NEW ULM — The New Ulm FFA Chapter attended the MN State FFA Convention on April 22-24th, 2018. Attending were 35 FFA Members to compete in Career Development Events. The youth leadership convention attendance totaled over 3,500 attendees. Each Contest has nearly 200 contestants from the entire state of Minnesota. Of the 35 FFA members, many competed in Career Development Events/Contests but also attended Personal Development Workshops, Motivational Leadership Sessions, Business Sessions, and Awards Programs.

Successful results from the New Ulm FFA Participants are as follows:

New Ulm FFA Chapter Awards:

1st Place Fundraising Chapter in MN with Camp Courage Donation of $16,733.05!

2018 Minnesota FFA Triple Crown Chapter Award

Award of Chapter Excellence in Agricultural Literacy with 3300 people impacted!

Award of Chapter Excellence in MN Land of Service

Award of Chapter Excellence in Membership w/100+ members; 331 actual memberships

Award of Excellence in Membership Growth, with more than 10% growth

Minnesota State FFA Degrees:

The Minnesota FFA Degree is the highest award that the Minnesota FFA Association can bestow upon its members. 349 Minnesota FFA members qualified for the State FFA Degree. To be eligible for the Minnesota FFA Degree, students must have earned and invested at least $2,500 of his or her own efforts. Each recipient must have completed a minimum of two years of classroom instruction in an agricultural, food and natural resources education program.

11 State Degree Recipients:

Audra Bastian

Claire Bastian

Kyle Brunner

Zach Hoffmann

Justin Hendricksen

Sam Kohn

Cassidy Platz

Dustin Schiebel

Nic Syverson

Cassie Reed

Kendra VanDeest

Beef Entrepreneurship Proficiency: Hannah Altmann, Gold Rating

Region VII President 2018-2019, MN Association: Zach Hoffmann

Delegates: Claire Bastian, Audra Bastian, Cassie Reed, Katrina Vogel

Career Development Event Teams:

Ag Mechanics: Gold, 11th place team out of 37 teams: Brad Stadick (36th place Ind.), Dustin Schiebel (48th place Ind.), Ben Trautmiller (55th place Ind.), Collin Kuester. (126 individuals total)

Best Informed Greenhand Team: 35th place team out of 60 teams: Lillian Lewandowski, Alice Lewandowski, Harley Sjogren & 37th place team out of 60 teams: Gracie Altmann, Lexi Stein, Lillian Fred, Aiden Guggisberg.

Crops Team: Silver, 24th place team out of 36 teams: Jacob Radloff (68th place Ind.), Zach Hoffmann (80th place Ind.), Brock Peterson (94th place Ind.) (166 individuals total)

Fish and Wildlife Team: Gold, 7th place team out of 49 teams: Kyle Brunner (13th place Ind.), Levi Kletcher (18th place Ind.), Josh Liebl (37th place Ind.), Nicholas Syverson (33rd place Ind.) (212 individuals total)

Floriculture Team: 18th place team out of 49 teams: Hannah Altmann (80th place Ind.), Kendra VanDeest (49th place Ind.), Jane Arnoldt (56th place Ind.). (166 individuals)

Horse Judging Team: 20th place team out of 49 teams: Brooke Aschenbrenner, Ashley Boyum (38th place Ind.), Russell Hellendrung (61st place Ind.), Cassidy Platz (196 individuals)

Nursery Landscape Team: 7th place team out of 36 teams: Jacob Guggisberg, 17th place individual; Matt Guggisberg, 20th place ind.; Nate Hauser, 30th Ind.; Carter Brandes, 41st Ind. (135 individuals)