Florence FFA awards year-end honors at 25th annual banquet

Taylor Knudson, a senior at Florence High School, was named the 2015 recipient of the DeKalb Award which is given to the senior or seniors with the outstanding supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program and FFA involvement for the Florence FFA Chapter. Taylor has conducted an agriscience food research project each of her four years in the Florence FFA as her main supervised ag experience (SAE) program. She has also worked as groundskeeper for the Helgen Lutheran Cemetary of rural Florence the last three years. Taylor has a longlist of accomplishments in the Florence FFA including winning her division in the National Agriscience Fair in 2012 She has also served as chapter officer three years and district officer for two years.

The Florence Chapter also awarded their annual star chapter awards during the evening program. Taylor Knudson was named Chapter Star in Agriscience, Tanner Flemming was named Chapter Star Farmer, and Patrick Reiter was named Chapter Star in Agricultural Placement. The final star award went to Callie Mueller and Bryan Reiter, who were named Star Chapter Greenhands. Callie and Bryan also received the Tory Sumner Memorial Greenhand Award.

Chuck Langner, Ag Director at KWAT Radio Station, was guest speaker at the chapter banquet. Langner spoke to the members about the many new developments occuring in agriculture and all of the opportunities these developments provide for the FFA members in their future employment. This banquet also marked the 25th anniversary of the Florence FFA Chapter.

A number of chapter members were recognized for their accomplishments in their supervised ag experience projects when they were awarded chapter proficiency medals. Proficiency winners included Patrick Reiter, Brooke Thorson, and Taylor Knudson, agriscience research award; Tanner Flemming and Landon McGillvrey, ag mechanics repair & maintenance; Anthony Goldade, ag mechanics design & fabrication; Javen Moe, Clay Busskohl, and Chase Peterson, diversified crop production; Charlie Kahnke and Briana Flemming, beef production; Tanner Flemming and Wyat Sprung, diversified agricultural production; Alec Paulson, food science; Allison Grygiel, Equine Science; Will Knudson, goat production; Hannah Hintz and Dylan Robbins, turf management; Morgen Bunde, diversified livestock production; Patrick Reiter, landscape management; Bryan Reiter, creed speaking; Evie Kahnke, public speaking; Kristen Roe, sheep production; and Alec Paulson, swine production.

The chapter also awarded the scholarship award to members who have attained the honor roll 2 of the last 3 nine weeks. They included Taylor Knudson, Patrick Reiter, Kristen Roe, and Brooke Thorson, seniors; Morgen Bunde, Andrea Diaz-Rodriguez, Riley Gilbertson, Hannah Hintz, and Wyat Sprung, juniors; Clay Busskohl, Briana Flemming, Allison Grygiel, Will Knudson, Alec Paulson, Chase Peterson, sophomores; and Callie Flemming, Harlie Gulbraa, Nathan Hulscher, Evie Kahnke, Callie Mueller, Chantel Nelson, and Bryan Reiter, freshmen. Chapter degrees were awarded to Seth Bach, Clay Busskohl, Morgan Busskohl, Briana Flemming, Allison Grygiel, Evan Hagen, Kally Hoerneman, Charlie Kahnke, Will Knudson, Spencer Lindner, Jacey Moe, Alec Paulson, Chase Peterson, and Tyler Sumner.

State FFA Degree plaques were presented to Tanner Flemming, Taylor Knudson, Anthony Goldade, Brooke Thorson, Patrick Reiter, and Kristen Roe, 2015 state degree recipients from the chapter. Will Knudson, Patrick and Bryan Reiter, Nathan Hulscher, Alec Paulson, Clay Busskohl, Chase Peterson, Harlie Gulbraa, Kylee Backer, Adam Ronke, Seth Bach, Evan Thorson, Callie Mueler, Taylor Knudson, Allison Grygiel, and Briana Flemming were awarded gold medals for placing first in their respective divisions in the State FFA Agriscience Fair. Spencer Lindner, Callie Flemming, Morgan Busskohl, Jacey Moe, Tyler Sumner, and Evan Hagen were presented silver medals for their placing in the state Agriscience Fair, and Trevor Raymer, Charlie Kahnke and Evie Kahnke were presented bronze medals for their placing in the state Agriscience Fair. Chantel Nelson, Harlie Gulbraa and Kristen Roe were awarded silver medals for their placing in the state Livestock Evaluation CDE and Charlie Kahnke was awarded a bronze medal for the Livestock Evaluation CDE. Callie Mueller was presented a silver medal for placing 18th in the Horse Evaluation CDE at the state convention while Taylor Knudson received a bronze medal for the Dairy Foods CDE. Finally, Chase Peterson was awarded a bronze medal for his placing in the Agronmy CDE at the state convention.Agriscience Fair,

The banquet concluded with the announcement of the new chapter officers for the 2014-2015 school year. They include Hannah Hintz, president; Morgen Bunde, vice president; Allison Grygiel, secretary; Callie Mueller, treasurer; Alec Paulson, reporter; Charlie Kahnke, sentinel; Will Knudson, student advisor, Adam Ronke, parliamentarian; and Riley Gilbertson, historian.