Spring 2024 Happenings

 How does time always fly by?

In January members worked on updating record books, filling out proficiency applications and working on their State Degree applications.  We had 3 seniors apply for their State Degrees: Allie Boehr, Andrew Franz, and Ben Janzen. Ben also applied for a State Star Production award.  The interviews for the degrees and State Star happened at the beginning of February.

Though all sophomores, juniors, and seniors that are in an ag class were required to work on a proficiency application, not everyone completed the application. Completed applications were judged at the District level at the beginning of February. Results for the District Proficiency Award are as follows: gold state include Blake Goertzen for Swine Production Entrepreneurship, Allie Boehr for Hospitality, Restaurant, Tourism Management, Ben Janzen for Forage Production, and Thane Wetjen for Specialty Animal Production. Andrew Franz received gold for Diversified Crop Production. Receivers of silver include Zach Miller for Beef Production Placement, Braden Janzen for Diversified Ag Production Placement, Lane Farrall for Diversified Crop Production, Cash Parrish for Goat Production, and Katrinamarie Epp for Home and Occupational Safety. Receiving bronze for their proficiency award includes Weston Panko for Beef Production Placement and Grace Splinter for Home and Occupational Safety.

At the end of February, the Heartland FFA participated in a variety of National FFA Week activities that each class planned and prepared. They also competed in District CDE contests at Central Community College in Grand Island.

In March, we hosted our annual Barnyard for the Elementary students. It was a nice day. We invited the UNL Bee Lab, the York County Farm Bureau, and Central Valley Ag to set up some displays for students.

Weston made a friend!

Emma visited at just the right time to bottle feed some lambs!

Maddie Janzen enjoying her time in the sun.

Obligatory Goat picture with Allie and Emersyn!

CVA doing a chemical safety demonstration.

UNL Bee Lab talking about bees.

Thankful to have York County Farm Bureau members spend the day with us to help inform kids about where their food comes from!

We also held our first Shop Party. Thanks for the Heartland FFA Booster Club. This event couldn't have happened without the classes cleaning the shop, and the work that the Boosters did. We invited Farmer Derrick to be a guest speaker.  All members were to provide something for a Silent Auction. It was a great night with a hamburger feed and ice cream!  Though, we did have quite a bit of ice to end the night!

This year we did the Silent Auction in the Classroom

Ben is introducing Farmer Derrick!

After Easter, we went straight to State Convention. We had several members participate in Courtesy Corp. Zach Miller, Ben Janzen, Hayden Powers, and KatrinaMarie Epp participated in the Honor Choir. Several members participated in a Leadership Academy, while others participated in a community service project. Ben Janzen and Allie Boehr were selected as Proficiency Award Finalist, and Ben was selected as a top 24 finalist in the State Star Award area...top 4 for Star in Production. Ben won his Forage Production Proficiency and Allie received 3rd place for Hospitality, Restaurant, and Tourism Management.  Emma Ott competed at State for Creed speaking and received a Silver medal. We had 3 CDE teams compete: Food Science, Agriscience, and Junior Livestock Judging. It was a great convention!

State Degrees in hand.

State Star in Ag Production Finalist

Junior Livestock Judging Team

Allie and Ben after finding their placings for Proficiency Awards

Early morning Food Science picture.

After State Convention comes officer interviews and our annual Banquet. We were so thankful for all that were able to attend the banquet. And we loved having it in the gym this year!!!

2023-2024 Members

Junior Class FFA members

2023-2024 Officers

Seniors!

Freshmen

Sophomores

Dessert table

President's Parents Address

2024-2025 Officer Team.

There were just a few things that needed to happen before the Seniors checked out forever!  Freshmen Greenhands needed to add to our signature wall. And Seniors State Degree Recipients needed to add their Star to their Greenhand! Love this tradition!

Ben adding his star!

Maddie Janzen putting her hand on the wall.

David Hiebner getting ready to make his mark.

Emma was able to find a spot next to her brothers!

Miles Kliewer adding his hand to our wall!

Ending 2023

 Today is our last day of school for 2023. As we complete the first semester, and enter into the Holiday season or New Years, we wanted to reflect over the last two months.

In November 35 of our members competed in livestock judging. This year they saw market hogs, market lambs, breeding ewes, breeding does, market goats, breeding bulls, market cattle, and a keep/cull heifer class. The state decided to get rid of the written test and questions over classes, so our district did as well. Members still had give oral reasons. The junior competitors (Freshmen and Sophomores) qualified for state by placing 3rd as a team.  Members that will represent our chapter are: Kaleb Ostrander, Brayden Ogorzolka, Maddie Janzen, and Miles Kliewer.  They will compete at State in April.

Before Thanksgiving, members had a Thanksgiving meal and dodgeball tournament. Members of both FFA and FBLA had a potluck meal to enjoy some fellowship.  After the meal, they headed to the gym to participate in the annual Dodgeball tournament. 

Each class brings an assigned dish to share. Seniors brought desserts, Juniors and Sophomores brought sides, and Freshmen are in charge of the main dish.

After eating, FFA and FBLA members head to the gym for an annual dodgeball tournament.

Winners!

In December, members had a Christmas party and participated in the annual Can Caroling.  Can caroling is an event that was started several years ago. Members in FFA, NHS, and FBLA walk through the Bradshaw and Henderson communities caroling at homes and asking for a donation for the annual food drive that the school hosts. Throughout the month, members also took turns collecting donations from elementary, junior high and high school classrooms.

After caroling, members had to sort the food into various categories (protein, soups, crackers, vegetables, etc.

Members went door to door in both the Henderson and Bradshaw communities caroling and asking for food donations.

On December 13, members competed in the District Leadership Development Events. Ben Janzen, a senior, wrote a Senior Public Speaking event speech over Greeneye Technology. A new precision agriculture technology. He received a red ribbon. Lexi Inglsbee, and sophomore, wrote a speech for Junior Public Speaking about raising hogs. She received a blue ribbon. Allie Boehr, a senior, and Katrina Epp, a junior, did an agriculture demonstration on if the Incredible Egg was Edible.  They received a blue ribbon. Maddie Janzen and Emma Ott, both freshmen, competed in Creed Speaking. Maddie received a red ribbon. Emma won 1st place and will compete at State in April!  Thane Wetjen and Zach Miller, both juniors, competed in Employment Skills.  Both boys received a blue ribbon.  The Officer team competed in Parli Procedure. They received a red ribbon. Members of the team are Ben Janzen, Madison Mason, Blake Goertzen, Zach Miller, Sam Quiring, and Thane Wetjen.  The freshmen competed in Conduct of Chapter Meetings and received a red ribbon. Team members were Maddie Janzen, Emma Ott, Nevada Gloystein, Amanda Goertzen, Colby Frisbie, Kinsley Friesen, and David Hiebner. 

Allie and Katrina with their blue ribbon

Freshmen CCM team.

Creed speakers, Emma and Maddie

Senior Pali Team, made up of officers.

Allie Boehr went to read to Mrs. Naber's 3rd grade class, as part of the Connecting Chapters program. This is a program through the Nebraska Farm Bureau that allows FFA members to work with elementary students to help teach them where their food is coming from.

Ag classes also were able to learn more about precision farming from Courtney Nelson from Northeast Community College. Each class talked about something different, but learned various erosion control methods, drone technology, and soil data collection.

Creighton and Jace work together to program their drone before it takes flight.

Several classes worked on developing the best management technique for erosion control.

After programing the drones, students were able to fly the drones in their patterns. Then were giving the ability to free fly the drone.

We all are ready for a much needed break and are hoping that you have a restful and happy Holiday season!