Melinda Knuth attended the NICE 2011  conference on the Campus of Purdue University in Indiana during July.  NICE is the National Institute of Cooperative Education.  Melinda was selected to attend the conference based on an essay and exam she completed in the spring of 2011.  NICE is an exciting educational opportunity where high school students work in teams to gain knowledge on cooperative business principles, develop valuable leadership skills, get to know their peers from across the U.S. and have a lot of fun.

While at the conference, Knuth interviewed as one of South Dakota’s two candidates for the NICE Outstanding Youth Scholar.  Each state can nominate one male and one female student.  Each candidate participated in two days of interviews during the conference.  Outstanding Youth Scholars attend the 2012 conference at Virginia Tech and serve as staff for the NICE conference.  Jeremy Nettifee, 2011 graduate of WCHS served as a Youth Scholar for the 2011 conference.  He was selected during the 2010 conference held in Tennessee.  Melinda was one of 8 Outstanding Youth Scholars selected during NICE.

Each year, approximately 7 to 8 South Dakota youth attend the NICE Conference courtesy of the South Dakota Association of Cooperatives.

West Central FFA Chapter Officers recently attended a Leadership Training retreat.  The event was held in Watertown, SD in cooperation with the officers of the Hoven FFA Chapter.

Members discussed Leadership – What is it?

Who Has it, or doesn’t?

Brady Revels, 2007-08 National FFA Vice President popped in to spend one afternoon with us.  Brady discussed with members the things he learned about agriculture and himself during his year as a national officer and how those skills and knowledge have helped him to become successful in his career in the animal health industry.

Officers spent time working to improve their communication skills through a variety of activities.

Members worked to brainstorm and plan activities for the coming year.  Activities were broken down into three categories:  Chapter Development, Student Development and Community Development.

Officers had plenty of time for recreation and getting to know each other.  The event was facilitated by West Central FFA Alumnus and Hoven Ag Eg Instructor Noelle Rist and West Central Ag Ed Instructor Linda Petersen.  Members are planning a chapter exchange during the 2011-12 school year.

WCFFA Officers look forward to keeping in touch with their Hoven FFA counterparts and implementing their plans for the West Central FFA Chapter for the coming year.

The WCFFA Alumni will meet Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at Strawbale Winery in Renner, SD.  We’ll be taking part in their Summer Porch Series which features art, music, food and of course, wines made right here in South Dakota.  Music by Jim Groth, Bella Luna wood roasted pizza, Monkey Balls, Artists and more, $5 per carload.

Consider joining us!  You don’t have to be a former FFA member to join the Alumni.  We’re all about people who just want to support the local chapter, learn more about our agriculture industry and enjoy the company of others.

The West Central FFA Chapter was recently awarded one of 6 National Academic Success Grants sponsored by Ford.  The chapter will receive a $3000.00 grant to help buy needed materials, offset travel expenses and supplement resources that will best support and enhance their leadership development activities.  The chapter earned the grant through the National FFA Scholarship program.  The FFA provides over 2 million dollars in scholarships annually to FFA members.  17 members of the class of 2011 are members of the West Central FFA.  Each member’s grade point, ACT score, Supervised Agricultural Experience, leadership and community service activities were considered in awarding the grant.  7 of the graduating members maintained a GPA of 3.5 or above.  National FFA Scholarships were awarded to Jeremy Nettifee, $1000 Ford Scholarship; Brooke Pearson and Stacia Knuth, $1000 Cargill Community Scholarships.  WCFFA Chapter Officers will work with the West Central FFA Alumni to create a proposal for the use of the funds.

Members of the WCFFA Alumni and WCFFA spent the day at the park in Hartford celebrating Jamboree Days by bringing back the ever popular Pork Chop on a Stick!

The weather was perfect and the crowd in the park was hungry!

Our chef tests the  internal temperature of the pork chops.

Another view of the park and the great crowd.

FFA members assisting customers.

The face of a satisfied customer!

If you were not lucky enough to get a Pork Chop on a Stick before we sold out at 2:00 p.m. look us up at Dakota Fest in Mitchell in August!

It’s summer here in South Dakota!  School finished up at West Central with student check out day on May 17, 2011.  We’re now making plans for our Chapter Officer Leadership Training in mid June.

