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Ava FFA Chapter Banquet Includes Awards, Reflections

By Kendra Schuster, Student Development Vice President, and Rebecca Neal, Co-Reporter

On Friday May 4, the Ava FFA Chapter held its Annual FFA Awards Banquet in the High School Cafeteria. It started at 6:30 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m.

The President of the FFA, James Elijah, welcomed everyone and Kendra Schuster presented the invo­cation. The 2011-2012 officers conducted opening ceremonies after the meal that was prepared by Jeff Martin and Randy Lawrence and two cafeteria workers, Treva and Norma. Lakota Blakey presented the FFA Creed.

The Star Greenhand award was presented to Tailer Stofer. The Star Chapter Farmer award was presented to Kendra Schuster. The Star Chapter Placement award was presented to Colton Hall. James Elijah and Abby Dean were recog­nized for getting their State Degree. James was also recognized as the Star in Area Placement and com­peted at State for Star State Place­ment. Jordan Evans and Shady Flippo were also acknowledged for receiving their American FFA Degree. James Elijah got a proficiency award in Beef Produc­tion Placement and Colton Hall got a proficiency award in Ag Pro­cessing at State FFA Convention.

Receiving Chapter Proficiency Awards are: Ag Communications, Ashtin Stillings; Ag Mechanics Repair and Maintenance, Cody Bellman-Hart; Ag Processing, Tyler Young; Ag Sales, Ashton Davis; Ag Services, Derick Downs; Beef Production Entrepreneurship, James Elijah; Beef Production Placement, Brittanie Newell; Dairy Production Entrepreneurship, Shannon Porter; Dairy Production Placement, John Inman; Diversified Livestock Production Placement, Taylor McDonald; Diversified Live­stock Production Entrepreneur­ship, Deevala Rawlings; Equine Production Entrepreneurship, Ciara Bray; Equine Production Place­ment, Katie Hicks; Floriculture, Abby Cooper; Food Science, Bran­don Lambert; Forest Management and Products, Seth Shots; Home and Community Development, Ryan Breshears; Outdoor Recrea­tion, Hannah Phinney; Poultry Pro­duction, Scotlyn Canape; Small Animal Care, Joey Inman; Specialty Animal, Esther Johnson; Swine Production Entrepreneur­ship, Serena Smith; Vegetable Pro­duction, Kendra Schuster; Wildlife Production, Cody Huff.

The students receiving Chapter FFA Scholarship Awards were: Freshman, Lakota Blakey; Sopho­more, Deevala Rawlings; Junior, Colton Hall; and Senior, Augusta Rideeoutte. These are based on their Grade Point Average.

The students that received Leader­ship Awards were: Fresh­man, Tori Regan; Sophomore, Victor Wood; Junior, Taylor McDonald; and Senior, James Elijah.

Appreciation Awards were given to: Linda Coursey, Ray Davison, Beverly Johnson and Monica Ray, Randy Kauffman, Jeff Martin, Karry Davis, Jim Hart, Regina Evans, Ethen Johns, Randy Lawrence, Tim and Laura Stillings, Tim and Bonnie Stafford, Dwight and Billie Schuster, Jordan Evans, Ava Saddle Club, Town and Country, Ava MFA, Janell Stewart, Sarah Lemons, Laura Walker, Stan Coday, Sonny and Sharon Nelson, Airin Roberts, April Wilson, Brad Mormann, Trish Hall, Shawn Williams, Lee Weller, Regina Porter, Tommy Scrivner, Dawn Stine, Brian Leiby, David Rahder, Diamondback Cattle Company. Labor Auction Buyers or those who helped were: Mike Huff, Marjorie Voyles, David Rahder, Cooper Lumber Company, Cleta Sweeney, Lakey Farms, Sharon Hicks, Wayne Degase, Jody Porter, Town and Country Bank, Dan Branting­ham, Brian Wilson, Tim Scrivner, Dave McGill, Roger Whittaker, Curtis Viture, Douglas County Salebarn, Danny Shannon, Russell Curtis, Colton Hall, and Auctioneer J.D. Shannon.

Robert Elijah and Kent Stamper were accepted into Honorary Membership.

The students that were recog­nized for their accomplishments in contest teams were: Livestock team consisting of: James Elijah, Kendra Schuster, Taylor McDonald, and Victor Wood; FFA Knowledge team consisting of: Ivie Macy, McKenna Hunsaker, Tailer Stofer, Katelyn Jenkins, and Brandy Johnson; Forestry team consisting of: Amanda Greene, Ashley Reiken, Christina Shortt, and Nathan Weathersbee; Floriculture team consisting of: Becca Neal, Nikki Dougherty, Ashley Riggs, and Hannah Phinney; Dairy Cattle team consisting of: Tyler Dooms, Lloyd Rideeoutte, and Trever Murrah; Ag Mechanics team consisting of: Sam Robertson, Tyler Young, Payton Stewart, and Cody Bellman-Hart. The Livestock team competed at State and received 18th as a team. The Floriculture team was the 1st place team at Area.

We also recognized the follow­ing people: Tori Reagan for Division 1 Prepared Speaking; James Elijah for Advanced Public Speaking; Colton Hall for Job Interview Competition; Ashtin Stillings and Ashton Davis for Chapter Scrapbook; Ashley Lewis for competing for State Talent; Ciara Fossett for placing 2nd place at Area for Completed Ownership Recordbook; Ashlyn Verhage for placing 3rd place at Area for Incomplete Placement Recordbook; Tristan Haltom for placing 3rd place at Area for Incomplete Ownership Recordbook; Colton Hall receiving 4th place for Completed Placement Recordbook. Competing in Fall Speech Contest was: James Elijah, Taylor McDonald, and Victor Wood.

The students who received Scholarships were; Nikki Dougherty received the Clinking­beard Family Scholarship, James Elijah receiving the Diamondback Cattle Company Scholarship, Derick Downs receiving the John Hart Memorial Agriculture Scholar­ship, Augusta Rideeoutte receiving the Norman and Goldene Hart Memorial Scholarship, Nikki Dougherty receiving the Claude Piland Scholarship, and Katie Hicks received the Ironwood Award. The FFA Chapter also got a CBCO award from the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks.

The DeKalb Agricultural Accom­plishment Award was given to James Elijah. James Elijah also got the Midwest Dairy Award. The students that received a 4 Year Membership Award was: Alex Cardone, Ashley Riggs, Augusta Rideeoutte, Cayla McFarlin, Derick Downs, Destany Russell, James Elijah, John Inman, Julia Spurlock, Nikki Dougherty, Rusty Rogers, Ryan Breshears, Tyler Young, and Ashtin Stillings.

President James Elijah gave his retiring president’s speech.

The old and new officers conducted the Officer Installation Ceremony.

The new officers for 2012-2013 are Taylor McDonald, president; Cody Bellman-Hart, chapter development vice president; Kendra Schuster, student development vice president; and Hannah Phinney, community development vice president; Ashton Davis, secretary; Katie Hicks, treasurer; Rebecca Neal and Alicia Morpeth, co-reporters; Victor Wood, sentinel; Ivie Macy, historian; Tailer Stofer, parliamen­tarian; and McKenna Hunsaker, chaplain.

The new officers conducted Closing Ceremonies. All the officers and advisors are looking forward to a great year in FFA!