TONTOGANY—Parents, students, and community supporters gathered on April 1 at Otsego High School for the 63rd Annual Otsego-Penta FFA Banquet.
Awards were presented for the chapter’s FFA Citrus Sale fundraiser top money raisers. The top 10 individuals were: 1. Sara Britton. 2. Jordyn Davis. 3. Kenzie Kellermeier. 4. Addison Hertzfeld. 5. Janelle Brooks. 6. Ali Meek. 7. Claire Lampe. 8. Madi Shidler. 9. Travis Vollmar. 10. Lauren and Caleb Euler.
Scholarships are presented to freshman and sophomore members who make the Otsego High School Honor Roll. Recipients this year included: Gwen Baranski, Rennan Brown, Maxwell Bruss, Maya Burris, Issac Cordonnier, Greylin Durbin, Eliza Eberly, Madisyn Eckert, Caroline Epperson, Blake Euler, Emma Gamby, Zachary Graber, Adeline Hamrick, Kenzie Kellermeier, Alexis Kelley, Alyssa Klienrichert, Lila Martel, Alicia Mendez, Genson Meyer, Jackson Miles, Cara Rodenberger, Cole Shambarger, Madilyn Shidler, Preston Shirkey, James Stevenson, Brady Swartz, Keaton Treen, Paisley Zsigray, Anna Ayers, Ethan Bechinstein, Rylynn Brokamp, Liam Crowe, Lauren Euler, Dane Fatzinger, Lincoln Ferdig, Grady Frank, Addison Hertzfeld, Dylan Heuerman, Addelyne Hudson, Claire Lampe, Quinlyn Strahm, Johnnie Vollmar, Ashlyn Rider, and Liv Williams.
The following junior and senior FFA members received an award for having a 3.5 or higher GPA:
Antonio Aranda, Jane Balusik, Wyatt Barfield, Sara Britton, Paige Hauge, Molly Kramer, Janie
Lehsten, Cailyn Lorenz, Maya Mason, Kellen McClure, Ryleigh O’Brein, Sadie St.John, Ava
Weaver, Gordon Ayers, Brooke Bergman, Janelle Brooks, Cassie Bunde, Cole Cryan, Jacob
Dahms, Jordyn Davis, Carley Etchie, Caleb Euler, Jonathan Gomez, Broc Harishfeger, Faith
Martel, Ali Meek, Rocco Nicotera, Heavenly Richmond, Dylan Schwab, Devin Silva, Kane
Troendle, and Jaxon Vollmar.
Senior Brooke Bergman was congratulated for being named valedictorian.
Two of the chapter’s Parliamentary Procedure teams were recognized for their successes this year. The advanced team placed first in the county and third in the district, and received gold medals for their FFA jackets. Team members included chair Anna Ayers, secretary Claire Lampe, and members Addison Hertzfeld, Maya Mason, Jordyn Davis, Janie Lehsten, Quinlyn Strahm, and Lauren Euler.
The Novice team placed first at the county, first in the district, and third in room at state. They are received a gold medal for their jackets. Members included Alyssa Kleinrichert, Addison Smith, Keaton Treen, Brady Swartz, Emma Schohn, Jocelyn Bellieville, Jackson Miles, Payton Holland, Faith Henry, Issac Cordonnier, and Olivia Buckland.
Career Development Events (CDEs) are a cornerstone of FFA in areas including ag sales, equine judging, poultry judging, wildlife judging,
The Ag Sales team, with members Janie Lehsten, Maya Mason, Sara Britton, Anna Ayers, Janelle Brooks and Caleb Euler, placed first in the district and moved onto the state competition, where they placed second by five points. At the district, Sara placed second individually, followed by Anna in third, Maya in fifth and Janie in sixth place.
Individual awards at the state contest included Anna in eighth place, Janie, ninth; Sara, 15th and Maya, 30th. Volunteers Ellen Pullins, Stacey Anderson, Jeff Mason, Amelia Pullins, and Levi Richards were thanked for helping coach and support the team.
The Equine Judging team placed sixth as a team at the district contest. Team members were
Maya Mason, Addelyne Hudson, Lila Martel, and Jane Balusik.
Logan Zellner, Rylynn Brokamp, Alyssa Kleinchert, Lauren Euler, Kellen McClure, Liv Williams, and Liam Crowe were all part of the Nature Interpretation Judging team that placed sixth at districts.
