MdCV officers, new and retiring, front from left, Chloe Volkman, Alaina Marsh, State FFA Sentinel Garrett Craig, Kaelin Criqui, Kathryn Vaught, back, Danny Rice, MdCV FFA advisor, Bayleigh Lacey, Sadie McGowin, Koby Vanderpool, Wyatt Lingenfelter, and Frank Warner. MdCV FFA photo.
The annual Marias des Cygnes Valley FFA Chapter Banquet was held on Friday April 11, 2019. Approximately 100 people, including members, families, and friends, gathered in the Melvern Community Center for pork chops and a potluck meal, awards and the installation of the 2019-2020 chapter officers.
An invocation from Frank Warner was followed by the dinner consisting of pork chops, sponsored by Don and Janise Hook, and side dishes and desserts brought by our members and their families. Following the dinner and chapter scrapbook video produced by Kathryn Vaught, the chapter officers president Chloe Volkman, vice-president Brookelyn Janssen, secretary Kathryn Vaught, treasurer Bayleigh Lacey, reporter Frank Warner, sentinel Alaina Marsh, and advisor and KSU student intern Cassandra Ebert began with opening ceremonies. KobyVanderpool, chapter student-council representative, introduced special guest speaker Garrett Craig, Kansas FFA Sentinel, with his speech “Focusing and Committing to Your Talents and Passion”.
Other guests included members of the USD 456 Board of Education, Marais des Cygnes Valley High School Principal Ben Gordon, members of the MdCV Ag Education Advisory Board, Joe and Shirley Litchtenauer, Dale and Peggy McCurdy, Jeff and Merrilyn Casten, Jennifer and Peter Roy, Janae and Caleb McNally, Jarah and Mike Hauger, and Joe and Shirley Lichtenauer.
Chapter officers awarded Greenhand Degrees to Dalton Bechtle, Mary Ingle, Cole Lacey, Wyatt Lingenfelter, Braden Reed, Chisom Woodson, Kooper Watkins, Amber Walbeck and Mikaela Baker. The Star Greenhand was awarded to Cole Lacey. Following the Greenhand Degrees, the Chapter Degree was awarded to Brice Marsh, Isabella Toman, Sadie McGowin and Brooke Larsen.
Four individuals were awarded and recognized for the State FFA Degree, which recognizes only three percent of the FFA membership. Kansas FFA State Degrees were presented to Brookelyn Janssen, Alaina Marsh, Kathryn Vaught and Chloe Volkman.
State FFA Degree recipients are Brookelyn Janssen, Alaina Marsh, Kathryn Vaught and Chloe Volkman.
Awards were given to members with outstanding supervised agriculture experience programs; Proficiency Awards were given to Brookelyn Janssen, for beef production placement, Koby Vanderpool, diversified agriculture production, Kaelin Criqui, home and community development, and Chloe Volkman, outdoor recreation.
FFA Chapter Degree recipients Brice Marsh and Sadie McGowin.
Each year, the Marias des Cygnes Valley FFA gives out scholarships to seniors attending a technical, two-year college or four-year university. This year’s recipients were Alaina Marsh, Kathryn Vaught and Chloe Volkman. Chloe Volkman was also awarded the Lichtenauer Family Scholarship, and Alaina Marsh was awarded the Hometown Agriculture/Technical Scholarship.
The chapter recognizes outstanding individuals or businesses that go beyond to support the FFA Chapter. This year’s Blue and Gold award went to the Casten family for their continued support of the agriculture education program and the FFA Chapter.
MdCV FFA Advisor Danny Rice announced members that would be attending the Washington Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., this summer. Scholarships are awarded through the Kansas FFA Foundation and from Jeremy and Emily Lehning, $700, and Casten Family Memorial, $700. The recipient of the Lehning FFA Foundation Scholarship and the recipient of the Casten Family Memorial Scholarship was Sadie McGowin.
Scholarship recipients: Sadie McGowin, Alaina Marsh, Chloe Volkman, and Kathryn Vaught.
Wrapping up the awards ceremony, the sweepstakes awards were given to Bayleigh Lacey, first place, Koby Vanderpool, second place, Brice Marsh, third place, Sadie McGowin, fourth place, and Isabella Toman, fifth place. Greenhands also were awarded sweepstakes honors with a tie in third place, Braden Reed and Chisolm Woodson, second place, Cole Lacey, and first place, Wyatt Lingenfelter.
MdCV FFA Greenhands, front from left, Mikaela Baker, Mary Ingle, Amber Walbeck, back, Braden Reed, Wyat Lingenfelter, Cole Lacey, Dalton Bechtle, and Chisolm Woodson.
Seniors were recognized for their membership and involvement in the MdCV FFA Chapter. Those seniors attending banquet were Nocona Brinkely, Brookelyn Janssen, Alaina Marsh, Kathryn Vaught and Chloe Volkman. They were given a gift and viewed a video of their four years in the MdCV FFA.
Before the chapter banquet came to a close, special recognition was given to student intern Cassandra Ebert and advisor Danny Rice for their commitment to the chapter.
With installation of the 2019-2020 MdCV FFA chapter officers, they are: Bayleigh Lacey, president, Frank Warner, vice-president, Kaelin Criqui, secretary, Koby Vanderpool, treasurer, Sadie McGowin, reporter, and Wyatt Lingenfelter, sentinel.
MdCV FFA would like to thank Jenise and Don Hook for sponsoring the pork chops. Special thanks also go to scholarship sponsors as well as everyone who came to the banquet to support MdCV FFA Chapter. Follow MdCV FFA activities at mdcvffa.weebly.com.
Photos and information thanks to MdCV FFA.
