October 2020 Students of the Month Sleepy Eye Elementary School

By: Katelyn Capacia, Chapter Reporter

Member of the Month

Victoria Poplow is an eleventh grader at Sleepy Eye Public School and has been in FFA for two years. She joined FFA because she wanted to join more school activities. Victoria just joined the Milk Quality CDE Team this year. Victoria’s SAE is her placement in caretaking of residents at the Sleepy Eye Care Center. Her favorite FFA activity is the meetings. Victoria is looking forward to her involvement with the Milk Quality CDE. She’s excited for this new opportunity. By being in FFA and Ag. Class, she learned more about animals. Victoria is most proud of her Greenhand FFA Degree.

Member of the Month

Isaac Lendt is a ninth grader at Sleepy Eye Public School and has been in FFA for three years. He joined FFA for the experiences and opportunities it has to offer. Isaac is also a member of the Junior Officer Team serving as Reporter. He is on the Poultry CDE Team and he likes it because he enjoys to compete. Isaac’s SAE is raising pigs and cattle for meat production. His favorite FFA activity is CDE competitions. Isaac is most looking forward to going to State and National Convention in the future. By being in FFA, he learned more about how to take records. Isaac is most proud of being on a first place team and placing first individually at Regions for the Poultry CDE.

Member of the Month

Macey Ludewig is an eleventh grader at St. Mary’s School and this is her first year in FFA. She joined FFA because she wanted to experience new things and it sounded fun. Macey is on the Vet Science CDE. She wants to study to become a Vet Tech after high school so she thought the team would help her in college. Her favorite FFA activity was the Drive-In Movie. Macey is looking forward to participating on a CDE team for the first time. By being in FFA, she learned about new responsibilities and how to be a leader. She has also gained experience and learned to become more outgoing. She is most proud of becoming FFA Member of the Month.

Officer of the Month

Katelyn Capacia is an eleventh grader at Sleepy Eye Public School and has been in FFA for three years. She joined FFA because she wanted to see what opportunities FFA has to offer. Katelyn is the Reporter for the Sleepy Eye Officer Team. By being on the Officer Team, she likes being able to write articles for everyone to view. Katelyn is on the Milk Quality CDE and she enjoys trying the different cheeses there are. Her favorite FFA activity is going to State and National Convention. Katelyn is looking forward to seeing many new faces in FFA. She learned that there are many different careers in Agriculture you can choose from by being in an Ag. class. Katelyn is most proud of receiving the Phoenix Award.

Marcus Martinez and Kyle Capacia stepped into action to help out with the lights set up.

Hayden and Hana Zeig volunteered for FFA to help out with the Holiday Lights in Motion set up at Sportsman’s park.

This FFA Officer Crew painted windows on Saturday at the Sleepy Eye Care Center and Countryside. Pictured l to r – Leisha Martinez, Morgan Hoffmann, McKenna Dockter, Nayzeth Luna, and Katelyn Capacia.

17 FFA members practiced the Living to Serve line of the FFA Motto this past weekend as they participated in two community service projects. Some of these members were doing double duty as members of the Sleepy Eye YES Team.

The first was a chance to help out at Sportsman’s Park as members and Mr. Manderfeld volunteered for the Holiday Lights in Motion set up. There will be more set up days to come and any community member is invited to volunteer! Each Saturday & Sunday thru November 22, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Other members and Mrs. Hoffmann answered the call by the Sleepy Eye Care Center and Countryside to paint fall settings on the windows of the two buildings. President Morgan Hoffmann states, “It was a great way to brighten the days of others and we are always happy to help with whatever the community needs!”

Members who participated in one or both of the events included: Brooke Arneson, Presley Bauer, Dallas Brazle, Miah Brown, Katelyn Capacia, Kyle Capacia, McKenna Dockter, Morgan Hoffmann, Lydia Huiras, Nayzeth Luna, Leisha Martinez, Marcus Martinez, Hailey Meinert, McKenna Strong, Kaydince Thoms, Hayden Zeig, and Hana Zeig.

Thank you to all who are helping out in our local community!

Sydney Windschitl, daugher to Barb and Jason Windschitl and Jacob Lux, son of Matt and the late Maria Lux were crowned 2020 St. Mary’s High School Homecoming royalty at a coronation held Sunday 10/18. The rest of the court included (from left): Caleb Schumacher, Emma Currens, Brad Balko, Sophia Portner, Jay Schultz, Berkley Brandl, Emily Weiss, Megan Ahlness, Anthony Helget and Spencer Hoffman.

FFA officers, including Carmen Lendt, helped to pack the food bags for the Trinity Weekend Backpack Food Program for families in need at Mark Thomas Company. It is an amazing experience to do something for others.

