Forestry Team second nationwide; Ruben Fentanez in National Choir; Tyler Dick receives American FFA Degree
A contingent of 20+ Mountain Lake FFA Chapter members recently attended the 88th annual National FFA Convention and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky from Wednesday, October 28 through Saturday, October 31. With the students were Mountain Lake FFA Advisors Stephen Funk and Lindsey Brown, as well as Mountain Lake Public High School Principal Pamela Anderson.
Among those attending from the local chapter were the four members of the Mountain Lake Forestry Team – who competed for the national title thanks to winning the Minnesota FFA championship in that CDE (Career Development Event) at the state convention last April – along with Mountain Lake Public High School junior Ruben Fentanez, who participated in the National FFA Choir and 2014 Mountain Lake Christian grad Tyler Dick, who was awarded the American FFA Degree.
According to Mountain Lake FFA Chapter Reporter Rebekah Klassen, local FFA participants in convention activities spent time studying and rehearsing, while the delegates were able to take advantage of the opportunity to learn in hands-on, minds-on workshops; listening to powerful session speakers and national officers; touring Louisville and exploring the career expo and mega-store at the national convention – America’s largest annual student convention.
In fact, the Mountain Lake Forestry Team – 2015 Mountain Lake Public High School (MLHS) graduates Caleb Rempel, Hamlet Tanyavong and Daniel Harder and MLHS junior Jareya Harder – finished second nationally in that competition. All four finished as Gold Individuals. Caleb Rempel was sixth individual overall, Hamlet Tanyavong was ninth individual, Daniel Harder finished 19th individual and Jareya Harder was 41st individual. This is the highest placement ever for a Minnesotea Forestry CDE Team.
Each team member received an engraved axe for their second-place finish nationally, with Rempel awarded $600 and Tanyavong $400 for their Top 10 individual placings.
Since the national conclave, the MLHS grads have returned to their college studies. Rempel is attending the University of Minnesota-Crookston in pursuit of degrees in agronomy and ag education; Tanyavong is at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, pursuing a degree in science and genetics and Harder is at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, studying computer science and math.
Fentanez was one of 90 young people to sing in the choir. They performed several times during the convention. National FFA Choir members are nominated by their state associations and were chosen from a pool of more than 250 applicants.
As for Dick, in receiving the American FFA Degree, he was recognized with the highest degree to be earned by an active FFA member.
More than 65,173 were in attendance during the convention and expo.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Students whose lives are impacted by FFA and agricultural education will achieve academic and personal growth, strengthen American agriculture and provide leadership to build healthy local communities, a strong nation and a sustainable world.
Following are several photos from the National Convention:
