The Garden Spot FFA Attends the PA FFA 91st Mid-Winter Convention
January 6th, 2020 - Members from the Garden Spot FFA Chapter at Lampeter-Strasburg High School attended the PA FFA 91st Mid-Winter Convention held at the PA Farm Show in the New Holland Arena. The Convention welcomed remarks from the PA Department of Agriculture, Secretary Russell Redding, and from the PA Department of Education, Secretary Pedro Rivera. Attendees also heard from the PSU Center for Professional and Personal Development, Dr. Kevin Curry, and a representative from the EPA.
The Convention is held to recognize a number of awards; new chapters, Honorary Keystone Degrees, the FFA Jacket Scholarship, special parent awards, the 2020 National Officer Candidate, and the Keystone Degree.
This year the Garden Spot FFA Chapter had five ninth-graders receive the FFA Jacket Scholarship. Members had to fill out an application and a 3-question essay. If chosen from the selection committee, members received a free jacket and a tie or scarf at the convention. This year 425 members from across the state received a jacket. Congratulations to the members from L-S who received a jacket: Gracie Albright, Kaylee Glatfelter, Katie Ranck, Emily Reinert, and Alexis Rohrer.
This year the Garden Spot FFA Chapter had nine members receive the Keystone Degree. In the chapter’s history, this is the highest number of Keystone Degrees received in one year. The Keystone Degree is the highest degree a PA FFA member can receive. Members must meet a criteria in order to receive the degree: must have been a member of the FFA for the past two years, must have completed two years of agriculture courses, must have earned or invested $1000.00 in a Supervised Agriculture Experience or have worked at least 300 hours in their SAE, must have shown leadership and scholastic ability, must have attended a certain number of chapter and state events, must have completed at least 25 hours of community service, and more. This year there were 400 PA Keystone Degrees awarded. Congratulations to the following nine members from L-S who received their Keystone Degree this year: Jessica Herr, Gracie Hess, Grace Hess, Bryce Johnson, Tobias Leaman, Stephanie Mays, Danae Ranck, Jared Risser, and Colin Tyler Stoltzfus.
Jessica Herr (12th): Parents are Eric and Melissa Herr, SAE: Market Lambs and Off-Farm Employment at the Lampeter Cafe, Leadership: Chapter President, Lancaster County President; Favorite FFA Activity: Washington Leadership Conference; Future Plans: Plans to attend business school and then open up her own coffee shop in the future.
Gracie Hess (12th): Parents are Greg and Sue Hess; SAE: Market Hogs and Off-Farm Employment at Garden Spot Village and Hershey Farms; Leadership: Chapter Secretary; Future Plans: Nursing School
Grace Hess (12th): Parents are Steve and Wendy Hess; SAE: Market Lambs;
Bryce Johnson (11th): Parents are John and Karen Johnson; SAE: Employment at Zimmerman’s True Value Hardware; Leadership: Chapter Treasurer
Tobias Leaman (12th): Parents are Dwight and Sheila Leaman, SAE: Market Hogs and Employment at his family’s layer house, Favorite FFA Activity: Participating in and Winning numerous CDE (contests) at the State level.
Stephanie Mays (12th): Parents are Scott Mays and Tracie Mays; SAE: Employment at Fireside Tavern; Leadership: County and Chapter Reporter; Favorite Activity: Attending the National FFA Convention; Future Plans: Attending College for Agribusiness
Danae Ranck (12th): Parents are Darrell and Tina Ranck; SAE: Dairy Beef and Employment on family’s dairy farm; Leadership: Chapter Reporter, Chapter Vice President; Favorite FFA Activity: Attending the National FFA Convention;
Jared Risser (12th): Parents are Brent and Deb Risser; SAE: Market Hogs, Market Steer and Employment at Risser Grain; Leadership: Chapter Sentinel; Future Plans: Obtain a CDL and work at Risser Grain.
Colin Tyler Stoltzfus (12th): Parent is Elzabeth Bowers; SAE: Dairy Beef and On-Farm Employment at a local dairy farm; Leadership: Assistant Treasurer
Above Photo: 9th Grade Jacket Scholarship Winners: Gracie Albright, Emily Reinert, Alexis Rohrer, and Kaylee Glatfelter. Not shown: Katie Ranck
Above Photo: 2020 Keystone Degree Recipients: Tyler Stoltzfus, Danae Ranck, Jessica Herr, Stephanie Mays, Gracie Hess, and Bryce Johnson. Not Shown: Grace Hess, Jared Risser, and Tobias Leaman.
