(Submitted by BG FFA)
After a long and difficult year, the Bowling Green FFA was able to have its 90th annual banquet, in person. This year’s banquet took the form of an awards ceremony in order to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. There may have not been a meal but it didn’t prevent the chapter from ending the school year on a high note.
The evening started with announcing the honorary degrees. There were a total of four degrees awarded.
The first recipients were Jeff and Jenny Dever. The Dever’s have dedicated much of their time to Bowling Green City Schools and have always supported BG FFA. The chapter and district will miss them next year as they begin their well-deserved retirement.
Mark and Melissa DeSmith were also honorary degree recipients this year. The DeSmiths have always helped sponsor various chapter events, most notably Bobcat-A-Thon.
Michelle Evans, owner of Evans Home Loans and Insurance, received an honorary degree for financially aiding the chapter’s endeavors such as the Tailgate and Bobcat-A-Thon.
The final recipient was Devin Dauterman who played an instrumental role in the chapter’s First Annual BBQ Pork Bash drive-thru pork dinner that helped raise funds for senior scholarships.
This year’s Blue and Gold award was given to Bowling Green High Schools athletic director Dirk Connor. Connor was always willing to work with the FFA on events such as tailgate or finding gym space for us to hold meetings and events. Without the help of Connor many of the FFA’s activities wouldn’t be possible.
The evening’s purpose wasn’t just for award winners, it was also to induct the chapter’s Greenhand members. Greenhand members are first-year FFA members. In a normal year the Greenhand Ceremony would be held at the start of the school year, but following the pattern of this year the chapter had to be flexible with events. This year there were 47 Greenhands inducted into the chapter who were welcomed with open arms.
The ceremony also allowed for the chapter to recognize the Proficiency award winners. Arika Adams won the Ag Services Placement and Landscape Management Entrepreneurship awards. Kaitlyn Applegate received the Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication Entrepreneurship award. The winner of the Nursery Operations Placement went to Gretchan Germann. Nathan Harris won the Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance Placement, Diversified Agricultural Production Placement, and the Specialty Crop Production Entrepreneurship awards. Jamie Ankney received an award in Ag Services Placement. The Beef Production Entrepreneurship award, sponsored by Brian and Stacie Anderson, was given to Konnaly Kale. Morgan Schick received an award for Swine and Poultry Production Entrepreneurship. Members Erica Dauterman and Chloe Lamb received the award for Diversified Livestock Entrepreneurship. The Small Animal Care and Production Entrepreneurship award went to Kameron Borner. Both Tyler Bowen and Eddie Eschedor received an award in Dairy Production Entrepreneurship. Lynette Bechstein received an award in Poultry Production Entrepreneurship. For Landscape Management an award was given to Brian Tussing. The Forest Management and Products Placement award went to Amanda Mantel. The final awards went to Kenzie Spangenberg and Madison Carillo in Goat Production Entrepreneurship.
The members were also presented with the Chapter Awards. These are presented to members who excel in the areas specified by each award which are:
The Star Greenhand Award, sponsored by BG FFA alumni and friends, went to first year members Wyatt Bechstein, Zach Bechstein, and Drew Thomas.
Star Agriscience Award, sponsored by the Wood County Soil and Water Conservation District, went to Carysa Johnson
Star Chapter Farmer Award went to Marcus VanVorhis, which was sponsored by BG FFA Alumni and Friends.
The Star Ag Placement was awarded to Zach Crawford, which was sponsored by Klotz Floral and Gifts.
The Ag Credit 110% award was given to Lynette Bechstein and Faith Evans for their hard work throughout their time in the Chapter.
The Outstanding Senior Award, sponsored by Mike and the late Mary Lou Shertzer, was awarded to Erica Dauterman.
The Star Accounting Award went to Konnaly Kale and was sponsored by Premier Bank.
The Spirit of FFA award is presented to members in each grade level who go the extra mile in their endeavors in the FFA. All of these awards are sponsored by Dr. John Hartman.
The freshman winners were Cole Brokaw, Henry Strow, and Deane Lamb.
The sophomore winners were Lindsay Eisel, Audrey Geyman, Madison Carillo, and Eddie Eschedor.
The junior winners were Nathan Haris, Brain Tussing, Arika Adams, and Emma Walker.
The senior winners were Jacob DeSmith, Jamie Ankney, Morgan Schick, Chloe Lamb and Kameron Borner.
This year’s senior scholarships were awarded to seven deserving graduates from the Class of 2021. The Bronze Scholarship was awarded to Kaitlyn Applegate and Faith Evans who received $300 each. The Silver Scholarship went to Morgan Schick, Jamie Ankney, and Kameron Borner who each received $400. Finally the Gold Scholarship was awarded to Erica Dauterman and Konnaly Kale, who both received $500 dollars.
The night ended with the induction of BG FFAs 2021-2022 officer team:
- President – Eddie Eschedor
- Vice President – Arika Adams
- Secretary – Emma Ferguson
- Treasurer – Peyton Bosworth
- Reporter – Emma Walker
- Sentinel – Laney Crawford
- Student Advisor – Kennedi Hendricks
The awards ceremony is the last FFA event of the school year, therefore the last for the seniors. As it is sad to see them go they have all gone to great lengths for the chapter and the new officer team is ready to continue that legacy and take the Bowling Green FFA chapter to the next level.
