Annual Mountain Lake FFA Chapter awards banquet recognizes that drive in its members
The annual Mountain Lake FFA Chapter awards banquet recognized achievements of members over the course of the past year was held Monday evening, March 9, 2015, in the school’s elementary gymnasium. The meal was prepared and served by the Hi-Lo Club of Lakefield, Minnesota.
Handling the duties for the event were the Chapter officers – President Caleb Rempel, First Vice-President Caitlin Oeltjenbruns, Second Vice-President Ryan McCue, Third Vice-President Michaela Cate, Secretary Carly Paulson, Treasurer Melanie Adrian, Reporter Madelyn Regier, Sentinel Bailey Leaman, Officer-At-Large Sam Xayanourom and Advisors Thomas Appel, Lindsey Brown and Stephen Funk.
Recognized with an Honorary Chapter FFA Degree were the parents of President Caleb Rempel, Bryan and Carolyn Rempel, and Kris Langland of Cross-Counties Connect, a locl news internet website.
Following are photographs of major award winners from the evening:
MOUNTAIN LAKE AREA FFA Chapter President Caleb Rempel also received, from left, the James P. Crawford Citizenship Award, the Dekalb Agricultural Accomplishment Award and the Steve Pfeiffer Conservation and Natural Resources Award.
THESE SENIORS, AND FFA Chapter members received the following awards – from left, Madelyn Regier, Star Chapter Degree; Jacob Junker, Star Chapter Agribusiness and Derek Harder, Star Agricultural Placement.
THOSE EARNING MINNESOTA FFA Degrees were, front, from left, Caleb Rempel, Caitlin Oeltjenbruns, Melanie Adrian and Madelyn Regier. Back, from left, Jacob Junker, Derek Harder, Eric Niss and Austin Suderman. Not pictured is Daniel Nelson.
THE FFA PRIDE Awards were presented to these five Chapter members. Front, Caitlin Oeltjenbruns, left and Caleb Rempel, right. Back, from left, Daniel Harder, Eric Niss and Hamlet Tanyavong.
TWO CHAPTER FRESHMEN were presented with the Star Greenhand Award. They include, Michael Watkins, left and Weston Osland, right.
HUNTER DAHNA, LEFT, was presented the Senior Division First-Place Trap Shoot Award. At right, Jared Willaby received the Chapter Crops Show Award. Not pictured are Tyler Dick, Senior Division Second-Place Trap Shoot Award; Christian Moore, Junior Division First-Place Trap Shoot Award and Braden Rempel, Junior Division Second-Place Trap Shoot Award.
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS are presented to deserving freshmen, sophomores, junior and seniors. Leadership Awards are given to worthy sophomores and juniors. Pictured above are those receiving these awards. Front, from left, Liana Blomgren (Sophomore Scholarship and Leadership Awards), Kalley Rempel (Sophomore Leadership Award), Carly Paulson (Junior Leadership Award), Rebekah Klassen (Sophomore Scholarship and Leadership Awards) and Weston Osland (Freshman Scholarship Award). Middle, from left, Caleb Rempel (Senior Scholarship Award), Ashley Watkins (Junior Scholarship Award), Jared Willaby (Senior Scholarship Award) and Jareya Harder (Freshman Scholarship Award). Back, from left, Andrew Fast (Sophomore Scholarship Award), Sam Hirsch (Sophomore Scholarship Award), Levi Jahnke (Senior Scholarship Award), Ryan McCue (Junior Scholarship Award) and Michael Watkins (Freshman Scholarship Award). Not pictured is Bailey Leaman (Junior Scholarship and Leadership Awards).
RECEIVING THEIR NAVY blue corduroy FFA jackets – their names embossed with gold thread on one side, the FFA emblem on the other, and the Chapter name and emblem on the back – through the “Blue Jackets, Bright Futures” program are Greenhands (Freshmen) Chapter members, from left, Brodie Freeman, Taylor Hudson and Weston Osland. Not pictured is Jose Ramirez.