The Poultry Judging team placed ninth in the district contest. Members of this team were Janelle
Brooks, Brady Swartz, Caleb Euler, Travis Vollmar, Gordon Ayers, Rocco Nicotera, and Jacob
Dahms.
Johnnie Vollmar, Dane Fatzinger, Siler Vitek, Grady Frank, Nolan Vollmar, Lincoln Ferdig, Carson Upperco, and Andyn Hill placed eighth at the district Meat Evaluation competition.
The Wildlife Judging team consisting of Cassie Bunde, Brooke Bergman, Addison Hertzfeld, Janie Lehsten, Jordyn Davis, Eliza Coe, Maggie Buccalo, and Carley Etchie placed eighth overall in the districts.
The Livestock Judging team placed first at districts and 35th at states out of 196 teams.
The Rural Soil Judging team consisted of members Cassie Bunde, Kellen McClure, Gordon Ayers, Travis Vollmar, Issac Cordonnier, Maya Mason, Janie Lehsten, Eliza Coe, Jocelyn Belleville, Jordyn Davis, Sara Britton, Addison Hertzfeld, Anna Ayers, Seth Meussling, Jayden Lucal, Caleb Euler, Jacob Dahms, Rocco Nicotera, Faith Henry, and Jane Balusik. In the county contest, the team placed first with the following members placing individually: Cassie, first; Kellen, second; Gordon, fifth; Travis, seventh; and Issac, eighth. The team moved on to districts where they placed eighth, and Maya placed 12th individually.
Jocelyn Belleville, Brady Swartz, Anna Ayers, Lauren Euler, Sara Britton, Janie Lehsten, and Ali Meek all competed in the county job interview contest. At the county contest, Brady placed first and Jocelyn placed fourth in Division 1. In Division 2, Anna placed first, and Lauren placed third. Janie placed first, Sara placed second in Division 3. Ali placed fifth in Division 4. Brady, Anna, Janie, and Sara all moved onto the district contest, where Anna placed second.
In the FFA Public Speaking contest, Jocelyn Belleville placed fourth and Brady Swartz placed fifth in the FFA Creed Speaking contest. Claire Lampe placed first in the Beginning Prepared Speaking contest. In the Advanced Prepared Speaking contest, Sara Britton placed third and Maya Mason placed fourth.
The Food Science team placed eighth at the district competition. Members included Cassie Bunde, Maya Mason, Jacob Dahms, and Kellen McClure.
The last CDE to be recognized was the Top 10 Greenhand test takers. The following members
were top 10: Jocelyn Belleville, Issac Cordonnier, Blake Euler, Alyssa Kleinrichert, Maxwell
Bruss, Dylan Heuerman, Brady Swartz, and Lila Martel.
FFA Greenhand Degrees were presented to Wyatt Barfield, Ethan Bechstein, Michael Bechstein, Liam Crowe, Lila Dubois, Garret Dziengelewski, Dane Fatzinger, Lincoln Ferdig, Grady Frank, Eldon Hanthorn, Paige Hague, Payton Herman, Dylan Heuerman, Addelyne Hudson, Kenna Jones, Kevin Jones Jr, Anthony Lee, Rocco Nicotera, Mason Stout, Carson Upperco, Siler Vitek, Travis Vollmar, Gwen Baranski, Selah Barfield, Alexis Bechstein, Jocelyn Belleville, Cole Beyer, Rennen Brown, Maxwell Bruss, Olivia Buckland, Maya Burris, Isaac Cordonnier, Scott Cordova, Greylin Durbin, Eliza Eberly, Madisyn Eckert, Caroline Epperson, Blake Euler, Emma Gamby, Zachary Graber, Adeline Hamrick, Faith Henry, Payton Holland, Kayla Johnson, Kenzie Kellermeier, Alexis Kelley, Talon Kershner, Alyssa Kleinrichert, Madeleine Luce, Lila Martel, Alicia Mendez, Genson Meyer, Jackson Miles, Alivia Morrison, Brayden Peters, Khloe Reeves, Kennedy Richmond, Cara Rodenberger, Emma Schohn, Vincent Schwab, Cole Shanbarger, Madilyn Shidler, Preston Shirkey, Addison Smith, Ryder Smith, James Stevenson, Makenna Strahm, Brady Swartz, Keaton Treen, Dominic Wilder, and Paisley Zsigray.
State FFA Degree recipients from the chapter are Jacob Dahms, Brooke Bergman, Jane Balusik, Sara Britton, Janie Lehsten, and Maya Mason.
