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Spotlight on Youth - January 14, 2009
Parkway FFA competes
at soil judging contest

ROCKFORD, Ohio — Parkway FFA Chapter recently took members to Hardin County to compete in soil judging. Soil judging is a FFA Career Development Event.

There are two different types of soil judging available to compete in. They are rural and urban soil judging. The members are split into teams of three or four to get a team score as well as be placed as an individual. The results are based on the three pits judged by the students as well as a test score over a county soils booklet.
Parkway sent five teams in the rural category and did very well out of 61 teams. The first team consisted of Paul Brown, Michael Ford, Stephany Hesse, and Brad Shaffer and they placed first. The third team placed 7th, which consisted of Hank Bevington, Patrick Jackson, Dan Shellabarger, and Garth Louth. Top rural individuals were Michael Ford – 4th, Paul Brown – 6th, Casey Mullen – 29th, and Garth Louth – 32nd. These individuals were placed out of 222 students.

Parkway also sent two urban teams to the contest and did well out of 43 teams. The first team placed 6th which consisted of Corbin Hellwarth, Caden Hellwarth, and Abby Evans. The second team placed 20th with the members being Olivia Houts, Brandon Dellinger, and Destinee Guggenbiller. Top individuals were Corbin Hellwarth – 21st, Caden Hellwarth – 24th, and Brandon Dellinger – 32nd. This was out of 145 students.

Southmont FFA places 1st
at Purdue Crops Contest

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — The Southmont FFA Crops Teams recently participated in the Purdue University contest on Saturday Nov. 15th.

There were 17 teams and 68 individuals competing in the senior contest. The senior team consisting of Shelby Philpott, Lagora Paxton, Andrew Poynter, and Will Moser placed 1st. The team consisting of Trey Wilbur, Aaron King, Aaron Clark, and Emily Overpeck placed 2nd. The team consisting of Kiley Kaeser, Brooke Mason, Jessika Zachary, and Ashley Smith placed 6th. The team of Matt Armbruster, Blake Hutchison, Ashley Kincaid, and Carly Beck placed 9th. The team of Jessica Anderson, Colby Kaeser, Ben Beck, and Tabby Schronce placed 11th.

Individually, Shelby Philpott placed 1st, Lagora Paxton placed 3rd, Will Moser placed 6th, Andrew Poynter placed 7th, Trey Wilbur placed 12th, Aaron King placed 12th, Aaron Clark placed 13th, and Emily Overpeck placed 13th.

The Junior High team consisting of Josh Kaeser, Eleri Vice, David McClure, and Brooke McDaniel placed 1st. The team of Caleb Coffing, Megan Kincaid, and Bill Parker placed 3rd. There was a total of six junior teams at the contest. Individually Josh Kaeser placed 1st, Eleri Vice placed 2nd, David McClure placed 3rd, Brooke McDaniel placed 5th, Caleb Coffing placed 6th, and Megan Kincaid placed 10th out of a total of 17 individuals.

Participants were required to identify 25 crop and weed plant specimens out of a list of 65; 10 disease and damage factors; and 25 crop and weed seeds out of a list of 65 common in Indiana. They were also required to grade eight grain samples according to the U.S. grain grading standards; 4 of corn, 2 of soybeans, and 2 of wheat.

The final part of the contest required participants to take a 40-question quiz testing their knowledge of Indiana crop production practices, pesticide application, and weed control techniques.
The team also recently competed in the area contest on Nov. 25 held at the Beck Research Center in West Lafayette, Ind.

Versailles graduate
receives AGCO scholarship

DULUTH, Ga. — AGCO Corporation is proud to be a sponsor of a $2,400 National FFA Scholarship awarded to Elizabeth Heitkamp, a 2008 graduate of Versailles High School. The award was made during the recent 81st National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Support for students like Heitkamp is a fitting way for the company to celebrate the role of FFA in American agriculture, says Robert Crain, senior vice president and general manager, AGCO North America and member of the FFA Foundation Sponsors Board. He stresses that while the FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program is only one way the company, its employees and dealerships support FFA, it is a vital link to the future of agriculture and the future of AGCO. In addition to the scholarships, the AGCO exhibit at the convention offers FFA members an opportunity to discuss future career options with AGCO employees staffing it, many of whom are former FFA members themselves.

“Elizabeth Heitkamp and the other recipients of National FFA Scholarships are our future agricultural engineers, agronomists, teachers and farmers,” says Crain. “FFA has played an important role in their development and education, preparing them for the role they will play. For many of us at AGCO, FFA opened the door to our future careers. It is only right that we help FFA do the same for these young people.”

Heitkamp is the daughter of Gary and Denise Heitkamp of Versailles, Ohio. The recent Versailles High School graduate is attending Ohio State University and plans to major in Agricultural Communications. AGCO salutes her academic performance and future plans.

“Agriculture needs people like Elizabeth Heitkamp to help tell our story,” says Crain. “FFA, with its emphasis on developing its members’ potential for leadership and future success, has helped her on her way. We are excited to be their partner in this effort. We see our sponsorship as a wise business investment in her future and in our industry.”

AGCO support for the 2007-2008 FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program continues a 62 year history of corporate support for FFA.

This year the program provided individual scholarships worth more than $2.2 million through the National FFA Organization. Since the program began in 1984, $28 million have been awarded, ranging from $1,000 to full tuition for four years. The scholarship program has grown from 16 awards in its first year to 1,863 given out to 2008 graduating high school and first year college students. More than 8,400 students applied for the awards this past year, with one in five receiving a scholarship for two-year or four-year degrees. Awards are based on a combination of scholastic record, FFA activities and/or work experience and leadership activities.

“AGCO Corporation recognizes the critical role these young people will play in our future,” said Crain. “For the past 62 years, our company and its heritage brands have supported the National FFA and its role in educating students in agriculture and fostering agricultural careers. We are committed to continuing and expanding that support and our employee involvement.”
1/14/2009