Above Photo: PA Secretary of Education, Pedro Rivera, Tyler Stoltzfus, Stephanie Mays, Danae Ranck, Bryce Johnson, Gracie Hess, Jessica Herr, and PA Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding.
The Convention is held to recognize a number of awards; new chapters, Honorary Keystone Degrees, the FFA Jacket Scholarship, special parent awards, the 2020 National Officer Candidate, and the Keystone Degree.
This year the Garden Spot FFA Chapter had five ninth-graders receive the FFA Jacket Scholarship. Members had to fill out an application and a 3-question essay. If chosen from the selection committee, members received a free jacket and a tie or scarf at the convention. This year 425 members from across the state received a jacket. Congratulations to the members from L-S who received a jacket: Gracie Albright, Kaylee Glatfelter, Katie Ranck, Emily Reinert, and Alexis Rohrer.
This year the Garden Spot FFA Chapter had nine members receive the Keystone Degree. In the chapter’s history, this is the highest number of Keystone Degrees received in one year. The Keystone Degree is the highest degree a PA FFA member can receive. Members must meet a criteria in order to receive the degree: must have been a member of the FFA for the past two years, must have completed two years of agriculture courses, must have earned or invested $1000.00 in a Supervised Agriculture Experience or have worked at least 300 hours in their SAE, must have shown leadership and scholastic ability, must have attended a certain number of chapter and state events, must have completed at least 25 hours of community service, and more. This year there were 400 PA Keystone Degrees awarded. Congratulations to the following nine members from L-S who received their Keystone Degree this year: Jessica Herr, Gracie Hess, Grace Hess, Bryce Johnson, Tobias Leaman, Stephanie Mays, Danae Ranck, Jared Risser, and Colin Tyler Stoltzfus.
Jessica Herr (12th): Parents are Eric and Melissa Herr, SAE: Market Lambs and Off-Farm Employment at the Lampeter Cafe, Leadership: Chapter President, Lancaster County President; Favorite FFA Activity: Washington Leadership Conference; Future Plans: Plans to attend business school and then open up her own coffee shop in the future.
Gracie Hess (12th): Parents are Greg and Sue Hess; SAE: Market Hogs and Off-Farm Employment at Garden Spot Village and Hershey Farms; Leadership: Chapter Secretary; Future Plans: Nursing School
Grace Hess (12th): Parents are Steve and Wendy Hess; SAE: Market Lambs;
Bryce Johnson (11th): Parents are John and Karen Johnson; SAE: Employment at Zimmerman’s True Value Hardware; Leadership: Chapter Treasurer
Tobias Leaman (12th): Parents are Dwight and Sheila Leaman, SAE: Market Hogs and Employment at his family’s layer house, Favorite FFA Activity: Participating in and Winning numerous CDE (contests) at the State level.
Stephanie Mays (12th): Parents are Scott Mays and Tracie Mays; SAE: Employment at Fireside Tavern; Leadership: County and Chapter Reporter; Favorite Activity: Attending the National FFA Convention; Future Plans: Attending College for Agribusiness
Danae Ranck (12th): Parents are Darrell and Tina Ranck; SAE: Dairy Beef and Employment on family’s dairy farm; Leadership: Chapter Reporter, Chapter Vice President; Favorite FFA Activity: Attending the National FFA Convention;
Jared Risser (12th): Parents are Brent and Deb Risser; SAE: Market Hogs, Market Steer and Employment at Risser Grain; Leadership: Chapter Sentinel; Future Plans: Obtain a CDL and work at Risser Grain.
Colin Tyler Stoltzfus (12th): Parent is Elzabeth Bowers; SAE: Dairy Beef and On-Farm Employment at a local dairy farm; Leadership: Assistant Treasurer
Above Photo: 9th Grade Jacket Scholarship Winners: Gracie Albright, Emily Reinert, Alexis Rohrer, and Kaylee Glatfelter. Not shown: Katie Ranck
Above Photo: 2020 Keystone Degree Recipients: Tyler Stoltzfus, Danae Ranck, Jessica Herr, Stephanie Mays, Gracie Hess, and Bryce Johnson. Not Shown: Grace Hess, Jared Risser, and Tobias Leaman.
Above Photo: PA Secretary of Education, Pedro Rivera, Tyler Stoltzfus, Stephanie Mays, Danae Ranck, Bryce Johnson, Gracie Hess, Jessica Herr, and PA Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding.
