Sleepy Eye FFA Officers made plans for upcoming events at the Mid-winter Officer Workshop on January 23rd. Pictured left to right: front- Nayzeth Luna (Historian), Maddi Helget (Secretary), Gracie Sellner (Student Advisor), Presley Bauer (Student Advisor), Katelyn Capacia (Reporter), and Miah Brown (Officer at Large). Back- Carmen Lendt (Reporter), McKenna Dockter (1st Vice President), Adam Johnson (Treasurer), Alex Joramo (Sentinel), Leisha Martinez (Historian), and Morgan Hoffmann (President). Not pictured: Brennen Meyer (2nd Vice President).

By: Katelyn Capacia, Chapter Reporter

The Sleepy Eye FFA officers attended a Mid-Winter Workshop on January 23rd along with advisors Mary Hoffmann, Adam Manderfeld, and Hunter Manderfeld.

During the workshop, officers reflected on their year in office so far and the goals they had set over this past summer. The officer team then focused on what still needs to be accomplished this year and what each officer’s responsibilities were.

The team also planned FFA week, which is the busiest time of the year for FFA. This week is packed full of FFA activities such as dress-up days, emblem hunts, bowling trips, and coloring contests.

The FFA Officer Team also got to do some fun officer bonding activities such as making lunch together and other teamwork games.

Planning for the February FFA meetings took place at the retreat as well. The day finished off with the team looking at the National Chapter Award application, choosing events to fit the categories of Growing Leaders, Building Communities, and Strengthening Agriculture, and officers volunteering to help with the application.

The FFA Officer Team is definitely ready for the rest of their year of service to the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter providing fantastic activities for the 7-12th grade members as well as the community!

Sleepy Eye Ag. Teacher, Mary Hoffmann, recognized at the Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators Ag. Technology Conference as the Region VI Outstanding Ag. Teacher.

Mary Hoffmann and Adam and Hunter Manderfeld, Sleepy Eye Public School Ag. Teachers, attended the Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators (MAAE) Ag. Technology Conference Virtually Jan. 14-16, 2021.  This conference included attending professional development workshops, an exchange of ideas competition, award winner recognition, and updates from all major partners in Team Ag. Ed.

Hoffmann led two community building activities as part of her duties on the State Teach Ag Results Committee and presented to the FAST (Future Agriscience Teachers) Group as well as the TIP (Teacher Induction Program) group throughout the week.

Hoffmann was named the Region VI Outstanding Ag. Teacher and will be competing against the other region winners for the State Award this summer.

Mrs. Hoffmann and Mrs. Manderfeld both participated in the Exchange of Ideas Competition. Hoffmann earned 1^st place in the Ag. Production category with her Jr. High Crops Matching Activity and 2^nd place in the Natural Resources category with her Photosynthesis and Respiration Model Activity. Manderfeld earned 2^nd place in the Food Science category with her Intro. to Food Science Agriscience Notebooks Lessons.

All attended the conference to participate in the professional development workshops, learn from the stakeholders in Agricultural Education, network with over 190 Ag. teachers from around the state of Minnesota, and hear updates to stay informed on legislative efforts for agricultural education as well as programs from the Minnesota Department of Education.

Sleepy Eye High School has named twins Kadon and McKenna Strong as their 2020-2021 school-year Triple A Award Winners.

Triple A recognizes and honors high school seniors who have excelled in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in the fine arts.

Sponsored by 

Sleepy Eye Fish and Wildlife Team Qualifies for State! Pictured l to r – Abigail Hornsby, Jake Price, Wyatt Barnes, and Jacob Schultz.

Sleepy Eye FFA chapter members competed in two Career Development Events (CDE’s) for the Region VI Virtual Contests on January 13 and 14, 2021.

The Fish & Wildlife competitors included: Abigail Hornsby, Jacob Schultz, Jake Price, and Wyatt Barnes. The Fish & Wildlife contest consists of three parts: identification (mammals, fish, birds, insects, reptiles/amphibians), a knowledge test, and a current events activity on species of special concern. Abi Hornsby was the top scorer on the team and was the 15^th place individual overall. The team placed 7^th and qualified for state.