Emma Reid, Wes Kellermeier, Carter Lampe, and Ben Jones are four Otsego FFA members who are candidates for the FFA American Degree, presented at the national convention in the fall.
Members who earn proficiency awards are presented a pin and certificate. Members who were first in their chosen proficiency included:
- Ag Education: Faith Martel
- Ag Mechanics Design and Fabrication: Adam Libstroff
- Ag Sales: Gordon Ayers
- Ag Services: Jayden Lucal
- Beef Production-Entrepreneurship: Anna Ayers
- Beef Production-Placement: Sara Britton
- Goat Production: Gordon Ayers
- Diversified Ag Production-Entrepreneurship: Maya Mason
- Environmental and Natural Resources Management: Cassie Bunde
- Diversified Livestock: Janie Lehsten
- Equine Science- Entrepreneurship: Jane Balusik
- Equine Science-Placement: Kellen McClure
- Swine Efficiency-Entrepreneurship: Claire Lampe
- Grain Production: Jacob Dahms
- Service Learning: Dylan Schwab
- Landscape Management-Placement: Jaxson Vollmar
- Landscape Management-Entrepreneurship: Cailyn Lorenz
- Outdoor Recreation: Cole Hennen
- Poultry Production-Placement: Cassie Bunde
- Sheep Production: Janie Lehsten
- Swine Production: Claire Lampe
- Small Animal Production and Care: Janelle Brooks
- Forest Management: Bryce Beyer
- Turf Grass Management: Kane Troendle
- Vegetable Production-Placement: Brooke Bergman
- Fruit Production-Placement: Quinlyn Strahm
- Forage Production: Maya Mason
- Poultry-Entrepreneurship: Broc Harnishfeger
- Veterinary Science: Faith Martel
Chapter Treasurer Kellen McClure received an honorable mention for his reporter’s scrapbook. Secretary Maya Mason and Treasurer Brooke Bergman each received a gold ranking for their officer books.
Karen Bergman and Ashley Brooks were presented Honorary FFA degrees. Bergman has gone above and beyond in supporting the chapter this year. She was a huge help during tractor pulls, demonstrating leadership and dedication. Brooks also provided significant support during the tractor pulls. Her reliability, positive attitude and willingness to step up made an impact on the chapter this year.
The 110% Award was presented to Sara Britton, who participated in almost every activity this year. Sara received a plaque, shirt, and a scholarship certificate, sponsored by Bowling Green Ag Credit.
Scholarships were awarded to the following seniors:
- Jacob Dahms: Metzger Memorial Scholarship, $500, and Mildred R. Nichols Agricultural Scholarship, $500.
- Gordon Ayers: 12th Annual Morris Wenig Scholarship, $1000
- Cassie Bunde: Otsego FFA Alumni Association, $750
- Ali Meek and Janelle Brooks: Bernie and Jean Scott Scholarship, $500
- Brooke Bergman: Otsego FFA Alumni Association, $250
The FFA recognized the following 20 seniors for being a part of FFA for at least 3 years:
Gordon Ayers, Brooke Bergman, Bryce Beyer, Janelle Brooks, Cassie Bunde, Jacob Dahms,
Jordyn Davis, Carley Etchie, Caleb Euler, Broc Harnishfeger, Cole Hennan, Adam Lebstorff,
Jayden Lucal, Faith Martel, Ali Meek, Syler Ringler, Dylan Schwab, Devin Silva, Kane Troendle, and Jaxson Vollmar.
Seniors who worked hard in FFA and maintained a 3.4 GPA or higher received a cord for their efforts: Gordon Ayers, Brooke Bergman, Janelle Brooks, Cassie Bunde, Jacob Dahms, Jordyn Davis, Caleb Euler, Faith Martel, Ali Meek, Carley Etchie, and Jaxson Vollmar.
Awards for Stars over Otsego-Penta were presented as follows:
- Star in Agriculture Placement: Jacob Dahms
- Star in Agriscience: Cassie Bunde and Brooke Bergman
- Star in Agribusiness: Gordon Ayer
- Star Chapter Farmer: Janelle Brooks
The final activity of the event was the installation of the 2026-27 Officers: President Maya Mason: Vice President Claire Lampe, Secretary Anna Ayers, Treasurer Kellen McClure, Reporter Lauren Euler, Sentinel Sara Britton, and Student Advisor Janie Lehsten.
