Meyersdale FFA honors members at annual banquet

The Daily American
·4 min read

The Meyersdale FFA hosted their annual Parent and Member Banquet on April 28. This year marks the 87th year of this Future Farmers of America event designed to honor members for their outstanding work and achievements in agriculture.

Chapter President Alexia Laws served as the emcee for the event. Chaplain Hannah Emereick offered the invocation. Trevor Donaldson, second vice president, offered a welcome to special guests, including Pennsylvania state Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, Somerset County Commissioner Gerald Walker and Pennsylvania FFA State Reporter Trevor Maxwell. James Kretchman provided the recitation of the FFA Creed.

Chapter officers presented the following awards and certificates to members.

  • 2021-2022 Chapter Sweetheart — Alexia Laws.

  • County Fall Skills Contest — Horse Judging: Carrie Engle, Karaha Snyder, Jozie Booher, Natalie Trowbridge, Ella Brant, Autumn Baker and Faith Decker; Small Gas Engines: Jesse Miller and Brayden VanBogelen; Wildlife: Evan Knotts, Aidan Mosholder and Christine Wise; FFA Knowledge: Bailey Knotts, Bridgette Beal and Trevor Donaldson.

  • County Spring Skills Contests — Livestock Judging: Bridgette Beal, Ella Brant, Carrie Engle, Maddie Engle, Addisyn Hetz, Christopher Engle, Jozie Booher, Alexis Mostoller, Karaha Snyder, Faith Decker and Trevor Donaldson; Forestry: Jesse Miller, Evan Knotts and Caleb Snyder; Interview: Bailey Knotts and James Kretchman; and Dairy Judging: Aidan Mosholder.

  • County and regional public speaking contests — Extemporaneous Public Speaking Contest: Jesse Miller; Creed Speaking Contest: James Kretchman; and Jr. Prepared Public Speaking Contest: Bailey Knotts.

  • Scholarship awards — Eighth Grade: Autumn Baker, Carrie Engle, Christopher Engle, Aidan Mosholder and Natalie Trowbridge; Ninth Grade: Bailey Knotts and James Kretchman; 10th Grade: Alexis Mostoller; 11th Grade: Emily Beal and Hannah Emerick; and 12th Grade: Jozie Booher, Faith Decker, Alexia Laws, Lydia Renzi and Karaha Snyder;

  • Discovery Degrees — (eighth-grade members who were enrolled in an agricultural course and have an awareness of agricultural opportunities) Evan Knotts, Caleb Snyder, Aidan Mosholder, Christopher Engle, Carrie Engle, Estella Friend, Ella Brant, Natalie Trowbridge, Christine Wise and Autumn Baker.

  • Star Discovery Award — (Discovery Degree recipient who has joined the FFA this year and showed FFA enthusiasm and participated in various activities throughout the year) Estella Friend.

  • Greenhand Degrees — (ninth graders or first-year members who have satisfactory plans for a supervised agricultural experience program) James Kretchman, Brayden VanBogelen, Jesse Miller, Bailey Knotts, Bridgette Beal, Georgia Mazzaferro and Mayson Christner.

  • Star Greenhand Award — (Greenhand degree recipient that has proven to have that FFA spirit and dedication to the chapter) Bailey Knotts.

  • Chapter FFA Degree to FFA — (members who have satisfactorily completed at least 180 hours of systematic school instruction in agricultural education; students must have earned, by their own efforts, from their supervised agricultural experience program, and deposited in a bank or otherwise productively invested at least $150 or worked 45 hours in the supervised agricultural experience program) Maddie Engle, Alexis Mostoller and Addisyn Hetz.

  • Star Chapter Farmer — (Chapter degree recipient that has done his or her share above and beyond the call of duty this past year) Addisyn Hetz.

  • Keystone Degrees — Alexia Laws, Trevor Donaldson, Cathleen Deal, Karaha Snyder and Faith Decker.

  • Dekalb Award — (given to a senior who had excelled in the agriculture program and SAE projects since they began in FFA; seniors are evaluated in three categories: scholarship, leadership and agricultural work experience) Alexia Laws.

During the program, all of the current officers were recognized for their work and dedication to this program: Hannah Emerick, chaplain; Madison Dively, parliamentarian; Maddie Engle, reporter; Addisyn, sentinel; Alexis Mostoller, historian; and Emily Beal, treasurer. The following retiring officers and seniors were recognized: Jozie Booher, student advisor; Karaha Snyder, secretary; Trevor Donaldson, second vice president; Lydia Renzi, vice president; and Alexia Laws, president.

Patti Shaulis was presented with an Honorary Membership to the Meyersdale FFA for her “help to advance agriculture education and the FFA, and who have rendered outstanding service."

Shaulis is the high school secretary. She has helped the chapter for many years by taking care of the chapter account, making deposits and paying bills. Shaulis has been an asset to the chapter for more than 15 years.

The keynote speaker for the banquet was 2021-2022 State FFA Reporter Trevor Maxwell. Maxwell is a member of the McGuffey FFA Chapter.

The evening concluded with door prizes. This year’s door prizes were flowers grown by members in the district’s greenhouse.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Meyersdale Pa. High School FFA hosts annual parent and member banquet