Eleven FFA members from Sleepy Eye were interviewed for their State FFA Degrees on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Pictured left to right – Isaac Lendt (Star Farmer), Ellen Windschitl, Nathan Rathman, Kyle Capacia, Marcus Martinez, Courtney Brey, Leo Fernandez, Kadence Lund, Winsten Nienhaus, Emma Fischer (Star in Ag. Production Placement), Katelyn Tauer.

Nine Sleepy Eye FFA Members competed in the Region VI FFA Proficiency Interviews on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Pictured left to right – Travis Mages, Isaac Lendt (Region Winner), Davin Suess, Logan Ludewig (Region Winner), Alex Confer (Region Winner), Taylor Berkner (Region Winner), Jasmine Petermann (Region Winner), Emma Fischer (Region Winner), and Rachel Portner.

The Region VI FFA interviews were held on Tuesday, Feb. 13 for State Degrees, Region Star Awards, Proficiencies, and Region Office.

This year, eleven Sleepy Eye FFA members applied for State FFA Degrees. The State FFA Degree is the second highest degree attainable in FFA, behind the American FFA Degree.

In order to receive a State FFA Degree, the following qualifications must be met. Having a Chapter FFA Degree, being an active FFA member, completing at least 2 years of agricultural classroom instruction, having earned and invested at least $2,000 or worked 300 hours through an SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience), as well as completing at least 25 hours of community service.

The members who applied for the State FFA Degree included: Courtney Brey, Kadence Lund, Kyle Capacia, Emma Fischer, Isaac Lendt, Winsten Nienhaus, Leo Fernandez, Katelyn Tauer, Nathan Rathman, Ellen Windschitl, and Marcus Martinez.

Isaac Lendt was named Region VI Star Farmer – Isaac’s SAE project is raising over 400 hogs for four years.

Emma Fischer was named the Region VI Star in Ag. Production Placement – Emma’s SAE is in Dairy Production Placement as she has worked at three different farms in the Sleepy Eye area for the past four years.

Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through supervised agricultural experiences, have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers.

Nationally, students can compete for awards in nearly 50 areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. Proficiency awards are also recognized at local and state levels and provide recognition to members that are exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways.

Nine Sleepy Eye members completed Proficiency Applications. The Region VI results were:

Logan Ludewig – 1st place in Ag. Mechanics Repair & Maintenance

Isaac Lendt – 1^st place in Swine Production Entrepreneurship

Taylor Berkner – 1^st in Vegetable Production Entrepreneurship

Alex Confer – 1^st Place in Agriscience Research

Emma Fischer – 1^st place in Dairy Production Placement

Rachel Portner – 2^nd place in Dairy Production Placement

Jasmine Petermann –  1^st place in Diversified Ag. Production Placement

Travis Mages – 2^nd place in Diversified Ag. Production Placement

Davin Suess – 3^rd place in Diversified Ag. Production Placement

The Proficiency Applications will now go to the state level and the State Proficiency Judging will take place in March.

Region VI Officer Interviews were also held. Becoming a Region Officer helps FFA members be more active in FFA beyond the chapter level. Serving on an elite team of FFA Members simulates working with others in a professional work environment.

Chloe Howe and Noemi Rodriguez served as the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter voting delegates for the Region Officer Interviews. They voted on the 2024-25 Region VI Officer Slate and Lucia Martinez was selected as the Secretary.

FFA helps teach specialized skills in hundreds of agriculture career areas. Opportunities such as this can add up to big life achievements!

The FFA members will receive their State FFA Degrees at the State FFA Convention in April at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

Sleepy Eye FFA Excels at Ag. Bowl Contest at SMSU. The Soils Team took first place. Team members included l to r: Oliver Trebesch (1st place individual), Nathan Rathman, Caleb Suess, Wyatt Feucht, and Ethan Feucht.

32 Sleepy Eye FFA chapter members competed in several Career Development Events (CDE’s) and Leadership Development Events (LDE’s) at the SMSU Ag. Bowl on February 2nd, in Marshall including:  Companion Animals, Floriculture, Milk Quality, Soils, Meats, Creed, and Fish & Wildlife.

The Sleepy Eye Soils Team placed 1^st at the competition this year. For the Soils Contest, Oliver Trebesch (1^st place individual), Caleb Suess, Nathan Rathman, Wyatt Feucht, and Ethan Feucht competed for Sleepy Eye FFA. In the soils contest, members judge different soil profiles, and identify soil characteristics, including texture, depths, and erosion potential.