The West Central FFA Alumni will be meeting at Strawbale Winery on Thursday, June 9, 2011 in Renner, SD at 5:30 p.m.  Alumni will be taking part in their Summer Porch Series.  There will be food provided by the SD Pork Producer’s and Cider Hill Farm.  Pulled pork sandwiches and wood roasted pizza will be on the menu, and of course an opportunity to learn about South Dakota’s growing wine industry.   For more information, contact WCFFA Alumni President Laura Nordlund or drop an e mail to info@wcffa.com

West Central FFA members attended the 83rd South Dakota State FFA Convention April 10-12, 2011 on the campus of SDSU. Results in Career Developments are as follows:

Ag Mechanics team of Jeremy Nettifee, Anthony Even, Ryan Serrao, and Nathan Johnson received a Silver Award.

Floriculture team of Melinda Knuth, Maty Skinner, Sarah Eich, and Sydnie Howey received a Bronze Award.

Natural Resources team of Cameron Green, Cody Miller, Riley Olson, and Ethan Schumacher received a Silver Award

Joe Schartz placed 6th -Gold in the Ag Sales CDE.  Melinda Knuth 12th -Gold and Sarah Eich – Bronze in Floriculture.  Breanna Gray – Silver – Horse Evaluation, Connor Miles – Bronze – Food Science, Anthony Even, Jeremy Nettifee – Bronze -Ag Mechanics, Cody Miller – Bronze, Riley Olson – Silver and Cam Green – Bronze in Natural Resources.

Proficiency Awards

Ethan Schumacher was awarded a Bronze in the area of Agriculture Education.  Stacia Knuth was awarded a Bronze in the areas of Ag Services and Forage Production.  Brooke Pearson was awarded a Bronze in the area of Beef Production Entrepreneurship.  Spencer Kurtz was awarded a Bronze in the area of Equine Science Placement.  Sydnie Howey was awarded a Bronze in the area of Floriculture.

Melinda Knuth placed 2nd in the Agri Entrepreneurship Competition.  Her application will advance for national consideration.  10 national winners will be recognized during the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in October.  Each of the 10 winners receives a $1000 prize.

Brooke Pearson was awarded the $750 Mary Hansen Scholarship.

The 2011 South Dakota State FFA Convention will be held April 10-12, 2011 on the campus of South Dakota State University.  West Central FFA members will compete in CDEs (Career Development Events) ranging from Ag Sales and Food Science to Livestock and Horse Evaluation as well as Floriculture, Natural Resources and Ag Mechanics.  Members have spent the month of March preparing for their specific events.

11 Senior members will be awarded with the State FFA Degree; the highest award a member can earn on the state level.  State Degree recipients include:  Spencer Kurtz, Sami Galliger, Kelsey Wagner, Stacia Knuth, Jeremy Nettifee, Ethan Schumacher, Cam Green, Austin Wolfe, Tucker Smith, Brooke Pearson and Sydnie Howey.

Sydnie Howey will participate in interviews to select the 2011-12 SD FFA Ambassadors.  Two students are selected each year who will side by side with the state officers in helping to share the FFA and Agricultural Education message.

Brooke Pearson and Jeremy Nettifee will represent the chapter as West Central’s State Officer Candidates.  They will begin a four day interview process which will culminate in 6 individuals being elected to serve the organization for the coming year.

A highlight of this years’ convention will be the presence of Wyatt DeJong, National FFA Vice President from Winner, SD.  Wyatt was elected in October and has since traveled from Washington, D.C. to Japan and all places in between representing American  Agriculture and the FFA.

West Central FFA Members recently competed in CDEs in Flandreau.  Results are as follows:

Ag mechanics - Jeremy Nettifee- 11th place

Horse judging - Jorry Lammers- 36th place

Meats -Kelsey Wagner-16th place, Sami Galliger- 19th place.  Team of Kelsey and Sami placed 6th

Natural Resources -Ethan Schumacher- 14th, Cam Green- 21st.  Team of Ethan, Nathan, Cam, and Cody placed 5th.

Floriculture - Sydnie Howey- 6th, Melinda Kunth- 12th, Sarah Eich- 31st.  Team of Melinda, Sydnie, and Sarah placed 6th.

Submitted by Sydnie Howey