Wednesday, February 18, 2009 10:01 PM CST
Eight from Charleston take first in FFA sectional contest
By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer
dfopay@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — Jacob Bough works on a farm with horses and said he’s fine with the amount of time he spends there, but when it comes to keeping records about it, that’s more of a surprise.
The Charleston High School FFA chapter member still said he was willing to put in nearly 340 hours over the last year for his job and keeping track of such things as budgets and planning. Facing the prospect of being questioned about the equine business and what he’s learned, the CHS junior said he welcomed that, too.
“I think it’s going to help with my interview skills,” he said.
Bough was one of eight members of the CHS FFA chapter to win sectional competition at the school Monday night in what’s called “Supervised Agricultural Experience.” They met proficiency requirements in their individual subject areas to advance to district competition, which will be March 18, also at CHS.
The students start their proficiency projects during their freshmen years. The projects are a requirement for students in agriculture classes, and if they participate as FFA members, they can be eligible for scholarships or other awards.
CHS had 12 students qualify for the sectional, the most students of any chapter in the event.
“It’s exciting,” said Julie Niemerg, the CHS ag teacher who is the chapter’s adviser. “Every year, we’ve had more students continue with their projects. It gives them a bigger opportunity to advance.”
There are 50 agricultural subjects from which the students can choose to participate in SAE competition. In addition to working in the subject area, the students have to keep an up-to-date book recording a business agreement with their employer and FFA adviser, a budget, their daily experiences and more.
“They gain knowledge and learn new skills,” Niemerg said.
During the sectional, people in education or agricultural businesses interviewed the students about their subjects, both their knowledge of their projects and the industry in general. The FFA advisers in the 14-school section reviewed the project books earlier and decided which students would be called in for interviews.
Niemerg said the proficiency competition is one of the few in FFA that lets students win individual awards, so it’s good for members who aren’t “a team person or a contest person.” Having to go through an interview process will help the students regardless of how much success they have in the competition, she also explained.
The top student in each subject area from the sectional advanced to the district competition, though there were some subject areas in which no students participated. Winners at the district will go on to state competition on April 4 and a chance to advance to a national event at the FFA convention Oct. 21-24.
Thirty-one area high school FFA chapter members advanced to next month’s district in “Supervised Agricultural Experience” competition.
CHS had the most students reach the sectional with 12, followed by Altamont and Newton with eight each, Cumberland and Dieterich with three each and one each for Mattoon, Marshall, Neoga and Stewardson-Strasburg.
The sectional winners advanced to the March 18 district.
Monday’s results include:
Agricultural education - first, Victoria Boxrucker, Charleston; second, Cherode Sowers
Agricultural mechanics repair and maintenance - first, Justin Thomas, Charleston
Agricultural sales - Drew Shepherd, Charleston
Agricultural services - first, Adam Helregel, Newton; second, Lance Vonderheide, Neoga; third, Matthew Huels, Altamont
Beef production - first, Jordan Rauch, Newton; second, Lance Beabout, Charleston
Dairy production - first, Cody Voelker, Altamont
Diversified agricultural production - first, Scott Strutner, Newton
Diversified crop production - first, Kendall Ball, Newton; second, Derek Walk, Neoga
Diversified livestock production (entrepreneur) - first, John Lidy, Newton; second, Jacob Sappington, Cumberland; third, Tyler Homann, Charleston
Diversified livestock production (placement) - first, Kyle Zacha, Dietrich
Emerging agricultural technology - first, Seth Woods, Newton
Equine science (entrepreneur) - first, Samantha McClain, Cumberland; second, Amanda Barr, Altamont
Equine science (placement) - first, Jacob Bough, Charleston
Fiber and/or oil crop production - first, Blake Popham, Charleston; second, Jacob Jahraus, Altamont; third, Kenneth Bahl, Newton
Food service - first, Nicole Carlen, Cumberland; second, D.J. Shirley, Mattoon; third, Cody Cox, Charleston
Forage production - first, Josh Hooks, Altamont
Grain production (entrepreneur) - first, Gerhardt Shafer, Charleston
Grain production (placement) - first, Curtis Will, Newton
Home and/or community development - first, Paige Holsapple, Cumberland
Outdoor recreation - first, Renee Phillips, Cumberland
Poultry production - first, Dakota Steber, Newton
Safety - first, Anthony Barnes, Cumberland
Sheep production - first, Kiersten Kasey, Charleston; second, Jessica Woods, Stewardson-Strasburg
Small animal production and care - first, Becky Wilson, Charleston; second, Kim Dohm, Newton
Specialty animal production - first, Kim Dohm, Newton; second, Gretchen Richardson, Charleston
Swine production (entrepreneur) - first, Dominic Ginder, Newton; second, Dalton Cox, Mattoon; third, Kendall Hawkins, Marshall
Swine production (placement) - first, Kyle Kuhns, Altamont; second, Dakota Steber, Newton
Turf grass management - first, Marissa Kautz, Newton; second, Cody Blagg, Charleston; third, Nathan Darling, Cumberland
Vegetable production- first, Lindsay Francis, Dieterich
Wildlife production and management - Cody Miller, Newton
Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 238-6858.
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