Pierce FFA Excels at State
By Skylar Scholting
From April 3-5 many students were absent from school due to qualifying for the state FFA convention held in Lincoln.
Among the qualifying students from Pierce were Brayden Kuper, Keyston Pfanstiel, Bailee Thelen, and Lucas Scrivner for the meats evaluation career development event (CDE); the floriculture CDE team consisting of Addison Willer, Veronica Orona, Alexis Sporleder, and Ashley Wacker; Korvin Fritz, Trever Montgomery, Tristan Unseld, and Camden Jensen made up the welding CDE team; the ag mechanics and technology team including Clay White, Bergin Gossman, T. Unseld, and Boston Krueger.
Other qualifiers included Brody Knox, Sporleder, Montgomery, and Orona for the environmental natural resources CDE; Cayden Holan, Willer, Thelen, and White were a part of the junior livestock evaluation leadership development event (LDE); the senior livestock evaluation LDE consisted of Seth Nelsen, Montgomery, Taydym Koch, and Kaylee Olson; for ag demonstration Wyatt and Weston Stemick qualified. The junior prepared public speaking qualifier was Thelen. Eleanor Bauermiester qualified in ag literacy speaking, Isabelle Streff went for creed speaking, and We. Stemick was a proficiency award finalist.
Nelsen states, “I love being part of FFA because of all the memories I have made and experiences I have gained for later in life. It’s also nice that you can get scholarships for the events you compete in.”
Throughout the week the students competed in their events, and went to career expos, leadership workshops, and other sessions held by each state officer.
Pierce not only sent many students to compete, but they also had many qualifiers bring home some hardware. We. Stemick placed second in ag services proficiency, Wy. and We. Stemick placed fifth in ag demonstration, Bauermeister got silver in ag literacy speaking, Streff won a bronze placing in creed speaking, and the ag technology and mechanics team – consisting of Gossman, Krueger, White, and Unseld – placed 12th. Additionally, Montgomery and Wacker received their State Degree.
FFA will wrap up their year with their banquet on April 20.
