z December Meeting z

The Amanda-Clearcreek FFA chapter had their last monthly meeting on Monday, December 19th at 7:00 P.M. in the Ag Center Building. It was a special meeting because the Greenhand FFA Degree ceremony was held. It was a ceremony where freshmen members received their Greenhand FFA Degree. Freshmen had to have met all requirements to earn this degree. The freshmen who received this degree were: Tyler Altizer, Holt Anderson, Nick Bortz, Jacob Bresler, Alek Doss, Cheyenne Gallant, Codie Garee, Cole Genders, Lara Greenwood, Emmy Hollar, Susan Householder, Shelby Humphreys, Riley Landrum, Nicole Parrish, Johnny Lemaster, Kayla Luft, Caullin Lunsford, Josh Metzon, Maranda Miller, Alex Morgan, Devon Mullen, Dylan Mullen, Wes Owen, Ian Parsley, Ashley Pritchard, Kaylee Reed, Hannah Robinson, Lacy Rose, Sierra Sadler, Blake Salyers, Ariel Smith, Lindsey Smith, Autumn Spencer, Seth Stephenson, Morgan Thompson, Anthony Tisdale, Dylan Wamsley, and Adrian Wymer. Congratulations to all freshmen who earned their Greenhand Degree! Our secretary and District 7 President, Sierra Jepsen, addressed our freshmen members with her speech on striving to do more in the FFA and hold nothing back. Also at the meeting, former member Tyler VanHorn gave a presentation about showing lamas at the Fairfield County Fair. If you are interested, contact Mr.Tilley and he will give you the information you need to get a hold of the VanHorns. Lastly, Ag Challenge was feed bag hold. This is where one boy and one girl from each grade level, holds a 40 pound feed bag until they can’t hold it any longer. The winners of the Ag Challenge were the Seniors! Congratulations Seniors!!!

January Meeting

The next monthly FFA meeting is Tuesday, January 17th at 6:00 P.M. in the Ag Center Building. Members have to stay until after Ag Challenge is done. The Chapter FFA Degree ceremony will be held. This degree is opened to sophomores. In order to receive the degree, members had to achieve all the requirements. The Ag Challenge will be marshmallow stuffing. This is where one boy and one girl from each grade level, stuff as many marshmallows as they can in their mouths. The one with the most marshmallows wins the Ag challenge.

Ag. Breakfast

The next Ag. breakfast is Friday, January 6th at 6:15 A.M. at IHop in Lancaster. This allows the chance for members to eat a good breakfast before school and to enjoy spending time with other FFA members.

Columbus Zoo Trip

The chapter had the opportunity to go on an inaugural trip to the Columbus Zoo on December 16th to see the holiday lights. FFA members had to sell 10 boxes of fruit to be eligible to attend. This trip promotes chapter bonding while participating in an enjoyable activity. FFA members have the chance to buy souvenirs and socialize after eating dinner together on their way to the zoo. The members walked around the zoo visiting the exhibits for a couple hours before heading back to Amanda. Members who attended the trip this year were: Rachel Stoneburner, Sierra Jepsen, Katerina Sharp, Mikala Drake, Katie Krile, Jenna Ferguson, Samantha Parlsey, Nick Brumfield, John Miller, Carrie Stoneburner, Ryan Kelley, Devan Boyer, Andrea Wymer, Travis Ayers, Susan Householder, Nikki Herron, Keegan O’Hare, Austin Stai, Dylan Wamsley, Amber Salyers, Lacy Rhoades, Josh Kempton, Emmy Hollar, Adrain Wymer, Kayla Luft, Janie Queen, Josh Picklesimer, Capitola Picklesimer, and FFA Alumni member Aaron Miller.

