ture itself, but also on the
diverse nature of the eld.
“(CBEs) have shown me
the different aspects of thebusiness.”
Fager’s standard curric-
ulum at Wauseon has alsoassisted her in the educa-
tional undertaking. She
has taken courses such asEnvironmental Science and
Food Science in order tostudy different parts of the
agricultural process.Ultimately, Fager has
chosen emulate her par-
ents, at least somewhat.While she may not ever
have her own family farm,
the pull of the agriculturallifestyle has taken hold overher. As for whether or not
she ever felt held back fromher dreams by her family
history, Fager sums things
up quite well in her ownwords.
“I guess I’ve never reallythought of anything else.”
Maybe heritage isn’t sotricky after all.
T.J. Hug can be reached at [email protected]
BY: T.J. HUG
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Education is a major
part of the Future Farmersof America (FFA). After all,
how could the future farm-ers work their lands, sell
their crops, or run theiragribusinesses if no one
ever showed them how to
do so.Yet, there is more to the
FFA than simply learninghow to plant, grow, and
harvest crops, or raise live-stock. Some lessons tran-
scend the classroom. A feweven transcend farming al-
together.
Take the ChristmasCheer program, for in-
stance. Throughout Fulton
County, each school’s FFA
program plays a role in giv-ing families with very little
a brighter Christmas. Theschools come together in
order to provide food andtoys to those in need, with
individual schools being
assigned different roles tomake the program a suc-
cess.“We served about six
hundred families (this year),” Brian Pike, a rst
year Agricultural Teacher
at Wauseon, said.For their part, Wauseon
is charged with gatheringtoys, as well as monetary
donations. The school’sFFA members are also on
hand as families search
through the donated toys,ready to assist them in nd-
ing the perfect gift for theirchild.
The event takes place
on the Fulton County Fair-grounds, occurring roughly
a month before Christmas. Then there’s the Food
for America program. KatieBlack, another Agricultural
Instructor, organizes sev-
eral high school FFA mem-bers to engage the third
and fourth grade studentsof Wauseon. The elder stu-
dents display their skills,demonstrating lessons
learned in classes such as
Environmental Science. Itis the goal of the program to
instill a curiosity about theWauseon FFA in the young-
er generations. These are just a cou-
ple of the goings on of the
Wauseon FFA,a very busyand well organized institu-
tion.
T.J. Hug can be reached at
Activities Of The Wauseon FFA
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Members of the WauseonFFA for the 2014-2015
school year are:
Grade 9
Omar ArmasLevi Arps
Mauricio BarajasEverett Bueter
Cassandra Cameron
Taylor CaudillBlake Cole
Gavin Foote
Jacob GillenHenry Humbarger
Joel Jenkins
Conner Johnson
Cory JohnsonKyle Leninger
Jack ManzSage Marshall
Kaylee Moore
Dalton Rice Juan Smith
Alexander SosaMcCormick Warncke
Sean WaughNathan Whitman
Kyle Zircle
Grade 10
Brianna AndrewsAndrew Bailey
Anthony Banister
Marcel BarajasNatalie Betz
Elliott Bingham Tai Bishop
Shelby BoydCarter Bzovi
McKayla Campbell
Caleb DuncanKoelton Fenton
Zachary FinkMitchell Flint
Luke GrimeLogan Hines
Angel Juarez
Juilanna KahrsGarrett Krasula
Christian Laging-SuarezBrady Neifer
Alexandra Pursel Jacob Raabe
Joseph Richer
Quincy Rhoda Jacob Seiler
Grant SuntkenHunter Thourot
Kylee TrucksDakota Valdez
Gordon WinlandElizabeth Yackee
Grade 11
Travis Adkins
Marina AyalaMitchell Bachman
Drake Banister
Gage Banister Troy Brink
Chase BrockBrianna Burgoon
Antonil Campbell
Hayley ChamberlainSpencer Clausen
Dylan CliffordMason Creager
Breanna DemalineWilliam Dorsey
Emily Franklin
Cheyenne GarciaGerardo Gomez
Faythe Hernandez
Kristian LippertAlexandria Maberson
Hope MahnkeBrayden Marshall
Alexis MatthewsMarcus Miller
Valerie Nofziger
Sara RufenachtBrook Saaf
Abigail SchmunkDerek Schuette
Keely SilveousBrittany Smith
Travis Smith
Cody SpiessEmalee Stewart
Kallie StraussAudrey Thacker
Dean Torres
Marquita TorresClaudia Weber
Joshua WhitcombCarl Wittenmyer
Dakota Zimmerman
Grade 12
Jaycob Bailey Elijah Becker
Morgan Bliss
Edmond BordersSydney Bosell
Austin BrownAlexis Conrad
Tanner Ely Lindsay Fager
Amber Falor
Tabb Gype Taylor Hernandez
Anthony Howard
Keegan MackMalachi McCabe
Dylan Nicely Clayton Peebles
Raychel RamosSamuel Richer
Courtney Roberts
Dillon SchantzLydia Schmucker
Trent SchroederMickenna Schweinhagen
Joshua SimonNoah Stickley
Lauren Villarreal
Chase WaldronDesirae Walther
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BY: T.J. HUG
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Even before Sam Richer was elected as
President of the Wauseon branch of theFuture Farmers of America (FFA), he knew
exactly what he wanted to accomplish
from within the organization.“I wanted to build the foundation for a
better FFA next year,” Richer admitted.Always an admirable trait in any good
leader, Richer isn’t simply concernedabout the present. His mind is focused on
the future as well. Not only that, but the
four year member of the FFA program hasnever been afraid of putting in the neces-
sary amount of work to meet his goals.Richer began his path toward leader-
ship in his junior campaign, taking on theresponsibilities of a Sentinel. The role is
an important one within the FFA, though
it seldom gets the recognition it deserves. That may be due to the nature of the of-
ce, as Sentinels serve in more of an advi-sory capacity.