For the Vet Science CDE, Miah Brown, Syarrah Timms, Macey Ludewig, and Sam Timms competed. The Vet Science team members were tested on their knowledge of common pets, pet health, vet science terms & skills, and animal anatomy. An identification of different species including: dogs, cats, birds, fish, rabbits, and other animals kept as pets is also a large part of the contest. Miah Brown was the top scorer on the team.

Sleepy Eye FFA is proud to have these students work hard and excel at contests in a virtual world. Congratulations to all of the team members!

By: Carmen Lendt, FFA Reporter

Officer of the Month 

Maddi Helget is in 11th grade and has been in FFA for five years. This year she is Secretary for the FFA Officer Team. She originally joined FFA to learn more about agriculture and farming, but now she is in it to engage with everyone and try to get more people to join as well as meeting new people and having cool experiences. She likes being Secretary because she can keep track of activities and meeting attendance. Maddi is on the Soils CDE Team and she likes learning about different textures and depths of the soil as well as different erosions. Her favorite part of FFA is going to State and National Conventions. She is most looking forward to learning more on the Soils CDE team and going to state. By being in an Ag class, Maddi has learned that FFA is not just farming, it’s about how farming affects our economy and where almost all of our food comes from and how much farming impacts us. She has won 1st at Regions for Poultry, 1st at the U of M Invitational for Poultry, 1st and 2nd place at State for Poultry, and 7th at Regions for Soils.

Member of the Month 

Nathan Rathman is in 9th grade and has been in FFA for three years. He joined FFA because he likes agriculture and wanted to try new things. He is on the Soils CDE team and he likes this team because they get to learn about different types of soil and learn how to judge them. For his SAE project, he works in his fields and around his farm including chopping stalks. His favorite FFA activity is the fun nights. Nathan is really looking forward to taking a welding class in the future. By being in FFA he has learned how to judge soils. Nathan is very proud of his awards for selling a lot of fruit.

Member of the Month 

Abby Ring is in 12th grade and has been in FFA for five years. She joined because she really wanted to learn more about FFA. Her favorite activity in FFA is the fruit sales and she really enjoys making crop samples for the Crop Show and fairs. Abby is really looking forward to a great year and meeting new people. Something she has learned by being in FFA is how to help others out. Abby’s biggest awards in FFA are earning 2nd place for selling so many boxes of fruit last year and 1^st place this year.

Member of the Month 

Jade Sellner is in 10th grade and this is her fourth year in FFA. She joined FFA because agriculture has always been interesting to her and a big part of her life so she was glad to join. She likes being on the Ag. Sales CDE team because of the communication skills she gains and because it takes her out of her comfort zone. Her SAE this year was helping harvest and sell pumpkins from her family’s pumpkin patch. Her favorite FFA activities are the barn dance and lock in. Jade is really looking forward to trying different activities and the theme meetings. She has gained leadership skills, as well as things about agriculture that she didn’t know before. She appreciates the skills she has gained from her Agricultural classes that will use in jobs she may have in the future. Jade has won many Crop Show Ribbons and Awards, and has been a Top Seller in the FFA Fruit Sales Fundraiser.

Eighteen Members of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter were selected to receive their very own FFA jackets from the Blue Jackets Bright Futures Programs. Pictured l to r, top row – Victoria Poplow, Presley Dockter, Noah Rossbach, Jake Price, Samantha Ulrich. Middle row – Delores Wold, Dallas Brazle, Alex Confer, Holly Sellner, Jaelynn Schauman. Bottom row – Jasmine Petermann, Alexys Odegard, Antonio Ruiz, Hana Zeig, and Bryson Dolly. Not pictured: Brandon Flores, Carter Swenstad, Sophie Kyllonen.

