On Friday, April 19, the Cardington FFA Chapter held its annual banquet and awards ceremony. The event was held in the gymnasium at Cardington-Lincoln High School to celebrate 84 years of the FFA Chapter and the successes it has had over the past year. More than 540 guests were in attendance, including members, parents, alumni, school board members and school administration, local business and industry professionals, Ohio FFA State Officers, and visiting FFA members from Highland, Amanda Clearcreek and Big Walnut schools. We were also pleased to host the incoming superintendent to Cardington-Lincoln Local Schools, Todd Spinner.

The event was opened by Zane Everly, 2023-2024 Cardington FFA president, before introducing the Chapter Chaplain Christopher Kinsey, for an invocation. All Occasions Catering, of Waldo, provided dinner followed by cakes made by Amy Wollett. During dessert service, Zane Everly performed “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes, as he was a Ohio FFAstate talent finalist at last year’s Convention.

At 7 p.m., the FFA Officer Team was introduced to kick off the program as they ran through tunnels of members and onto the stage. The program was run entirely by the students, who announced awards and recognized their fellow members. Throughout the program, scholarships were given to students from the Cardington Vo-Ag Farm Association (represented by Jamie Etgen) and the Cardington FFA Alumni and Supporters (represented by Chris Hartley). Andrea Bayles, regional lending manager for AG Credit of Mt. Gilead, presented the 110% Award on behalf of their organization. Four members of the community were recognized with the Honorary FFA Degree for their contributions to the chapter this year. This year, students decided to present the inaugural Living to Serve Award to recognize FFA members who have committed to serve in our armed forces, also recognizing all guests who have served our nation. Guests also enjoyed a year-in-review video to relive the events and activities the members participated in throughout the year.

At the conclusion of the banquet, 18 senior FFA members were recognized as they hung up their blue corduroy for the final time in the tear-jerking senior ceremony. Kayla Hughes and Zane Everly delivered their retiring addresses with their final messages to the FFA Organization as presiding officers. The program concluded with the announcement of the 2024-2025 Cardington FFA Officer Team, which was celebrated with confetti cannons and lots of cheers from the audience!

The Cardington FFA would like to offer a sincere thank you to all who attended the annual banquet and to all who support the program throughout the year. Notably, special thanks to the Cardingon Vo-Ag Farm Association (platinum sponsor of the event), John Brehm (technology director for the event), Justin Radel and the custodial staff (event set up/tear down), Gale Slack of Singing Springs Nursery (providing greenery for the stage), AG Credit of Mt. Gilead (providing tableware for the meal), Four Seasons Barn (providing the stage backdrop), and the Academy of Rising Stars (dessert/meal service attendants).

The event was hosted by the 2023-2024 Cardington FFA Officer Team: Zane Everly (President), Kayla Hughes (vice president), Sarah Perry (Secretary), Megan Gardner (asst. secretary), Alexis Peters (Treasurer), Rylee Donkin (asst. treasurer), Maddy Brook-Hobbs (Reporter), Brandon Hughes (asst. reporter), Sophia Goers (Sentinel), Autumn Holt (student advisor), Christopher Kinsey (Chaplain), and Erin Wollett (Advisor).

Notable awards presented include:

• Star Greenhand: Jake Adams

• Star Chapter Farmers: Isabelle Hess and Megan Gardner

• Most Outstanding Junior: Aaron Howard

• Most Outstanding Senior: Alexis Peters

• Overall High Point Members: Megan Gardner, Isabelle Hess and Alexis Peters

• Top 5 Greenhands (tie): Jake Adams, Aliya Ramoneda, Caleb Reynolds, Zack Pickens, Makenzie Keifer, Bristol Whetnall

• Top 5 Chapter Farmers: Megan Gardner, Isabelle Hess, Christopher Kinsey, Ava Davis, Brandon Hughes