This fall, the Trinity Weekend Backpack Food Program is underway. The FFA members are swinging into action to help out again this year. The Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter applied for a National FFA Yearlong Living to Serve Grant for $3000 in order to help with the Trinity Backpack program which includes food bags each week and Holiday Gift Boxes. With the generosity of the National FFA, CoBank, Tractor Supply Company, CSX, Chevrolet, and Cargill, the Living to Serve Grant became a reality for the Sleepy Eye FFA.

The Backpack program is where students at risk for hunger receive bags of food for the weekend with two family meals – main dishes, fruit, vegetables, and a snack. The FFA grant money is being used to help with several extensions of the Backpack Food Program: Birthday boxes for each elementary participant, fruit and snacks in each food bag, pantry for middle school students which includes: food, snacks, personal care items as well as personal care items for the Holiday Boxes.

At the end of September, eight of our officers and all of the FFA advisors and student teacher were able to pack four weeks worth of meals that will go to the 48 children’s families in need. Families self-select for these meals as all families in the district receive a letter telling them about the program at the beginning of the school year.

The FFA is thrilled to be a part of this amazing project that the Trinity church conducts in cooperation with Sleepy Eye Public Schools, along with numerous community partners, providing food to students all school year long. Some of the partners include: Central Region Cooperative, Schwartz Farms, Land O Lakes, Sleepy Eye FFA and other community members.

Receiving this $3000 grant and helping with this project was a great way for Sleepy Eye FFA members to contribute to the community and build relationships while doing so.

 The Sleepy Eye FFA Trap Shoot Team Members on Sleepy Eye Team Two included: from l to r – Nathan Rathman, Winsten Nienhaus, McKenna Strong, Jade Sellner, and Emma Fischer.  

The Sleepy Eye FFA Trap Shoot Team Members on Sleepy Eye Team One who shot for the State Trapshooting Event sponsored by Marshall FFA included: from l to r –  Caleb Seuss, Carter Swenstad, Jake Price, Josh Sellner, and Jack Windschitl. 

By: Katelyn Capacia, FFA Reporter

The Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter has completed its trap shooting season for 2020.  There were three shoots for the season: Springfield, Mt. Lake, and then the State Shoot hosted by Marshall.
Trap shooting is one of the three major forms of competitive clay pigeon shooting. The objective of the trap shooting team is to involve students in the highest standards of safety, sportsmanship, ethical behavior, along with safe and responsible use of firearms. The program also helps members develop self-confidence, personal discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork.

The 2020 Sleepy Eye FFA Trap Shoot Team Members who participated in the shoots this year included: Emma Fischer, Winsten Nienhaus, Jake Price, Nathan Rathman, Jacob Schultz, Jade Sellner, Josh Sellner, Caleb Seuss, McKenna Strong, Carter Swenstad, Emma Weilage, and Jack Windschitl.

The first Trap Shoot event was sponsored by Springfield on September 12 and was a virtual shoot, meaning the team shot at the Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club and submitted the scores to Springfield FFA. The Sleepy Eye Shooters for this event included: Caleb Suess, Carter Swenstad, Emma Fischer, Jake Price, Jacob Schultz, Jade Sellner, McKenna Strong, Jack Windschitl, Emma Weilage, and Jost Sellner. Top placing members on each team were Jake Price, Josh Sellner, and Caleb Seuss (20^th place individual). There were 125 shooters and 29 teams total at this event.

The team then traveled to Mountain Lake on Saturday, September 19^th. The members who participated in the shoot at Mt. Lake included: Team 1 – 8th place Team Jake Price, Caleb Suess, Jacob Schultz, Josh Sellner. Sleepy Eye Team 2 – 9th place Team Jade Sellner, McKenna Strong, Carter Swenstad, Nathan Rathman. Sleepy Eye Team 3 Emma Weilage and Jack Windschitl. For this shoot, the top placing members included: Jake Price (12^th place individual) and Carter Swenstad (15^th place individual). There were 116 shooters and 28 teams total at the Mountain Lake event.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, the members shot at the Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club and sent the scores to Marshall to compete in the State Trap Shoot Event. Sleepy Eye Team 1 included: Jake Price, Caleb Suess , Carter Swenstad , Josh Sellner, and Jack Windschitl. Sleepy Eye Team 2 included: Jade Sellner, McKenna Strong, Nathan Rathman, Emma Fischer, and Winsten Nienhaus.Top Trap Shooting members for the State Shoot included: Jake Price and Jade Sellner. At this shoot, there were 238 shooters and 58 teams total.

The trapshooting team is sponsored by the Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club and the members are super grateful for the opportunity and sponsorship! Thank you for a great season!