By ANN ALLEN
Indiana Correspondent

DENVER, Ind. — North Miami High School’s four-member FFA dairy evaluation team has been invited to compete in the Royal Highland Livestock Show in Edinburgh, Scotland, this summer.

Along with their coach, Glen Jones, they plan to make the trip to the United Kingdom – provided they can raise the $21,000 needed to travel throughout Scotland, England, France, Luxembourg and Germany, where they will visit dairy farms, agricultural fairs, industries and tourist attractions, as well as have an opportunity to live with farm families.

Fundraising is a daunting task, but the group feels up for it, starting their fund drive with $4,820 in the bank and a pledge of an additional $1,000 from the Miami County Farm Bureau. The FFA chapter hosted a fish and tenderloin dinner, and team members will hire themselves out for work days.

In addition, they will be auctioned off as a group at their March 31 FFA banquet at the high school. They’re also filling out grant applications.

Their invitation came after winning area and state events and placing among the top five teams at the National FFA convention, where they faced others from throughout the country. Traveling with them will be FFA dairy judging teams from California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Jones, who made a similar trip in 2006, looks forward to repeating the experience. He said students making the trip learned a great deal about Europe’s dairy industry as well as the people and institutions that make up the European community.

“The students’ opportunity to live with farm families in Luxembourg was a highlight on the previous trip,” he said. “I expect it will be the same this year.”
Team members are:

Andrea Pfaffenbach, daughter of Andy and Renelle Pfaffenbach, is a junior who plans to study dairy science in college.  She is FFA chapter president, has gone on 4-H mission trips, is a member of the National Honor Society and serves as pianist at her church.

She works for Brodbeck Seed in the summer and is a part-time milker for Hudson Farms Dairy.

Katie Wilcox, daughter of Heather McAdams, Peru, Ind., and Don Wilcox, Westcliffe, Colo., moved back to Indiana in 2009 and has become an active member of North Miami’s FFA chapter after beginning her FFA experience in Colorado.

She is completing a term as chapter secretary and is editor of the school newspaper. A member of the National Honor Society and the English academic team, she plans to further her education at Indiana University to major in psychotherapy.

Brantley See, son of Bart and Raye Anne See, is a senior who plans to return to the family farm after attending the University of Northwestern Ohio. He attends agricultural mechanics classes at Heartland Vocational School.

A high point in his 10-year 4-H career came last summer when he exhibited the Grand Champion cow. He is a member of his school’s swing choir and is a cheer lifter. Like his three teammates, he was a member of a state-winning soils evaluation team.

Sarah Correll, daughter of Kelly Haupert and the late Dan Correll, is a senior who plans to major in agricultural economics and agricultural education at Purdue University. A 10-year 4-H member, she has won numerous awards at local, state and national events, especially those involving dairy goats.
She recently completed a term as president of the FFA chapter and is district FFA president. Currently president of the Miami County 4-H Junior Leaders and vice president of National Honor Society, she was high individual overall at the Pennsylvania All American Dairy Contest, as well as earning the High Reasons Award.

Anyone desiring to assist these students can mail donations payable to the North Miami Dairy Team, in care of: Renelle Pfaffenbach, 13504N 700E, Roann, IN 46974.