• Top 5 Most Outstanding Juniors: Aaron Howard, Taylor Prince, Madison Caulkins, Rylee Donkin, Morgan Powell

• Top 5 Most Outstanding Seniors: Alexis Peters, AJ Hall, Jason Bockbrader, Kelli Landon, Autumn Holt

• AG Credit 110% Award: Christopher Kinsey

• Farm Association Scholarship: Ryan Spires

• Cardington FFA Alumni Scholarship: Alexis Peters, Chloe Sherbourne, Kayla Hughes

• Inaugural Living to Serve Award: Merek McClure (enlisted in US Marines)

• Honorary Degree Recipients: Katy Hall, Chad Holt, Mary Hughes, Kara Peters

• State Proficiency Finalists: Mason Powell (Ag Mechanics Design & Fabrication), Payton Goodman (Nursery Operations)

• State Star in Agribusiness Finalist: Sage Whetnall

• State Gold-Rated Officers: Sarah Perry, Alexis Peters, Maddy Brook-Hobbs

• Top Fruit Salesman: Cheyenne Leopold; 2nd Place Fruit Salesman: Kelli Landon; 3rd Place Fruit Salesman: Miranda Kintz; 4th Place Fruit Salesman: Madison Dornon; 5th Place Fruit Salesman: Ari Simpson

• Top Strawberry Sales: Miranda Kintz; Runner Up: Ari Simpson; Honorable Mention: Keely Pearl, Kelli Landon, Hunter Marteney

• Ohio FFA State Degree: Autumn Holt, Morgan Powell, Lane Hughes, Chloe Sherbourne, Merek McClure, Zane Everly, Tyler Bierl, Dillon Minturn

• American FFA Degree: Dillon Minturn, Drew Etgen, Owen Christian, Alexis Crone, Sage Whetnall

CDE Awards

• Top County Forestry: Alexis Peters

• Top State Forestry: Wyatt Denney

• Top Equine: Miranda Kintz

• Top Dairy Foods: Brayden Rammelsberg

• Top Dairy Cattle: Brayden Rammelsberg

• Top Aquarium Management: AJ Hall

• Top Farm Business Management: Danny Townsend

• Top General Livestock: Megan Gardner

• Top Meat Evaluation: Wyatt Davis

• Top Wildlife: Alexis Peters

• Top Floriculture: Maddy Brook-Hobbs

• Top Greenhand Test-Aliya Ramoneda

• Top Creed Speaker: Aliya Ramoneda

• Top Prepared Speaker: Aaron Howard

• Top Extemporaneous Speaker: Sarah Perry

• Top Div 1 Job Interview: Alaina Jones

• Top Div 2 Job Interview: Miranda Kintz

• Top Div 3 Job Interview: Aaron Howard

• Top Div 4 Job Interview: Alexis Peters

• Novice Parliamentary Procedure: Dylan Compton, Celia Hall, Jake Adams, Hunter Marteney, Lundyn Blevins, Bristol Whetnall, Rylee Jones, Caleb Reynolds

• Advanced Parliamentary Procedure (State Champion Team): Brandon Hughes, Ava Davis, Isabelle Hess, Hailey Littlemeyer, Megan Gardner, Brayden Rammelsberg, Danny Townsend, Madison Dornon

Asst Coach: Alexis Peters

• 2024-2025 Cardington FFA Officer Team: President Rylee Donkin; Vice President Christopher Kinsey, Secretary Megan Gardner, Asst. Secretary Isabelle Hess, Treasurer Bryce Hartley, Asst. Treasurer Hailey Littlemeyer, Reporter Ava Davis, Asst. Reporter Aaron Howard, Sentinel Wyatt Denney, Student Advisor Sophia Goers and Chaplain Aliya Ramoneda

Students were also recognized for earning the Chapter FFA Degree, Scholarship Award (3.5+ GPA), and for earning an FFA Letter Patch.

Submitted by Cardington FFA.