 The Minnesota FFA Foundation is pleased to announce the presentation of the official FFA jacket to members of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter.  18 members have been selected to receive their own jacket!

As Minnesota FFA welcomes thousands of young people into membership, the Minnesota FFA Foundation has announced the recipients of the Blue Jacket Bright Futures program.  The program provides sponsored FFA jackets to Minnesota youth who are starting their FFA career.  This is the eighth year the Minnesota FFA Foundation has offered the program.   “The Blue Jackets Bright Future program is a valuable program providing students with an FFA jacket to support their FFA involvement. A personalized FFA jacket provides recipients with a sense of pride while giving them ownership of their FFA experiences, said Lavyne Rada, Minnesota FFA Association Leadership Development Coordinator.  “FFA plays an important role in developing agricultural and leadership skills in students while preparing them for their future careers.”

“The jacket is a symbol of tradition and pride for those who have worn the official FFA jacket.  Many past members have sponsored jackets, but it’s not uncommon for individuals and companies to sponsor jackets because they appreciate what the organization does to develop young leaders,” says Val Aarsvold, Minnesota FFA Foundation Executive Director.

The Minnesota FFA Foundation wishes to thank the sponsors of the Blue Jackets Bright Futures program this year. The sponsors of this program are what make it possible for our FFA students to have a successful experience with FFA!  Thank you for making a difference in the lives of a student.

For more information about the Minnesota FFA Foundation’s Blue Jacket Bright Futures program, contact Program Coordinator, Amanda Sommers, at 507-461-2214 or visit our website at www.mnffafoundation.org .

The Minnesota FFA Foundation partners with individuals and businesses to provide resources that promote and enhance premier leadership, personal growth and career success for Minnesota youth in Agricultural Education.

FFA Members, Advisors, and Friends get ready for the People Parade for the nursing homes. Participants included: Alex Confer, Abi Hornsby, Winsten Nienhaus, Nayzeth Luna, Leisha Martinez, Brooke Arneson, Priscilla Martinez, McKenna Dockter, Isaac, Charlie, William, Grace & Carmen Lendt, and Morgan Hoffmann.

We stopped for a quick chat with one of the residents at Countryside during our FFA People Parade! We lifted the resident’s spirit as she lifted ours!

On Monday, December 21, 2020, Sleepy Eye FFA members, friends, and advisors, did a people Parade at the Sleepy Eye Care Center, Countryside, Divine, and Lake Villa. Mrs. Hoffmann was trying to find a way to spread holiday cheer because the Bingo activities the FFA chapter typically does were unable to be held this year.

Since the FFA members have been painting windows at the Care Center and Countryside, and sometimes residents watch through the windows, having members walk around the outside of the facilities seemed to be the only way to have an event this Christmas. Mrs. Manderfeld made the signs while Mrs. Hoffmann handed out decorations for the students to wear including: light up necklaces and headbands, garland, and Santa hats.

After taking a group photo, the parade began. As we walked around all sides of the Care Center playing and singing Christmas music, we found one room with birthday balloons. The group stopped to sing a loud happy birthday song to the resident through the window before moving on their way! Tears of joy ran down her cheek at the sight and sounds of the FFA members.

Later, members stopped a couple of times as residents of Countryside cracked their doors open to chat with the students outside. They expressed their thanks for the kids coming out in the cold to spread holiday cheer. One resident even said how much she loved us!

Then across town we went to Divine and Lake Villa. The highlight of this part of the parade was ladies blowing kisses to us as we waved through the windows! It was a really chilly night, but the residents at all of the facilities warmed our hearts as they wove back, blew kisses, and said thank you for coming!

Thank you so much to activity directors/staff at the facilities for working with the FFA to coordinate the timing of the event- Shelly Rae Zinniel, Nancy Windschitl, and Denise Lienig.  FFA members also made cards that were dropped off for the residents along with wrapped ornaments.

The FFA People Parade was a great way to spread holiday cheer to all nursing home and assisted living residents in the year of 2020!