Submitted photo Sleepy Eye FFA Honorary Chapter Degree recipients and appreciation award recipients from left, Jill Nelson, Morgan Hoffmann and Rachel Kucera were honored at the May 4 chapter awards program. Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter President Lily Kallevig is pictured at right.

SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter honored many chapter members, leaders and supporters May 4.

Top scholar awards went to senior Nora Coulson, junior Taylor Berkner, sophomore Megan Sellner and freshman Kenley Jensen.

Honorary Chapter Degree awards for exceptional support went to Morgan Hoffmann and FFA coaches Jill Nelson and Rachel Kucera.

Top fruit sellers were Allanah Urbano with more than $3,000 in sales, Destiney Dittbenner and Santi Martinez with more than $2,000 in sales.

Leadership awards went to seniors Anna Johnson, James Moore and Noah Christensen; juniors Taylor Berkner, Kayden Klein, Alex Confer and Carter Lazatin; sophomores Jace Schauman and Jaden Stone and freshmen Breanna Lopez and Kamille Capacia.

Phoenix awards for upcoming leaders went to Ava Sellner, Paola Gonzalez, Charlie Hoffmann and Cameron Moore.

The Star Greenhand Award went to Camryn Maher.

A tribute to advisor Mary Hoffmann included chapter alumni including St. Paul Highland Park High School ag teacher Harley Braun. A video included more alumni and other ag teachers who talked of what they learned from Hoffmann. After 30 years of teaching, including the past 19 years in Sleepy Eye, she is taking a leave of absence next year. During her time in Sleepy Eye, chapter members earned 184 State FFA Degrees, 61 American FFA Degrees, were national proficiency finalists 16 times and were named national proficiency winners four times.

“We had a great state FFA convention with 76 members participating, earning 13 state degrees and three state proficiency finalists. We won the Community Service Model of Innovation, Ag Literary Challenge, Land of Service Award and were named Minnesota Premier Chapter runner-up,” said Hoffmann.

“This year, students stepped up to continue to make this school and community a better place. They showed what it means to work as a family as we celebrate FFA chapter traditions like we have for the past 85 years,” she said.