Annual FFA Banquet Held
by Taylor Rowley
May 01, 2008
The FFA chapter at Pierce High held their annual banquet on Friday, April 18. The senior chapter officers for 2007-2008 were president, Derek Oestreich; vice president, Kyle Wiedenfeld; secretary, Shana McKeown; treasurer, Willie Wragge; reporter, Melanie Bernhardt; sentinel, Isaiah Fisher; and parliamentarian, Chelsea Asmus. The junior chapter officers were Jacob Siedschlag and Casey Asmus.
The banquet started when Melanie Bernhardt gave the invocation. After the invocation Isaiah Fisher, Jacob Siedschlag, and Casey Asmus directed the crowd to food provided by Dee’s Delites.
After dinner the ceremony started with Isaiah Fisher gave the welcome. Brian Oestreich, father of current president Derek Oestreich, gave the response from the community to the FFA chapter. Oestreich asked FFA sponsor Mrs. Jodi Borchers to stand and then gave a speech in tribute to Borchers. He said that few people can imagine the many hours and the dedication Borchers gives to the FFA and its members. Then he asked the members to stand, and he announced that these young people will be leaders in the community and beyond, partly because of the training and experience they have gained from FFA.
Kyle Wiedenfeld then introduced the guest speaker, Miss Jill Lander, who has recently retired as the 2007-2008 Nebraska State FFA vice president and is attending the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and majoring in ag education. Lander challenged the members to make things happen, to be proactive and responsible.
Willie Wragge presented the honorary chapter FFA degree to the parents of the senior members. Melanie Bernhardt presented the community service award to Ute Bernhardt. Chelsea Asmus presented the Dekalb Achievement Award to senior Shana McKeown.
The Greenhand degree is awarded for dedicating one year to the Pierce FFA Chapter. The recipients of this award were: Cody Schulz, Cortney Koepke, Brady Bretschneider, Megan Herbolsheimer, Shane Asmus, and Luke Mattson. An FFA chapter degree was given to members with two years of dedication. These members were Casey Asmus, Chelsea Asmus, Melanie Bernhardt, Ben Geiger, and Derek Wiedenfeld.
Chelsea Asmus presented the FFA awards for scholarship in their respective classes to freshman, Brady Bretschneider; sophomore, Derek Wiedenfeld; junior, Willie Wragge; and senior, Shana McKeown.
Willie Wragge presented the awards from National FFA Week. This year the FFA chapter held a junker vehicle contest during National FFA week. The trophy for owning the most beat-up pickup or car went to Jacob Siedschlag, and Derek Oestreich received second place.
Melanie Bernhardt presented the Outstanding FFA Chairperson plaque to Derek Oestreich. Some of Derek’s committee’s accomplishments included the planning of activities for National FFA Week. The week included the Farmer Olympics to celebrate reaching the club’s donation goal for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The Golden Apple Award went to Hayleigh Harrod for showing dedication to fund-raising. Hayleigh was the club’s best salesperson in the fruit sales. Shana McKeown presented the award.
Every year the Pierce FFA participates in Leadership Skills Events and Career Development events. Receiving reds in the contest this past December were Cody Schulz in creed speaking; Cortney Koepke in extemporaneous speaking; and Willie Wragge in cooperative speaking. Receiving blues were Shana McKeown in job interview, and the team of Jacob Siedschlag, Willie Wragge, and Derek Oestreich in agricultural demonstration.
The live stock judgers placed in the top ten at districts.
Melanie Bernhardt received a blue ribbon. Shane Asmus placed ninth and received a blue ribbon. Derek Wiedenfeld placed fourth and received a purple ribbon. Casey Asmus also received a purple ribbon and won the junior livestock judging contest. Casey went on to receive a blue at state at the state livestock judging contest.
Kyle Wiedenfeld presented the proficiency awards. Shana McKeown received gold in Equine Science and Agricultural Production. Derek Oestreich brought home the gold for Diversified Crop Production and Sheep Production. Jacob Siedschlag earned gold for Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance. Adam Venteicher received gold in Beef Production and Diversified Agricultural Production. Students who earned silver were Chelsea Asmus for Floriculture, Melanie Bernhardt for Equine Science, Bryce Eckstrom for Swine. Isaiah Fisher received silver in both Beef Production and Diversified Crop Production. Oestreich also earned silver in Beef Production. Jordan Polt got silver for Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance. Cody Schulz and Derek Wiedenfeld both received silver in Beef Production. Bronze winners were Casey Asmus, Shane Asmus, and Melanie Bernhardt for Beef Production. Benjamin Geiger earned bronze in Agricultural Services, and William Wragge earned bronze in Turf Grass Management.
Siedschlag, McKeown, Oestreich, and Venteicher scored in the top three at districts with their proficiency applications and competed at state, where Siedschlag and McKeown earned silver medals and Oestreich and Venteicher won two gold medals each. Venteicher qualified for nationals with his first-place gold in fiber and oil crop production.
Isaiah Fisher presented the FFA Alumni Scholarship to Shana McKeown. Kyle Wiedenfeld recognized the outstanding leadership point earners. The winners were freshman Cody Schulz; sophomore Melanie Bernhardt; junior Hayleigh Harrod, and senior, Tony Craft. The winner of the chapter leadership points award went to Hayleigh Harrod with a point total of 393. Willie Wragge presented two special awards to Shana McKeown and Kyle Wiedenfeld. These two received this award because of their time and effort dedicated over the past four years to the FFA Chapter of Pierce High.
The FFA thanked alumni members Dallas Oestreich, Brian Oestreich, Bill Wragge, Travis Weinrich, and Adam Venteicher, who volunteered their services to be auctioned at the annual work-a-day auction and donated over $500 to the FFA scholarship fund.
Kyle Wiedenfeld then presented a highlight video he had made to show the chapter’s accomplishments.
FFA’s newly elected officers learned of their election at this meeting. Presiding over the club for the 2008-2009 school year will be Derek Oestreich in his second term as president. Willie Wragge will be vice president; Cody Schulz, secretary; Isaiah Fisher, treasurer; Jacob Siedschlag, parliamentarian; Chelsea Asmus, sentinel, and Melanie Bernhardt, news reporter. Junior officers are Casey Asmus, Hayleigh Harrod, and Jordan Polt.
