Racine Southern FFA Awards Announced

Instructor Jenna Meeks and members of the Officer Teams socially distanced to greet members during a drive-through recognition of FFA achievements for the 2019-2020 school year. Photo by Carrie Rose.

Racine Southern FFA Awards Announced

Drive-through Recognition Due to COVID-19

RACINE, Ohio – Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Annual Racine Southern FFA Awards Banquet was not held as it has been. Instead there was a “drive-through” awards presentation with students being met by the FFA Office Team, instructor Jenna Meeks and Ohio River Producers (Alumni) looking on.

Retiring senior officers from left, Raeven Reedy and Austin Rose. Both were recognized for their many FFA accomplishments. Photo by Carrie Rose.

Racine Southern FFA Officer Team greeting members was comprised of the 2019-2020 retiring officers and the 2020-2021 incoming officers. The 2019-2020 Racine Southern FFA Officers are: President, Raeven Reedy; Vice President, Kristin McKay; Secretary, Caelin Seth; Treasurer, Ethan Mullen; Reporter, Natalie Porter; Sentinel, Dylan Lyons; Historian, Rachel Jackson; Parliamentarian, Jacob Rice; Jr. Advisor, Austin Rice; Chaplain, Austin Rose. The 2020-2021 Racine Southern FFA Officers are: President, Kristin McKay; Vice President, Braydon Essick; Secretary, Caelin Seth; Treasurer, Ethan Mullen; Reporter, Cassidy Bailey; Historian, Katie Rowe; Sentinel, Austin Rice; Jr. Advisor, Dylan Lyons. A special thanks went to retiring FFA officer seniors Raeven Reedy and Austin Rose.

Meeks, who is finishing her last year as Agriculture Educator at Southern to go to Alexander High School, wanted to thank everyone who has helped their FFA chapter throughout this year. Normally there would be many thanks going out during the banquet, but that was not possible this year. Thanks also went to Meeks for her work and dedication to Southern students with a presentation from the officers and Ohio River Producers.

The Honorary Racine Southern FFA Membership went to Devan Eckert. Eckert went above and beyond as a student teacher at Southern.

The FFA members earning awards for 2020

Career Development Events (CDE)

Soil judging is divided into two categories, rural and urban. Recognized for rural was Ethan Mullen, Austin Rose, Theron Black, and Tiffany Cremeans. Recognized for urban was Mallory Stover, Kristin McKay, Caelin Seth, and Austin Rice.

Much of FFA is about preparing students for the future beyond high school. One of the components focused specifically on job interviews. Earning recognition for Job Interview were Cassidy Bailey, Rachel Jackson, Caelin Seth, and Austin Rose.

Braydon Essick, Star Greenhand Award. Submitted photo.

Freshmen FFA Creed award went to Braydon Essick. Thanks went to coach Carrie Rose. Essick was also recognized with an award for memorizing the whole FFA Creed and presented in class.

Vet Science coaches Tara Rose and Joe Roberts were thanked for their efforts. Vet science participants are: Ethan Mullen, who qualified for State; Kristin McKay, who qualified for State; Caelin Seth; Austin Rose.

For Forestry, recognized was Austin Rose, Austin Rice, Caelin Seth, Dylan Lyons, Rachel Jackson and Raeven Reedy.

Ag Sales is a CDE in which members are given a product to sell related to agribusiness. The whole team who made it to the State Contest. Team members were Kristin McKay, Dylan Lyons, Raeven Reedy, and Caelin Seth.

Those recognized for the Online Greenhand Exam were Rachel Jackson, Braydon Essick, Cassidy Bailey, Colton Lavender, Grace Hoover, Mitchel Evans, Malachi Smith, Andrew Day, Trenton Owens, Waylon Dillon, Ashton Gandee, Griffen Miller, Tiffany Cremeans, Jacob Scarberry, and Robery Scarberry.

Awards were given to Racine Southern FFA members during a drive-through recognition. Photo by Carrie Rose.

FFA Points

Top FFA Points for each nine weeks: first nine weeks, Austin Rose, 33pts; second nine weeks, Kristin McKay, 23pts; third nine weeks, Kristin McKay, 47pts; fourth nine weeks, Blake Williams, 12 pts. The Overall Points Awards went to: Overall First FFA points, Kristin McKay 90, receiving $100; Overall Second FFA pts, Austin Rose 88, receiving $75; Overall Third FFA pts, Caelin Seth 61, receiving $50.