“It was more like helping the other of-
cers,” was Richer’s description of the po-sition.
As a Sentinel, Richer was also in chargeof setting thing up before his fellow ofcers
and he held meetings and activities. Then,at the conclusion of said meetings, Richer
would stick around, cleaning up the scene
afterward. So, in that respect, he wasamongst the rst to arrive and the last to
leave most FFA sanctioned events.Despite the background nature of his
initial post within the FFA, Richer foundthe job to be a worthwhile one.
“I enjoyed being part of the ofcer team.”
Perhaps that is why Richer sought toobtain the highest ofce during his senior
run in the organization. Well, that andcontinuing a family legacy. Richer is a sec-
ond generation President of the WauseonFFA, as his father served from that func-
tion during the elder Richer’s own high
school career.
Now holding Presidency himself, the younger Richer runs meetings, rather thansetting them up. He is also in charge of all
chapter operations, though he is advisedby his teachers on what they believe to be
the best course of action. The ofcer team
is also under his charge, as they now ad-vise him, helping to formulate new ideas to
help the branch.As the current leader of Wauseon’s
future farmers, Richer understands theplace agriculture holds in the development
of America’s nancial systems and beyond.
“I know it’s a vital part of the U.S. econ-omy,” Richer stated, before adding, “and
the global economy as well.”
Because it holds so much weight over,
not just the present, but the future of thisplanet, Richer feels as though it is his per-
sonal duty to guide those interested infarming down a fruitful pathway. And not
just during his time in the Wauseon FFA,either.
“FFA is going to be a part of my every-
day career,” announced Richer.Indeed, Richer is looking to become an
agricultural instructor in his future. Thevehicle he has chosen to best prepare him
for this task is Wilmington College. Therehe will study Agricultural Education.
So what is the appeal in teaching oth-
ers how to farm, rather than simply plac-ing the entirety of his focus into his own
agricultural endeavors?“I’m hoping to educate the leaders of
the next generation.” That should come as no surprise to
anyone who knows Richer. He always
seems to be tilling that metaphorical soil,patiently waiting for the next generation of
America’s farmers to sprout.
T.J. Hug may be reached at
PLEASE JOIN US FOR NATIONAL AG WEEK
AS WE SALUTE OU R LOCAL FARMERS
AND AGRI CULTURE LE ADER SIN A SPECIAL PUBLICATION MARCH 19
email [email protected] for more information
BY: T.J. HUG
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
It’s only been six months, Brian Pike al-
ready feels right at home in Wauseon. The kids in his classes can tell, too.
While keeping things civil, the atmospherein Mr. Pike’s classroom seems to be a laid
back one. Indeed, the rst year instructor
is a prime example of how carrying oneselfin a professional manner does not have to
include being strict or boring.As with anyone starting a new job, not
everything comes easy for Pike. Still, the
rewards of teaching make any trials andtribulations well worth the trouble.
“It’s a challenge,” Pike claimed of hisrst year, before continuing, “but it’s a
good challenge.” Teaching ve classes throughout the
day, Pike offers three different courses
from which students can enroll. Environ-mental Science and Structural Engineer-
ing are both exciting and diverse eldsof study in which he offers. His favorite
course to teach, however, is Agribusiness.“That’s actually what me degree is in.”
Pike earned his bachelor’s degree on
the subject at Ohio State University. Heis currently pursuing his master’s degree
from Bowling Green State University.But Pike’s most enriching experience
thus far in his short tenure at Wauseon
went beyond the classroom.“My highlight is Christmas Cheer,
hands down.”
The Fulton County-wide effort to help
feed and provide toys to families in needduring the holiday season is discussed at
greater length in the activities section ofthe Wauseon FFA. That helping others is
what sticks out the most in his mind is a
testament to the sort of person Mr. Pikereally is.
And his students can see that quiteclearly.
T.J. Hug may be reached at [email protected]
Brian Pike: A Teacher In His First Year Sam Richer: Planting A SeedFor The Leaders Of Tomorrow
FUTURE FARMING INSTRUCTOR ... SamRicher hopes to use the leadership skills
he’s developed in the Wauseon FFA toteach future generations about agricul-
ture.
Dylan Nicely
“It helps me learn the
business side of things
for when I start my own farm.”
Asks Wauseon FFA Members ...
Taylor Hernandez
“The people who are in it,as well as the activities
we do.”
WHY ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE FFA?
Jacob Bailey
“It’ll give you a head startinto a career.”
Teagan Mack
“I plan to eventually run
a dairy operation. This
will help me to keep betterrecords.”
Morgan Bliss
“Everyone has different
backgrounds, and that
has helped us to see thedifferent things that are
out there.”
Information gathered
by Wauseon FFA member Beth Yackee
-Total members of the chapter: 146 kids
-Male members: 104 boys
-Female members: 42 girls
-Freshman members: 28 kids
-Sophomore members: 30 kids
-Junior members: 54 kids
-Senior members: 34 kids
Charting The Wauseon FFA
MORE WAUSEON FFA NEWS
FIRST YEAR ... Brian Pike may be new toWauseon, but he is already tting in with
his students just ne.