The Floriculture teams earned 2^nd Place out of 36 teams for Ag. Bowl. Team members include: Lily Kallevig (3^rd), Yanellie Fernandez, Elsie Trebesch, Jose Castorena, Karina Martinez, Kaliya Confer, and Katelyn Tauer. The Floriculture CDE tests student knowledge of flowers and plants, growing media, fertilizer, greenhouse management, design concepts, and the floriculture industry. They also are tested on their identification skills of annuals, cut flowers, greenhouse crops, and floriculture equipment and tools as well as their skills in creating a floral arrangement.

For Milk Quality, the Sleepy Eye Team placed 4^th out of 21 teams. Team members include:  Megan Sellner (1^st place individual), Jaelynn Schaumann, Jace Schauman, Callie Evers, and Ava Kunkel. In the MQ Contest, students identify cheese and their characteristics, identify off flavors in milk, and judge dairy vs. non-dairy products as well as identify their milk fat contents. They also take a knowledge test on dairy production, management, and marketing.

The Fish & Wildlife competitors included: Noah Christensen, Jacob Fulmer, and Robert Romberg. Noah  was the top scorer on the team. The Fish & Wildlife contest consists of three parts: identification (mammals, fish, birds, insects, reptiles/amphibians), a knowledge test, and a current events activity on Wildlife Nuisances & Depredation. The team placed 14^th out of 37 teams.

The Meats Team members included:  Makayla Strong, Nolan Weicherding, Santi Martinez, Ava Sellner, Ethan Schwartz, Davin Suess, and Eli Christensen. Makayla earned top scorer on the Sleepy Eye team and the team was 16^th out of 30 teams. For the meats contest, members identify meat cuts by type (Beef, Lamb, Pork), wholesale, and resale as well as their cooking methods.

Other members competed in the Companion Animal CDE. For Vet Science, Anna Johnson, Kenedi Wersal, Natalie Fulmer, Kaylie Fulmer. Anna was the top scorer on the team. The Companion Animal 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, parasites, rabbits, and other animals kept as pets is also a large part of the contest.

Camryn Maher competed in the FFA Creed Contest. For this competition, the member recites the creed and then answers questions based on their experiences in FFA and how they relate to the meaning of the FFA Creed.

Sleepy Eye FFA is proud to have these students work hard and excel at an Invitational Contest. Congratulations to all of the team members!

SLEEPY EYE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL 2023-2024 Semester 1

GOLD HONOR ROLL (GPA 3.67 & Above)

Anders Coulson 7

Kaylie Fulmer 7

Natalie Fulmer 7

Callie Evers 8

Kenley Jensen 8

Ava Kunkel 8

Connor Mack 8

Camryn Maher 8

Ava Sellner 8

Karly Wendinger 8

Megan Sellner 9

Taylor Berkner 10

Yuridia Fernandez 10

Carter Lazatin 10

Cameron Moore 10

Samantha Price 10

Jaelynn Schauman 10

Nora Coulson 11

Yanellie Fernandez 11

Paige Haala 11

Brissa Hernandez 11

Anna Johnson 11

Lily Kallevig 11

Isabelle Kunkel 11

James Moore 11

Cadence Okerman 11

Damian Sanchez 11

Cody Schultz 11

Thomas Theisen 11

Landon Wendinger 11

Julia Berkner 12

Courtney Brey 12

Kyle Capacia 12

Priscila Chuc-Feliciano 12

Emma Contreras-Ramirez 12

Savanna Dunsmore 12

Madison Engesser 12

Caden Evers 12

Bryent Finstad 12

Kadence Hesse 12

Lydia Huiras 12

Isaac Lendt 12

Logan Mack 12

Jazzibelle Martinez 12

Breaunna Mertz 12

Natalee Nachreiner 12

Evan Thompson 12

Austin Uecker 12

SILVER HONOR ROLL (GPA 3.00-3.669)

