Welcome Back! It is hard to beleive the summer flew by so fast and it is now time for the 24-25 school year. Below is an upodate on what has been going on around the program since state FFA convention concluded. We are excited to see everyone next week. Please let Mr. Bartel or Mr. Larison know if you have any questions or need any help getting getting this semester started off well.
YOU ARE INVITED!
We will he hosting our parent meeting and SAE Fair on Thursday evening August 22. This is the night of our normal Open House and Signing Day. We are still deciding exactly what this will look like for 2024, but please know we would like to have as many parents as possible attend the Advisor/Parent meeting that evening to discuss plans for the year and tips for student success.
SAE Photos/Member Skill Documentation
Some of you have been taking photos throughout the summer, but if you have not remember we will be adding those to our AET portfolios this semester. If you would like the advisors to come out and take photos just let them know and they can schedule a time. Here are a few tips in taking great photos to document skills or student learning:
You should be in all photos, documenting a skill. Pouring feed, working with a customer, operating equipment, etc.
All photos should be landscape (horizontally shot). Those fit much better into SAE applications down the road if you need them.
Shoot multiples and different angles. Sometimes it takes a bunch of shots or attempts to get the perfect photo. (There are some excellent examples below from our State Proficiency Champions.
K-ACTE/KAAE Ag Teacher Summer Conference
On July 29 and 30th, Mr. Larison and Mr. Bartel attended the annual Kansas Association of Ag Educators Summer Conference in Manhattan. This event his held for Career and Technical Education Teachers across the state of Kansas.
Highlights included:
Hearing a keynote address from Dr. Randy Watson from KSDE Attending workshops such as meat evaluation, agronomy, greenhouse management, etc.
Serving on state committees: Mr. Bartel serves on the record book committee and Mr. Larison serves on the LDE Committee.
The Larison brothers (the other Mr. Larison teaches Ag at Riverton High School) presented a workshop over Introduction to Recordkeeping and the Ag Experience Tracker (AET).
The conference concluded with the awards ceremony and the years of service recognition. Mr. Larison was presented with a clock for 30 years of teaching. 30 year teachers, Mr. Larison and Mr. Nave from Chetopa, were also asked to read the Ag Teachers Creed during the beginning teacher ceremony.
Holton Alumni Wins National Teaching Award
Congratulations to Ms. Kim Clark for being named the Region 2 Outstanding Teacher by the National Association of Agricultural Educators. She will receive a trip to Phoenix to attend the National Conference for the official awards ceremony. Since graduating from Holton High School, she has taught at Marysville, worked for Career and Tech Ed at KSDE, and is now the Ag Teacher/FFA Advisor at Royal Valley High School. Awesome job Ms. Clark!
National Proficiency Judge
During the middle of July, Mr. Larison volunteered more than 15 hours for the beginning rounds of the online National FFA Proficiency Award Selection. Judging one of the entrepreneurship categories gave him the opportunity to see student programs from all across the nation and how we can continue to refine SAE opportunities and student applications in our program.
National FFA Band Applicants
Good Luck to Dylan Anderson and Elisa Bartel for applying to be a part of the prestigious National FFA Band in Indianapolis this October. They completed the application and recorded their tryout submissions. Both girls performed in the State FFA Band back in May. The members of the 2024 National FFA Band will be announced in late August.
4 Members National FFA Proficiency Award Applicants
Best of Luck to our four state proficiency award champions. They submitted their applications in June for national judging. The award application is extensive and asks students to highlight skills attained, records and finances, responsibilities, decision making, skill photos, and experiences achieved through their SAE Programs. National Finalists and Gold, Silver, and Bronze Emblem Rankings will be announced in August.
Ag Sales Entrepreneurship - Delaney New
Ag Processing Placement - Madeline Bontrager
Forest Management and Products Entrepreneurship - Lucas White
Sheep Production Entrepreneurship - Lora Larison
3 Members Attend Washington Leadership Conference (WLC)
June 11 through the 16th, Dylan Andersion, Lora Larison, and Maddy Bontrager joined the Kansas Group and flew to Washington DC to join FFA members from across the nation for the Washington Leadership Conference. While in DC they worked in small groups to discover their leadership and service potential within themselves. They toured Arlington National Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial, World War 2 Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Lincoln Monument, and the Holocaust Museum. They met with Kansas Congressmen including former FFA member, Representative Tracy Mann. Holton FFA Alum Tel Wittmer, who works for Representative Mann, arranged a private tour of the Capitol Building for our members. The conference wrapped up with a service project where the members packaged thousands of breakfast packets for food banks in the DC area.
