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!

Fall 2023-24

 It's been a while since we updated our post. 

We have been busy this fall!  After the Nebraska State Fair, members attended Husker Harvest Days. They continued to work on welding, projects, plant science and animal science in class. 

In class, Freshmen members learned about the various textures of soil. We also took classes out to a pit that JayDee Janzen dug so that students could see how horizons change in the soil. 

3 officers attended the Connecting Chapters training in McCool Junction. This program helps to teach elementary students where their food comes from.

Freshmen students learned about milk products and had to identify various cheeses. They then were tasked with developing the perfect grilled cheese.

 Classes helped gather apples for Heritage Parks Heritage Days.

 After learning the milk fat %, freshmen were tasked with making versions of ice cream using a variety of different milk fats.

State Fair was busy for several students!

On Oct 4, members competed in District Land Judging, and had a team qualify for state. State was held on Oct 25, in Broken Bow. The 4 that competed at state each received a ribbon earning our team an 8th place finish!  

10 members attended National FFA Convention last week in Indianapolis. They also had the opportunity to take several industry tours which included: a dairy/milk company, a lavender farm, a sausage shop, a tractor museum, a Veterans memorial, a greenhouse supply company, an orchard, a candy factory, a donkey rescue farm, and an apiary. Members also attended a rodeo. 

 Abbott's Candies, in the chocolate room watching caramels get covered in chocolate.

American Tractor Museum in Perryville, MO.

Sampling Cotton Candy flavored milk at Shatto Milk Co. in Osborne, MO

 Quick picture at Four Leaf Honey in Indiana.

 Morning tours are the best at Hummert International learning about the different types of greenhouses.

 After seeing the 16 varieties of lavender at Battlefield Lavender, members went into the drying barn.

 Donkeys are good at taking selfies.

Taking sometime to visit the "Sister Wall" at Missouri National Veterans Memorial in Perryville, MO

 After Opening Session at Lucas Oil Stadium, members roamed through the Expo at the Indiana Convention Center.

 Donkeys really do love getting their picture taken.

 Great seats for the rodeo!

 Learning more about the history and watching the production line at Stonies Sausage Shop in Perryville, MO

 Watching apples get washed and graded at Tuttle Orchard in Indianapolis.

Tomorrow, members compete at District Livestock Judging. The week of Thanksgiving, members will have a Thanksgiving potluck with the FBLA chapter. 

December will bring us the canned food drive, and District Leadership Development Events.