This summer has been busy for the Minot FFA chapter. Members and advisors
kept busy between attending Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) to
preparing for the North Dakota State Fair. During July 12th-17th Sydney
Gessner, Jennifer Martin, Devin Walter, Mitchell Becker, Amanda Gasmann,
and advisor Jeff Ball were in Washington D.C. to attend the 5th week of
the 2005 FFA WLC.  There were a total of 2,300 FFA students from around
the nation that came to Washington D.C. to learn how to become an
authentic leader by solving problems, building relationships and gleaning
fields for the local homeless.  There was a total of 11,000 hours of
community service put in for the entire conference.  The members that
attended the conference from Minot got the chance to contribute to this
number by gleaning a Zucchini field.

Two days after WLC, the chapter began making flower arrangements,
finishing wood working projects, preparing for the fruit and vegetable
show, and hauling projects to the fair grounds. They took top honors at
NDSF, with 83,915 points won by the chapter and 81,925 sweepstakes points
won. Minot entered a total of 2,334 exhibits.  These exhibits consisted of
477 in education, 1,500 in horticulture, 12 in livestock, 180 in ag.
mechanics, 156 in ag. products, 7 in static livestock, 1 in tractor
driving, and 1 in crops.  The horticulture and education divisions were
won by Minot with 54,405 points in horticulture with a lead of 4,000 above
the 2nd place chapter and 12,865 points in education with 4,500 points
above the 2nd place chapter.  Minot also placed in the top 5 in three
other events which include 4th place in beef exhibits with 1,200 points,
5th place in sheep exhibits with 650 points, and 5th place in ag.
mechanics with 11,050 points.

 

During the month of September, the Minot FFA started the Hurricane Katrina
Relief Fund. This fund was designed to support the victims of the
hurricane that hit the New Orleans and Mississippi area.  The fund was
begun with the input of $100 from the chapter.  Donated containers were
given to Magic City and Central Campus teachers to put in their classrooms
to collect loose change from donating students.  Motivation was set off by
awarding the fifth hour class with the highest amount of collections with
a pizza party.  The goal was to raise at least a couple hundred dollars,
but with the help of our Minot High School students the chapter raised
over $1100.   Funds raised by the Minot FFA will be combined with other
chapters from the state.  Minot FFA working in conjunction with the North
Dakota FFA and the American Red Cross, hurricane victims will receive much
needed support.  Congratulations to the top class from Central Campus, Mr.
Potts, and from Magic City Campus, Madame Olafson.  Thank you to all who
donated to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and to the teachers who
helped make it happen.

 

On October 3rd in Minot at the International Inn, 11 District II FFA
chapters competed against each other at their anual Leadership Conference.
District Leadership is a day when all the FFA chapters in a district come
together to compete in various competitions leadership and public speaking
skills.

From the Minot chapter there were a total of 51 members participating
in the nine different events. The activities are as follows
Parliamentary procedure in this  event the officers demonstrate the
proper and legal way of conducting a business meeting following
Robert’s Rules of order.  Their are two quiz events, Advanced quiz
challenges older  FFA members’ knowledge of the FFA, the Greenhand quiz
is designed to challenge new members about basic information. The
Ambassador event is when a student prepares a speech, resume and
completes an interview; the ideal candidate would be responsible for
helping create a better awareness among today’s youth about the many
leadership opportunites in the FFA.  The Creed Speaking activity
challanges participants to recite the five paragraphs of the FFA creed
and answer questions about FFA, agriculture, and their own personal
goals and beliefs. In the  Demonstration event students demonstrate how
to perform an agriculture related process. Extemporaneous public
speaking  is were participants are given 30 minutes to write,  prepare,
and present a speach.

Students have been preparing for these events since the beginning of the
school year and were very happy to finally get the chance to compete.
Results of these events are listed below.

Results:

Advanced Quiz- 1st/Advancing to State
- Mitchell Becker-1st/Gold
-Amanda Gasmann/Gold
-Tommy Gasmann/Gold
-Devin Walter/Gold
-Drew Haner/Silver

Greenhand quiz
Gold individuals
-Kalvin Larson-1st
-Brittany Brooks
-Austin Becker
-Cassie Boespflug
-Brittany Bueschel
-Sam Groves
-Tiffany Fox
-Chelsey Hoffner
-Stephanie Lavallie
-Bethany Martin
-Brent Voeller
Silver Individuals
-Brian Betz
-David Davies
-Mark Forbes
-Caaleb Graves
-Shane Hamilton
-Jordan Markwordt
-Nicole Johnson
-Josh Klimpel
-Ashley Malek
-Lee Murphy
-Christian Sovak
-Alisha Williams
Bronze Individuals
-Kasey Degensteir
-Austin Hanson
-Julia Heidt
-Jacob Niess
-Alyx Theobald
-Kelsie Volk
-Braden Vagsness
-Tiffany Stopler

Ambassador contest
  - Devin Walter- participant

Creed speaking contest
    -Kelsey Shaw- 2nd Place/ Gold/advances to state

Demonstration
  - Karleen Peterson and Kali Geyer- 1st place/Gold/Advancing to state

Extemporaneous public speaking
  - Kendra Jenson- Bronze

Memorized public speaking
  -Sydney Gessner- Silver

Parliamentary Procedure-2nd place team/Advances onto state
  President-Sydney Gessner-Gold/Officer of the day
  Vice President-Mitchell Becker-Gold
  Secretary-Devin Walter-Gold
  Treasurer- Drew Haner-Silver
  Reporter-Amanda Gasmann-Silver
  Sentinel-Lee Widdel-Gold/Officer of the day