“WLC is a life changing experience. I went in with high hopes for what it would be and left with new lifelong friends and a family of people. The group leaders challenged us to step out of our comfort zone and grow in ways I never would have imagined. The tours, monuments, and history in DC takes your breath away. I am so fortunate for the opportunity to attend. I think this is an experience that everyone should have and I hope we can start sending members every summer.” - Lora Larison, Senior
Lora received a State Scholarship from the Kansas FFA Alumni to cover a portion of the registration fee and the Ingels Family Trust Donation covered remaining costs for our attendees. WLC is a conference for members to attend during the summer following their sophomore or junior year. If you have any interest in attending please visit wit the advisors.
To learn more, visit: https://www.ffa.org/conference/washington-leadership-conference-wlc/
Region 2 Ag Teachers Conference
On June 17-19th, Mr. Larison attended and helped with Kansa hosting duties at the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Region 2 Conference held in Topeka, Kansas. This conference brings ag teachers together from 7 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico and Kansas. The conference rotates around the region each June. While at the conference Mr. Larison toured the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, Kan-Equip, Ag Partners Coop in Wamego, The Sod Shop in Lawrence, Rockin V Horse Ranch in Topeka as well as Rock Creek and Perry High School Ag Departments. Teachers also participate in business meetings for the national organization during the 3 day conference.
Members in Action
Here are a few highlights of what a few of our members have been up to this summer in their own words.
Noah Bartel, Class of 2025
What have you been up to this summer?
-“Mowing yards, making money, staying busy. Worked on my ‘88 Chevy truck with my dad and got it running. Waking up everyday at 6 for weights, approaching 70 workouts.”
What are you most looking forward to this year?
“Ag structures and weights, getting far into the playoffs in football.”
Dylan Anderson, Class of 2025
What have you been up to this summer?
Gosh, this summer has been packed with work, clubs and trips.😂 I got the chance to go to the Washington Leadership Conference which was a blast!! This summer I have mainly been jumping between my two jobs and cheer for the upcoming competition season!
What are you most looking forward to this year?
What am I most looking forward to this year? Getting my college apps done. Haha. Just kidding, well… not really, I’m just looking forward to this year in general. I can’t wait for what’s to come.
Lora Larison, Class of 2025
What have you been up to this summer?
My summer has been filled with lots of sheep, basketball and time with family. I’ve been very active in my SAE this summer with lots of sheep shows, work on the farm, and getting ready for breeding season. I synchronized ewes for Laparoscopic AI breeding at Hobbs Show Lambs in Newton and Burch Livestock in Seward, Nebraska. My absolute favorite part of the summer has been attending various county fairs watching my customers thrive in the show ring with their lambs.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I’m looking forward to fully jumping into FFA and making my last year in the program the best it can possibly be. I want to go out with a bang.
Wyatt Shields, Class of 2026
What have you been up to this summer?
This summer I have been doing a variety of different things. Some of these include working at the feed store and helping on the farm.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I most look forward to the new program that I am enrolled in through the school called a Professional Learning Experience. This allows me to go out and work through the school.
Elisa Bartel, Class of 2026
What have you been up to this summer?
For my SAE, this summer I have been asked by numerous people to pet sit and water plants. This summer has been one of the busiest summers so far!
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to conventions, activities and making new memories as a chapter!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
August 21 - 2024-25 Officer Team Applications Due
Applications will be released next week and interviews will be scheduled within the next month.
August 22 - Ag Ed Parent Meetings, SAE Fair and Open House
September 5 - Kansas Ag Ed State Fair Exhibits Due.
Sign up will be the first week of school. Exhibits will be judged and then on display the duration of the Kansas State Fair.
September 18 - NE District FFA Greenhand Conference in Silver Lake
September 26 - NE District Fall CDE Day in Holton
Land, Homesite, and Nursery/Landscape
September 27 - State FFA Land and Homesite Judging hosted in North Central Kansas, TBD.
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