As we begin a new school year with the Wessington Springs FFA Chapter preparing for success, we have made the decision to increase community outreach as we provide updates on our many endeavors. I am the chapter’s reporter, Taryn Bartel, and at the end of each month I will provide a column in the newspaper to inform the community of the events, competitions, and accomplishments of this chapter.
Throughout the summer, students have attended several events. Starting in early June, many students competed in the Rangeland and Soil Days, which is held in Belle Fourche. After a day of practice in either land and homesite or range judging, teams were placed and the competition followed. The land and homesite judging team consisting of Wyatt Fagerhaug, Taryn Bartel, Tenley Olinger, and Madilyn Gaikowski received first place in the 4-H category and will advance to compete at a national level in Oklahoma during the spring. This team was also successful individually, with Wyatt Fagerhaug receiving first place, Taryn Bartel receiving sixth place, and Tenley Olinger receiving eighth place. Additionally, Conner Karsky competed in the FFA division and earned 5th place. Range judging was also a major part of this event, with Holden Jackson receiving eighth place in the 4-H division and Hayes Christensen receiving first place in the FFA division.
At the end of June, two freshman members, Kaycee Scheel and Conner Karsky, attended the West River Leadership Retreat. Through their experience, they were able to develop leadership skills, serve others, and make wonderful friends and memories. They have learned valuable skills that will become very useful as they continue to prove their success as dedicated FFA members!
Although these events are very exciting, they require significant effort in order to take place. The FFA chapter would lack the structure that we need without the officers taking time out of their schedules to plan the upcoming school year. For a few days in July, the officers gathered in Chamberlain to make important decisions and provide a schedule that will prove to be necessary as competitions and events continue to take place. In addition to hours of planning, the group also joined together for fun activities that allowed us to create memories and bond as a team!
As important as these leadership skills are, FFA is an organization that celebrates a wide variety of skills, which is displayed well though the National Proficiency Awards. These awards relate to specialized skills that members have developed through supervised agricultural experiences. With the outstanding accomplishment of being a Gold Finisher, Mercedes Jones certainly represented our town and state well. In addition, Luke Larson and Ella Kolousek were also successful at the national level and finished bronze.
It is acknowledged that several students in this FFA chapter have had many great experiences over the years. However, none of this would be possible without an advisor that reaches beyond the average expectations. Brady Duxbury, our FFA Chapter’s advisor, was selected at a state level as the recipient of the National Association of Agricultural Educators Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Award, which allowed him to advance to the regional competition, where he was labeled the Region III winner. He will now represent Region III, which consists of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, at a national level in New Orleans in December. This is a huge accomplishment that represents the positive impact that he has had on countless students.
Although the summer has been filled with activities, we must also focus on our upcoming plans taking place in September. Several students will continue to practice in their land and range judging skills as they prepare to compete. Members of our chapter will attend the SBA Land and Range School early in September in order to prepare for the South Central Regional Land and Range Competition, where they will have the possibility to qualify for the national competition in Oklahoma during the spring.
With many opportunities coming up and several events already having taken place, this school year will be filled with learning, growth, and competition. It will be my pleasure to keep the community informed as this chapter continues to develop our agricultural and leadership abilities!
Editor’s note: The True Dakotan is pleased to welcome a new voice to our opinion page. Wessington Springs FFA Chapter reporter Taryn Bartel will share a monthly column highlighting the experiences, accomplishments and activities of local FFA members. Her column will appear on the last Wednesday of each month, giving readers a student’s perspective on one of our community’s active youth organizations. We’re excited to give Taryn this space to share the FFA story in her own words and welcome her to our pages.