By Cheyenne Johnson, Colonel Crawford FFA Reporter
On January 30th, Burkhart’s hosted their annual Customer Appreciation Day. The Colonel Crawford FFA/Pioneer chapter was invited to aid the employees with the day’s events. Students need community service for their state and American Degree and this activity can count toward those hours. Members participating were, Dalton Hoover, Kyle Hudson, Wyatt Caldwell, Curtis Hatcher, Taylor Lutz, Kyle Rowlinson. Students helped direct parking of the more than 1000 people that attended. The members were treated to a pork chop dinner which included: coleslaw, mash potatoes and gravy, corn muffin, green beans, dessert, and a beverage. We would like to thank Burkhart’s for allowing us to help out and providing lunch.
On Monday February 10, 2013 the Colonel Crawford/ Pioneer FFA Chapter sent their books to Lorain County JVS High School for district evaluations. District evaluations is an all-day event that Mrs. Betti attends. At evaluations, the chapter’s officers’ books and all State and American FFA Degrees and proficiencies are judged and then they are sent on to the state department to be approved. The Treasurer’s book, completed by Rebecca Enright, received a gold rating. She placed 2nd overall in the district. The Secretary’s book, completed by Katie Cramer, received a bronze rating in the district. Rebecca will walk across the stage at the State Convention in May and be awarded for their books. The American FFA Degree is the highest degree that a member can receive. Kendra Hudson applied for state proficiency awards, with Kendra’s being diversified crops. Kendra Hudson also applied for her American Degree. We would like to congratulate all the FFA members who took their time to fill out the applications and for doing such a great job.
Members of the Colonel Crawford FFA participated in the county public Speaking contest held at Colonel Crawford on Monday, February 10. Freshman members recited the FFA Creed. The FFA creed was written in 1930 by EM Tiffany. The freshman members presented the creed to two judges who score them on memorization of the creed, their enthusiasm, and their responses to questions about the creed. Sophomores and upper classmen can do either the Beginning Prepared, or Advanced Prepared contests. These students write and memorize an agriculturally related speech, 6 to 8 minutes long, and present it to the judges. The members who competed in beginning prepared were Kyle H., Colton G., Kyle R., Adam W., Darren T., Matt S., Taylor L., and Tyson S. The members who competed in Advanced Prepared were Sam M., Bronwyn L., Riley E., and Alex B. Wes W. competed in the extemp. speaking contest. We would like to thank our judges Kristin Eichhorn, Sammy Guinther, Emely Tate, Leslie Skaggs, Becca Kocher, Jessica Bogard, Amanda Wagner, and Becky Guinther. Megan D., Taylor L., Riley E., and Wes W. will be moving on to the sub-district contest which will be held at Plymouth high school on February 12 at 4 p.m. Good luck to our four speakers!
On Monday, February 12 four members of the Colonel Crawford/Pioneer FFA chapter competed at Wynford High School in the County Tractor Trouble Shooting contest. Competing were a team of Wes Pollock and Jesse Sellman and another of Curtis Hatcher and Wyatt Caldwell. Also the freshman Adam Widman, Kyle Rowlinson, Kyle Hudson, and Garrett Hensley are going to observe. Two malfunctions will be placed on four different pieces of equipment, and the students will be expected to figure out the problem. There will be 6 stations total that include a written test, tool identification, and 4 troubleshooting stations. Curtis Hatcher and Wyatt Caldwell placed 1st for Crawford and overall and are moving onto districts. The other team of Wes Pollock and Jesse Selman placed 2nd overall in the contest out of 6 teams. The contestants would like to give a big thank you to our dealerships that sent judges and equipment, and for the wonderful job our judges did in preparing the tractors for the contest!
The District Contest was on Thursday Feb 20th at Lorain County JVS. The competing team of Curtis Hatcher and Wyatt Caldwell placed 1st out of the district. They will now be competing at the State Contest at the University of Northwestern College in Lima as one of the top 15 in the State. Congratulations to our team!
The focus of National FFA week, Feb. 17 – 21, is to tell America about the great opportunities available for all youth. FFA is committed to developing character and leadership skills, and preparing members for a lifetime of civic leadership, and personal and career success.
FFA members are the leaders of tomorrow. They are our future engineers, scientists, teachers and producers. One of every five Americans is employed in the critical food, fiber and natural resources industries of agriculture, and former FFA members and supporters serve in these essential careers.
The Colonel Crawford /Pioneer FFA chapter celebrated this fun week by participating in different activity’s each day.
Finally on Friday students drove their tractors. May members wait all year for this activity. The students that participated were Alex Brause, Megan Daubenspeck, Garrett Hensley, Kyle Hudson, taylor Lutz, Sam Martian, Tyson Scott, Elaina Sellman, Matt Sutter, Adam Widman. After school there was a slow tractor race. This race is to see who can go the slowest. Sam Martian won for the slowest tractor. Pie and homemade ice cream was served by the FFA students to the Colonel Crawford High School, and to the teachers and staff at Pioneer Career and Technology to show their appreciation.