Awards and scholarships were presented to members of the Wawasee FFA Chapter during the group’s annual banquet.
Shown in front, from the left are, Elizabeth Zorn, Chapter Star Greenhand; Ashley Beer, Freshman Leadership Award; Kasey Napier, Blue and Gold Award and Agriculture Education Scholarship; Breanna Breske, Blue and Gold Award, Chapter Star Agribusinessman Award, Ray E. Darr Memorial Scholarship and Chapter President Award; and Kylie Fleming, Chore-Time Brock Senior Leadership Scholarship.
Standing in back are Austin Beer, sophomore Leadership Award and Chapter Star Production Agriculture Award; Mason Germonprez, Junior Leadership Award; and Jake Templin, Chad Beer Memorial Scholarship. (Photo by Deb Patterson).

The annual Wawasee FFA Awards Banquet recognizes not only its members but those in the community who support the chapter by various means.

Certificates of Appreciation Awards were presented to Geoff Walmer, Doug Long, Brandon Bucher and the late Gerald “Jerry” Crowl Jr. Also recognized with Honorary Chapter FFA Degrees were Sam Beer, Tim Bowling and Briwn Wuthrich. Both awards recognize community members who have provided various means of support or service to the chapter.

Randy Warren, long time FFA Advisor and agriculture teacher, was presented the Distinguished Service Award. This award is presented to individuals in the community who have continually demonstrated their support and encouragement to the FFA.

The evening also recognized chapter members for their work and dedication. In addition to the various individual member awards, members were also recognized with Greenhand Degree presentations for first year members; and Chapter Degree Presentations for second year members. State Award Pin presentations were presented to those who participated in numerous state judging competitions and Career Development Education programs.

State pins were presented to: State Horse Judging: Drew Beer, Jamaica Ensz, Sophia Nyce and Hannah Rhoades; State Dairy Judging: Breanna Breske, Sarah Harden, Anne Beer and Natalie Sherrard; State Horticulture: Katie Acton, Jessica Hamilton, Kevin Schlipf, Amanda Bradley, Sarah Harden, Shelby Swartz, Sophia Nyce and Ashley Helfers; State Soils Judging: Mason Germonprez, Kevin Schlipf, Conner Sausaman, Jake Templin, Ally Wright, Kaeli Long, Kylie Fleming and Jared Templin.

Also, State Leadership Contest: Natural Resources Demonstration, Breske and Madeline Herendeen; Veterinary Science team: Herendeen, Breske, Austin Bickel and Nyce; Ag Sales team: Germonprez, Schlipf, Harden and Colin Beer; State S.A.E. Proficiency: Breske, Small Animal Production (Entrepreneurship); Swartz, Poultry Production (Entrepreneurship); Harden, Diversified Livestock Production (Entrepreneur); and Germonprez, Outdoor recreation (Placement).

Two graduated members, Chris Fleming and Jonathan Bollenbacher also competed in the State Small Engines Contest last spring.

Sara Hall, former FFA member, was the 2014 Wawasee FFA Alumni honoree who read the member award winner resumes.

Chapter awards were presented to: Ashley Beer, Freshman Leadership Award; Austin Beer, Sophomore Leadership Award and Chapter Star Production Agriculture Award; Germonprez, Junior Leadership Award; Fleming, Chore-Time Brock Senior Leadership Scholarship; Christy Carson, Advisor’s Award; and Kasey Napier, Blue and Gold Award and Agriculture Education Scholarship.

Also receiving awards were Breske, Blue and Gold Award, Chapter Star Agribusinessman Award, Ray E. Darr Memorial Scholarship; Elizabeth Zorn, Chapter Star Greenhand and Templin, Chad Beer Memorial Scholarship.

Breske was also recognized for her year of service as the Wawasee FFA Chapter President and Isaac Dorrel, who will be leaving, for his four years as chapter advisor.

The close of the banquet was the installation of 2014-15 chapter officers who are: Swartz, president; Germonprez, vice president; Templin, secretary; Austin Beer, treasurer; Harden and Schlipf, reporters and Colin Beer, sentinel.

Rebecca Bender recited the FFA Creed for those present followed by a slideshow of member’s projects and activities. The evening also included introduction of senior’s parents and introduction of the school’s food service staff who prepared the meal with Maple Leaf Farms and the Kosciusko County Pork Producers providing the entrees.

The chapter also recognized corporate sponsors in a special slide show. Sponsors for 2014 included Ace Pest Control, Anderson Farms, Bart’s water Sports, Black Walnut Farms, Chore-Time Brock, Deatsman Grain Farms, Farm Credit Services, Farmer’s State Bank, Knights of Columbus, Maple Leaf Farms,Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, Kosciusko County Cattlemen’ Association, Kosciusko County Pork Producer,s Northern Indiana Johnnie Popper’s Club, Trupoint, Randy and Eldonna Warren. The sponsors support the organization’s scholarship fund, national activities fund and college credits fund.

The 2013-14 Chapter officers presided over the meeting, introducing special guests and presenting award. Those officers were: Breske, president; Templin, vice president; Fleming, secretary; Long, treasurer; Kaeli Long, treasurer; Madeline Herendeen, reporter and Napier, sentinel.