Fundraiser Awards

The FFA holds several fundraisers throughout the year. The sales opporunities are also used to teach sales and business with the students. The awards are: Top Fruit Seller, Austin Rose; Top Carnation Seller, Caelin Seth & Natalie Porter; Top Jerky Seller, Kristin McKay; Top T-Shirt Seller, Dylan Lyons; Top Cheese/Meat Seller, Kristin McKay; Top Strawberry Seller (Pin), Austin Rose.

Junior Fair Representation

Those FFA members that also serve on the Meigs County Junior Fairboard were recognized. They are Fairboard Representatives: Austin Rose, Austin Rice, Raeven Reedy, Kristin McKay, Caelin Seth, Cassidy Bailey, Rachel Jackson, Jacob Rice, Dylan Lyons, Dalton Ervin, Ethan Mullen, Dana Card.

Ohio River Producers (Racine Southern FFA Alumni)

Ohio River Producers (Racine Southern FFA Alumni) members were recognized. The organizations helps with fundraising for educational trips for Racine Southern FFA members, purchase of FFA jackets and many other things. Ohio River Producers Members are: Ed Gibbs (lifetime); James Languel (lifetime); Jim Diddle (lifetime); Joe Proffitt (lifetime); Peggy Gibbs (lifetime); Brent Rose; Jenna Meeks; Joe Roberts; Michaela Holter; Rhonda Meeks; Rhonda Rathburn; Tara Roberts; Maxine Rose; Becky Jackson; Carrie Rose; Elizabeth Lawrence; Sarah Lawrence; Melody Bailey; Shawn Donahue; Shaun Seth; Ollie Sayre.

Dylan Lyons earned the Star Chapter Award. Submitted photo.

FFA Degrees & Officer Awards

Each degree has various requirements, but all are designed to encourage education, participation and sense of community connection and volunteering. Discovery Degree was awarded to AJ Hubbard, Aubrey Chandler, Blake Williams, Chad Foster, CJ Rush, Connor Heslep, Dylan Hupp, Isiah Barton, Jaelyn Norville, Jordan Gilbride, Josiah Smith, Kaiden Michael, Katie Rowe, Krystal Holley, Lila Cooper, Matthew Jackson, Michelle Adkins Camp, Payton Toops, and Ty Little.

The Greenhand Degree was awarded to Theron Black, Andrew Day, Braydon Essick, Mitchel Evans, Grace Hoover, Trenton Owens, and Malachi Smith. Star Greenhand Award went to Braydon Essick.

Chapter Degree was awarded to Dalton Ervin, Dylan Lyons and Kayla Evans. Star Chapter Farmer went to Dylan Lyons.

The FFA State Degree was earned by Raeven Reedy, Caelin Seth, Kristin McKay and Ethan Mullen.

Caelin Seth was awarded the Travis Adams Achievement Award. Submitted photo.

State Level Officer Awards went to several of Racine Southern FFA officers for their Officers Books. Recognized was: Caelin Seth with Secretary Gold; Ethan Mullen with Treasurer Gold; Natalie Porter and Rachel Jackson with Reporters Gold.

The Junior Awards with the Travis Adams Achievement Award went to Caelin Seth.

Senior Awards & Academics

Outstanding Senior Award went to Raeven Reedy. The Ag Key went to Austin Rose.

2020 Ag Certification/Completers were Cheyenne Wehrung and Cole Steele.

Scholarships, awarded from Ohio River Producers (Alumni) were: $1,000 to Austin Rose and Raeven Reedy each; $500 to Dristan Lamm.

Those recognized for 3+ Ag Courses were Mark Eblin, Cameron Powell, Raeven Reedy, Austin Rose, Cole Steele, Cheyenne Wehrung.

Top GPA Scholastic Winners for each grade were: Ninth Grade, Braydon Essick; Tenth Grade, Rachel Jackson; Eleventh Grade, Kristin McKay; Twelfth Grade, Raeven Reedy.

Community Service & SAE Awards

Comunity service is an important component in FFA. The Community Service Award (10+ community service hours in SAE year) was earned by: Corey Lane, Dylan Lyons, Kristin McKay, Ethan Mullen, Raeven Reedy, Austin Rice, Caelin Seth, and Gage Stover.

Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) is a series of programs designed to educate through doing. The experiences can involve various aspects of agribusiness, entrepreneurship, internships, research and service learning. The Outstanding Entrepreneurship SAE went to Ethan Mullen. The Outstanding Placement SAE went to Austin Rose.