Name Grade

Ella Arkins 7

Michael Aspelund 7

Kaylynn Como 7

Caiden Helget 7

Arianna Hernandez 7

Paola Gonzalez 8

Karter Haala 8

Nickolas Hale 8

Liana Kimbrough 8

Breanna Lopez 8

John Paul Montemayor 8

Braylon Nelson 8

Keeyan Netzke 8

Caleb Oscarson 8

Riley Voigt 8

Kenedi Wersal 8

Gavin Fischer 9

Jacob Fulmer 9

Brayden Heiderscheidt 9

Wyatt Juenemann 9

Dylan Krebs 9

Jace Schauman 9

Alexandria Confer 10

Destiney Dittbenner 10

Kayden Klein 10

Noah Rossbach 10

Jordan Cortez 11

Cole Eckstein 11

Ximena Larios 11

Yael Morales Valdez 11

Candela Pliego Hernandez 11

Adam Rodriguez 11

Joshua Sellner 11

Gavin Strong 11

Caleb Suess 11

Gaige Bauer 12

Kennedy Braun 12

Leonardo Fernandez 12

Juan Juarez 12

Winsten Nienhaus 12

Kimberly Piotter 12

Cameron Schottle 12

Eighteen Sleepy Eye Public FFA Members were selected to receive their very own FFA jackets from the Blue Jackets Bright Futures Program and the Sleepy Eye Ag Program Boosters. Pictured l to r, front row – Kaylie Fulmer, Makayla Strong, Natalie Fulmer. Middle – Courtney Brey, Breanna Lopez, Ava Kunkel, Kadence Lund. Back – Kenley Jensen, Shea Evers, Kayden Klein, Ava Sellner, Kamille Capacia. Not pictured: Ethan Evans, Zack Dominguez, Paola Gonzalez, Aranza Tovar, Mateo Hornsby, Jaden Stone.

Three St. Mary’s FFA members received jackets through the Blue Jackets Bright Futures Program this year. Pictured l to r – Santiago Martinez, Ethan Schwartz, and Eli Christensen.

The Minnesota FFA Foundation is pleased to announce the presentation of the official FFA jacket to members of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter.  11 members have been selected to receive their own jacket through the Foundation and another 10 members were chosen to receive a jacket from the Sleepy Eye Ag Program Boosters.

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 ninth 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 Executive Director. “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.

Saint Mary’s sent eight students to the MathCounts competition in Mankato.  William Murphy placed third place in individuals and will compete at the state competition.  The Saint Mary’s team placed second and will also be competing at state. Team members are Scarlett Armbruster, Millie Lax, William Murphy, and Landry Folkens.

January 2024-Students of Month

Kdgn         Bennett Braulick

Kdgn         Lincoln Guyer

1^st             Jorja Weicherding

1^st             Katie Hulsey

2^nd            Liam Uys

2^nd            William Petersen

3^rd             Trygve Coulson

3^rd             Giovanni Marquez

4^th     Oliver Sellner

4^th     Logan Hinderman

5^th       Hudson Braulick

5^th     Madison Seifert

6^th     Robert Ehlers

6^th     Reid Romberg

Mary Hoffmann, Sleepy Eye Ag. Teacher and FFA Advisor, attended the National Team Ag. Ed. Inservice in Indianapolis, Indiana January 23-25, 2023.

Hoffmann has been on The National Council for Agricultural Education board since 2020 as the National Association for Agricultural Educators (NAAE) representative. In 2021, she served as the Secretary for The Council and was the Chair Elect in 2022, followed by Chair in 2023.

Now, in 2024, Hoffmann took on the role as the past Chair of The Council. The National Council is made up of representatives from all Ag. Ed. Related Organizations (AERO) including: organizations and entities representing students, teachers, teacher educators, state leaders, alumni, industry, state and national foundation and government.

The National Council for Agricultural Education’s Vision is to create an intentional direction for the Agricultural Education Model by: connecting leaders, fostering collaboration, and driving action. Their Mission is to lead the future of school-based agricultural education by: identifying opportunities and resources, providing a forum for thought and direction, and focusing on academic and career success for all students.

Hoffmann’s role for the Inservice was to help present the workshops on the National Ag. Ed. Standards and the National Quality Program Standards for Agricultural Educators. These are two projects that The Council is currently working on updating and getting feedback from stakeholder leaders across this country. Hoffmann also participated in sessions at the Inservice as well as attended an Executive Board Meeting of The Council’s while at the conference.

Earlier this winter, Hoffmann attended the NAAE Convention in Phoenix, Arizona as part of her role on The Council. Helping to carry out the Ag. Ed. Summit, attending workshops, working The Council Booth at the Partner’s Reception, and participating in special events were part of her duties while at the Convention. Hoffmann is definitely a leader in Ag. Ed. in the nation and is an integral part of coordinating conversations and the work that helps Ag. teachers, not only in Minnesota, but nationwide.

“I continue to be excited about my board role with The Council and what is happening at the national level to keep Agricultural Education relevant as well as the collaboration that is taking place with the AERO groups around the country,” Hoffmann stated.