SELECTED TO PERFORM with the National FFA Band during last fall’s National FFA Convention were seniors Caitlin Oeltjenbruns, left, on flute and Levi Jahnke, right, on trumpet. Eighty-one instrumentalists are selected from across the country, including three from Minnesota – and two of those came from the Mountain Lake Area FFA Chapter. Oeltjenbruns and Jahnke also had the opportunity and privilege to present solos during the national band’s concert.
CHAPTER WINNERS IN Proficiency and Speaking received plaques of recognition. Front, from left, Kenna Gardiner (Equine Science), Carly Paulson (Agricultural Sales and Service), Rebekah Klassens (Public Speaking), Karen Soutthivong (Vegetable Production) and Madelyn Regier (Diversified Agricultural Production). Back, from left, Alex Dunker (Wildlife Management), Hunter Dahna (Sheep Production), Aaron Fast (Dairy Placement), Ruben Fentanez (Forest Management Production), Andrew Fast (Dairy Placement) and Austin Suderman (Agricultural Mechanics). Not pictured are Bailey Leaman (Agricultural Education), Nick Menken (Beef Production Placement), Derek Harder (Diversified Crop Production), Food Processing (Akin Tema-Lopez), Mac Bryan (Landscape Management), Shadrick Hoek (Outdoor Recreation), Noah Frederiksen (Poultry Production), Logan Johnson (Soil and Water Management), Breanna Lidtke (Swine Production Management), Olivia Hopwood (Turf Grass Management), Maritza Lopez (Creed Speaking) and Daniel Nelson (Ag Processing).
CHAPTER FRUIT SALES Awards. A total 1,203 boxes of fruit were sold by the Chapter. Caitlin Oeltjenbruns, right, was the top fundraiser, selling $2,584 in fruit sales, while the brother-sister twins team of Jacob Suess, left and Meredith Suess were the top family member money raisers, selling $1,429 in boxes of fruit. Not pictured is the top two-person team, Tara Fast and Chanah Brandt, who raised $3,293 in fruit sales.
PROUD MLA FFA Chapter Advisors display the Outstanding Agricultural Program of the Year traveling trophy, which the local Chapter earned in 2014. The award began in 1989. From left, Stephen Funk, Tom Appel and Lindsey Brown.
MOUNTAIN LAKE FFA Chapter Advisor since 1981 – Tom Appel – finds his place at the spot where every advisor finds themselves – at the wise old owl. Appel has announced his intention to retire – someday soon. Today he is backed by Stephen Funk and Lindsey Brown; each beginning their duties in fall 2013. The first FFA Chapter Advisor was J. H. Tschetter, serving from 1941 to 1951. From 1951 to 1981, James P. Crawford was the local Chapter Advisor.
ADVISOR STEPHEN FUNK, left, captures the moment Caitlin Oeltjenbruns, center and Levi Jahnke, right, received their National FFA Band Awards with his cell phone camera.
A LITTLE LEVITY while lining up the group of Chapter Proficiency and Speaking Award Winners. Front, Ruben Fentanez. Seated, from left, Carly Paulson, Rebekah Klassen, Alex Dunker and Madelyn Regier. Standing, form left, Hunter Dahna, Aaron Fast, Andrew Fast and Austin Suderman.
ADVISOR LINDSEY BROWN, at front, stepped in to organize the award-winning teens. Seated, from left, Kenna Gardiner, Carly Paulson, Rebekah Klassen, Brown and Madelyn Regier. Standing, from left, Alex Dunker, Hunter Dahna, Aaron Fast, Ruben Fentanez, Andrew Fast and Austin Suderman.
AFTER THE BANQUET – there is always clean-up. Junior Ryan McCue – sporting his navy blue FFA tie – goes up the ladder to take down the blue-and-gold FFA banner flags that decorated the gymnasium.
