The FFA Summer All-Stars are Announced! These members participated in at least seven summer FFA events in 2023. Front, l to r – Clark Lazatin, Kamille Capacia, Camryn Maher, Kenedi Wersal, Ava Kunkel, Ellen Windschitl. Row 2 – Noah Rossbach, Carter Lazatin, Kaytlyn Romberg, Alex Confer, Kyle Capacia, Taylor Berkner, Chloe Howe. Row 3 – Colton Romberg, Robert Romberg, Ari Krzmarzick, Katelyn Tauer, Logan Ludewig, Daniel Armstrong, Lily Kallevig, Lydia Helget. Back – Yaden Stone, Winsten Nienhaus, Kayden Klein, Jaelynn Schauman. Not pictured: Kenley Jensen, Makayla Strong, Santi Martinez, Zack Dominguez, Lucia Martinez, Dallas Brazle, Tim Friton, Noemi Rodriguez, Nolan Weicherding, Isaac Lendt, Marcus Martinez.

The Sleepy Eye FFA chapter would like to recognize a select group of distinguished members who donated much of their time to the Ag. Program and community throughout the summer. These 36 members were named the 2023 Sleepy Eye FFA Summer All-Stars.

In order for these students to become a summer all-star, each student had to attend or participate in at least seven FFA events or activities over the summer months. The summer FFA/Ag. activities included: Summer Ag. Courses (Welding, Cooking, Baking), Region VI Summer Ag.Tour, United Way Backpack Project, Roadside Clean-up, Attending Officer Workshop, Timberland Leadership Camp, Summerfest, County Fair Exhibitor or Kiddy Barn Volunteer, Ohio Exchange Trip, and more.

We truly appreciate all that our members do in the summer to help out at community events and grow as leaders. Members learned many new Ag. skills and were able to participate in many service events throughout the summer. We look forward to another great year for the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter.

Members of the St. Mary’s Homecoming court includes: (front row from left) Junior Attendants Paisley Pelzel and Oliver
Murphy; (middle row:) Alexa Pelzel, Emily Ericksen, Addie Hoffmann, and Jenica Schroepfer; (back row:) Brandon Schmitz,
Hayden Zarn, Jon Petermann and Will Walter. St. Mary’s Homecoming week begins Sunday with Coronation at 7
p.m.

Sleepy Eye FFA wins the Chapter Demonstration Competition at the Minnesota State Fair! Pictured l to r: front- Daniel Armstrong, Chloe Howe, Carter Lazatin, Alex Confer, Noah Rossbach, Andrew Ramos. Back- Kyle Capacia, Marcus Martinez, Antonio Ruiz, Kayden Klein, Mateo Hornsby.

Sleepy Eye FFA had a great Minnesota State Fair with Jasmine Petermann showing this Purebred Holstein Summer Yearling Heifer and earning 1st place in her class.

Sleepy Eye FFA Members earned several Champions at the Minnesota State Fair including: Live Construction Build Off, Crops, and Chapter Demonstration. Pictured here: l to r- Lily Kallevig and Nolan Weicherding (with their champion bench and tools they won), McKenzie Kuschel (MN State FFA Sentinel), and Carter Lazatin (chapter member).

The Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter was once again well represented at the State Fair in 2023. Jasmine Petermann showed livestock at the fair. 11 members participated in the Chapter Demonstration Competition. Over 150 members participated in exhibiting over 700 entries for the Ag. Technology, Ag. Literacy, and Crops Competitions at the Minnesota State Fair.

The Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter earned the first place Premier Chapter Award for the Minnesota State Fair Crop Show with a total of 2164 points. Jackson was awarded 2nd place with 605 points. This was the 14th year that Sleepy Eye has won the Minnesota State Fair Crops Competition in the past 16 years.

The Crop Show Exhibitors earned the following placings:

• Conor Strong was the Champion Organic Exhibitor.
• Top Ten finishers for Overall Individual at the MN State Fair were: Adam Johnson- 4th Place, Isaac Lendt- 6th Place, Winsten Nienhaus- 8th Place, and Caleb Oscarson- 10th Place.
• Top 5 Finishers for First Time Exhibitors at the MN State Fair were:

Caleb Oscarson- 2nd place, Callie Evers- 3rd place, and Braylon Nelson- 4th place.

