By Carol McIntire
Editor
May 20, 2008

Community members who assisted the Carrollton FFA Chapter were recognized along with members themselves during the annual banquet May 10 in the Bell-Herron gym.

Nearly 300 people gathered in the gym, which was turned into an assembly hall for the event, to watch as five community members received Honorary FFA degrees. They included: Carrollton Schools Superintendent Kevin Spears and community members and FFA parents Lisa Grubbs, Jim Ossler, Becky Rummell and Kim Vance. The recipients were escorted to the stage where they were presented their honorary degrees by the 2007-08 chapter officers.  Thirty nine other people were presented certificates for their Distinguished service to the chapter.

MEMBER RECOGNITION

FFA members recognized for receiving their Chapter Degrees included: A.J. Dalton, Hannah Kirk, Matt Walters, Katie Riegle, Lisa Ramold, Austin Best, Curt Kline, Jerry Vance, Dalton Morsheiser, Melinda Weaver, Rodney Wendell, David Little, Chelsea McIntire, Logan Moon, Garth Brown, Codie Poole, Treg McCaulley and Steven Reed.

Five freshmen were recognized for being the top salesmen in the Fruit Sale. The students and the dollar amount of fruit they sold include: 1.) Michael Moore, $3,541; 2.) Kenny Eick, $3,215; 3.) Ben Wilson, $2,136; 4.) Patricia Kruprzak, $1,665; and 5.) Cody Starkey, $1,548.

Chapter scholarship awards, based on academic achievement included: Ag. Science I, Garnet Brown with a 3.96 grade point average; Ag Science II, Melinda Weaver with a 3.93 gpa; Junior class: Austin Kirk with a 3.81 gpa; and Senior class, Katie Rummell with a 3.59 gpa.

Several members were recognized for their excellence with FFA projects. They included:

Agricultural Mechanics Placement -Tylor Hendrie; Beef Entrepreneurship - Curt Kline; Beef Placement- Sami Grubbs; Crop Production Placement - Codie Poole; Dairy Entrepreneurship - Adam Neider; Dairy Placement - Taylor Huffman; Diversified Ag Placement - Connie McNutt; Home Improvement/Community Development - Katilyn Clapper; Sheep Entrepreneurship - Leann Johnson; Specialty Animal Entrepreneurship - Melinda Weaver; Swine Entrepreneurship - Austin Kirk; and Wildlife Management Placement - Logan Moon.

Star awards were presented to two freshmen, a sophomore, junior and senior. Freshmen Michael Moore and Ben Wilson shared the Star Greenhand award and Melinda Weaver received Star Chapter Farmer award. The awards were chosen and presented by Advisor Dan Kirk, who noted it was his 28th year of presenting the awards.

Juniors and seniors were required to fill out an application and selected based on the information. Advisor Kelli Pridemore presented the junior award to Jordan Morsheiser and the senior award to Connie McNutt. Pridemore also presented the Bruce Flanagan 100 percent memorial award to Katie Rummell.

Several teams were recognized and presented certificates for their achievements.

They included:
Forestry team  (placed 17th in the state) - Quinn Miller, Tylor Hendrie, Dalton Morsheiser, Garth Brown, Curt Kline, AJ Dalton, Codie Poole, Austin Kirk, Steven Reed, David Little, Ryan Smith, Rodney Wendell, Lisa Ramold, Jerry Vance, Logan Moon, Treg McCaulley, Matt Walters, Dan Martin, Melinda Weaver and Tim Lanham. The team of Miller, Hendrie, Kirk and Moon placed first at the District 8 contest.

Rural Soils (placed 5th in the district) - Jordan Morsheiser (7th place), Connie McNutt, Hendrie and Michael Moore.

Job Interview Contest - Katie Rummell (2nd place, Division 4), Austin Kirk (6th place Division 3), Matt Walters (6th place Division 2) and Ben Wilson, (6th place Division 1).

Public Speaking

Sub District - Creed: Michael Moore, first place; Beginning Prepared: Eric Manzella, fourth place; Prepared; Brittanie Logan, fourth; and Exemporaneous: McNutt, second.

District - Creed: Moore, second; Extemporaneous: McNutt, fourth.

State - Creed: Moore.

Poultry - Melinda Weaver, Ben Wilson and Wilbur Weaver.

General Livestock - Austin Kirk, Michael Moore, Ben Wilson, Courtney McDaniel, Sami Grubbs, Sam Howell, Brittanie Logan, Laney Hayhurt, Steven Nuske, Eric Manzella, Kaylee Little and Brandi Word. Austin Kirk placed sixth in the state out of 733 entrants.

Tractor Trouble Shooting - Jeremy Buck and Sam Hamilton.

Dairy Handlers - Jordan Morsheiser (third place) and Chelsea McIntire (fifth place). Both girls qualified to compete in the Big E contest in September in Massachusetts.

Parliamentary Procedure  (Gold rating) - Connie McNutt, Brittanie Logan, Katie Rummell, Hannah Kirk, Melinda Weaver, Jordan Morsheiser, Corey Slabaugh, Chelsea McIntire, Austin Kirk and Logan Moon.

Wildlife - Keiley Dulaney, Lewis Massey, Tylor Hendrie, Billy Wilson and Dalton Morsheiser.

Envirothon - Jordan Morsheiser, Connie McNutt, Austin Kirk, Quinn Miller and Logan Moon.

FFA Point System.

The top five students in each Ag class were recognized for earning points throughout the year based on a point system.
They included:

Ag I: 1.) Michael Moore, 472 points; 2.) Kenny Eick, 340; 3.) Ben Wilson, 314; 4.) Sam Howell, 215; and 5. Patricia Kruprzak, 213.

Ag II: 1.) Hannah Kirk, 257 points; 2.) Chelsea McIntire. 220; 3.) Melinda Weaver, 209; 4.) Tylor Hendrie, 189; and 5.Logan Moon, 181.

Ag. III: 1.) Brittanie Logan, 374 points; 2.) Jordan Morsheiser, 365; 3.) Austin Kirk, 332; and 4.) Sami Grubbs, 224.

Ag. IV; 1.) Katie Rummell, 285 points; 2.) Connie McNutt, 254.

Three chapter officers were recognized for their 2008 books, including Brittanie Logan, gold rated reporter's book; Austin Kirk, gold rated treasurer's book and Jordan Morsheiser, gold rated secretary's book.

New officers for 2008-09 were installed prior to the conclusion of the event. Installed as officers were: Jordan Morsheiser, president; Brittanie Logan, vice president; Chelsea McIntire, secretary; Logan Moon, treasurer; Melinda Weaver, reporter; Sami Grubbs, sentinel; and Austin Kirk, student advisor.

The Carrollton FFA Alumni Association presented two FFA camp scholarships and two college scholarships. Freshmen Michael Moore and Ben Wilson were awarded scholarships to attend camp at FFA Camp Muskingum this summer and Leann Johnson and Micah Snair were awarded $300 college scholarships.