Degrees & Awards

All State and American FFA Degree Applications are due by January 23rd . Along with the degrees, Proficiency Award Applications are due too. The State FFA Degree is the highest degree a state association can award a FFA member. The State FFA Degree winners represent the top 2% of the FFA members in the state in a given year. The American FFA Degree is the highest degree a FFA member can bestow. The American FFA Degree winners represent the top 1/2% of the FFA members in the country in a given year. Proficiency awards are based upon a member’s SAE project(s). Applicants must complete and submit their project books and a detailed application. Project books are evaluated for accuracy and neatness while the applications are also evaluated for these factors plus numerous others, such as the description of skills learned, supporting pictures, etc. Currently each February, applications are reviewed for accuracy at the District level and then submitted to the state level for further evaluation and placing. Those applicants deemed to be in the top few (generally the top four) in the state are then interviewed. From these final applicants, three are selected as the top three in the state, receiving their final placing and award plaques at the State FFA Convention in May.

State FFA Officer Leadership Night

The State FFA Officer team is hosting another State FFA Officer Leadership Night on Monday, January 23rd at Zane Trace High School. The leadership night starts at 6:30 P.M. This night allows members the opportunity to bond with fellow FFA members and members within our District, to enhance their FFA knowledge, and to learn how to be a leader in their own FFA chapter. State Officer Leadership Night also allows members to have fun. Members who are interested on going will receive information from Mr. Tilley and Mr. Sharp in class.

Upcoming Contests

Greenhand Quiz CDE

The Greenhand Quiz CDE contest is a contest opened only to freshmen. This contest tests members of their knowledge of the FFA. Some information the freshmen need to know are how the FFA got started, the FFA motto, the writer of the FFA Creed, etc. With numerous freshmen interested in this contest there is a run-off on Friday, January 6th. The State contest is on January 26th at 2:45 P.M. The freshmen who signed up for the contest are: Dylan Mullen, Susan Householder, Cheyenne Gallant, Cole Genders, Dylan Wamsley, Jacob Bresler, Keegan O’Hare, Ian Parsley, Kayla Luft, Johnny Lemaster, Devon Mullen, and Lindsey Smith.

***Those members interested in Agricultural & Industrial Diagnostics, Ag. Sales, Job Interview, and Public Speaking need to sign-up ASAP in Mr. Tilley’s room.

Agricultural & Industrial Diagnostics CDE

The Agricultural & Industrial Diagnostics CDE is an extension of the Agricultural Education classroom and laboratory. Additionally, this CDE serves as an assessment designed to evaluate students knowledge in recognizing and repairing malfunctions in agricultural and/or industrial power equipment. The skills Agricultural Education students employ in this CDE are the same skills required by agricultural and industrial technicians.

Agricultural Sales

Agricultural Sales is the marketing of agricultural products that is key to profitability in today’s competitive economy, and agricultural sales play a major role in the marketing process. Through this CDE, members will save the opportunity to demonstrate skills in sales by participating in a wide range of activities oriented around the total sales process. This contest consists of four people. There will be a run-off on Friday, January 6th.

Job Interview

The Ohio Job Interview CDE is designed for FFA members to practice and demonstrate the skills needed in seeking employment in all areas of agriculture. Each part of this event stimulates real world experience that students will have when seeking employment in the future. One person per grade level is required for this CDE.

Public Speaking

Public Speaking CDE is used to develop agricultural leadership by providing FFA members the opportunity to participate in agricultural public speaking activities. Also one person per area is allowed for this contest. The four Public Speaking areas are the FFA Creed, Extemporaneous, Prepared Speaking, and Beginning Prepared Speaking.

Contest Results

Ag. Communications CDE

Nick Brumfield, Sierra Jepsen, and Alex Norris competed in the State Ag. Communications CDE contest on Saturday, December 3rd at the Ohio State University. They ended up winning the State contest, while individually, Nick placed 2nd, Sierra 3rd, and Alex placed 5th. This the 7th year that Ag. Communications CDE teams have won the State contest! These three will be heading to compete in the National Ag. Communications CDE contest at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana in the fall. Congratulations and best of luck at Nationals Nick, Sierra, and Alex!