FFA Chapter Demonstration Competition:

• Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter was the Grand Champion Winner with their Safety Carnival earning a $1000 premium. The eleven members presented farm safety demonstrations for this competition in the Chapter Leadership House and on the Christensen Farms Stage at the Minnesota State Fair.

 FFA Live Ag. Mechanics Competition:

• Lily Kallevig and Nolan Weicherding – Wood Construction Build Off Champions (winning the bench they made and the Milwaukee tool set they used to build it)
• Winsten Nienhaus and Nathan Rathman – 3rd place Wood Construction Build Off

 FFA Dairy: Jasmine Petermann

• Purebred Holstein Winter Heifer Calf – 6th place
• Purebred Holstein Summer Yearling Heifer – 1st place
• Purebred Holstein Winter Senior Yearling Heifer – 2nd place
• Purebred Holstein Best Three Females – 3rd place
• Purebred Holstein Produce of Dam – 1st place
• Contestant in the Dairy Evaluation Contest

FFA Ag. Literacy and Technology (Mechanics) Exhibits:

• Nolan Weicherding – Champion Project
• Other Exhibitors included- Cole Eckstein, Jacob Fulmer, Jony Flores, Yuridia Fernandez, Noemi Rodriguez, Kennedy Braun, Nathan Rathman, Kaleb Butenhoff, Mateo Moreno, Emerson Johnson, Noah Rossbach, Jaelynn Schauman, Emma Weilage, Jacob Mellen, Manuelle Poplow, Gavin Strong, Caleb Suess, Makayla Strong, Jax Como, Gavin Fischer, Jace Schauman, Logan Ludewig, Andrew Ramos
• The chapter placed 2nd overall in the Ag. Literacy Contest.
• The chapter placed 4th overall in the Ag. Technology Contest.

Congratulations to the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter on their accomplishments at the Minnesota State Fair!

FFA Officers plan for the upcoming year! Pictured here: front row- left to right:  Noah Rossbach, Alex Confer, Lily Kallevig, Lucia Martinez, Noemi Rodriguez, Chloe Howe. Back: Jaelynn Schauman, Logan Ludewig, Isaac Lendt, Taylor Berkner, Daniel Armstrong.

Sleepy Eye FFA Officers attended an officer workshop to plan for the upcoming school year and to get to know their fellow officers better. The team, with the help of advisors Ms. Emmett, Mr. Hendrickx, Mrs. Hoffmann and Summer Intern Ms. Carlson-Hughes, covered a lot of business such as officer duties, the chapter’s budget, and team goals.

The 2023-24 Sleepy Eye Officer Team includes: President – Winsten Nienhaus, 1st Vice President – Isaac Lendt, 2nd Vice President – Marcus Martinez, 3rd Vice President – Chloe Howe, Secretary – Izzy Kunkel, Treasurer – Kyle Capacia, Reporter – Alex Confer, Social Media Reporter – Noemi Rodriguez, Student Advisors – Lily Kallevig and Daniel Armstrong, Historians – Taylor Berkner and Jaelynn Schauman, Sentinel – Logan Ludewig, Parliamentarian – Lucia Martinez, and Officer-at-Large – Noah Rossbach. At the workshop, each member chose different activities to help with and organize during the year.

The team chose their goals for the year based on the needs of the chapter. The 2023-24 team goals include:

1- To complete 2200 service hours this year.

2- To have at least 40 high school and 35 junior high members attend their respective chapter meetings.

3- To have 4 officer bonding events and for officers to dress up at every theme meeting.

The team also discussed the new motto for the coming year. The Sleepy Eye FFA motto for this 2023-24 is United We Shine!

The Officer team also reviewed their budget which reminded them of how important sponsors are to the chapters program. It is because of them that our chapter is able to operate and provide such amazing experiences for its members.

The officer team will continue to do community service this year, including cards for nursing home and assisted living residents, Wee deliver PALS with elementary, roadside clean-up, helping with the Weekend Backpack Food Program, and other service events that arise.

Throughout the business-filled meeting, the team did many team building activities and began to understand how to use each of their strengths to work together for a successful year. The officers are extremely excited about what’s in store for the upcoming year and are looking forward to growing as leaders, serving the community, and influencing other chapter members.

Colten Havemeier, Dean’s List
Colten Havemeier, President’s List
Madesen Roberts, Dean’s List