Four area school chapters have received the highest FFA honor available -- being named National Chapter Award winners -- with three others earning Premier Chapter Section Winner recognition.
The top award went to Blue Ridge, Mahomet-Seymour, Paxton-Buckley-Loda and Salt Fork.
Three of those chapters -- Blue Ridge, PBL and Salt Fork -- swept the section awards in the categories of Growing Leaders, Building Communities and Strengthening Agriculture. They also were named Premier Chapter Section winners.
"Active" is the word for the recognized chapters, and member numbers comprise a significant amount of the student population.
Winners of the National Chapter Award actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. Chapters are awarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.
The top three National Chapter Award winners compete for the National FFA Star Chapter Awards.
To qualify for a state or national award, a chapter must complete at least 15 activities -- one of the five quality standards in each of the three divisions.
The chapters will find out their state ranking at the state convention in June, and national ranking at the national convention in early August.
Salt Fork
Among the activities Salt Fork submitted for recognition were the chapter's "Leaf Bandit" program involving cleaning veterans' yards; "Grocery Wars" shopping for food for the food pantry; and building a barn door for the Blue Heron Ranch, which works with children with disabilities.
Stacey Rickard, who serves as co-adviser for the Salt Fork chapter with husband Aaron, said this is the second time it has been named a national finalist and third time being named a premier state chapter winner.
"We really believe in the FFA motto 'living to serve,'" she said.
Salt Fork FFA has 160 members, split about even between male and female.
"What's really cool, we had about 55 of our members participate in some form of community-service or service project that we did," Rickard said. "Thirty of them were in more than five projects. We really push the community service in our chapter."
Officers include President Braxton Clem, Vice President Avery Kief, Reporter Wyatt DeAth, Secretary Jasper Hunter, Treasurer Anna McCullom, Parliamentarian Kate Woodard, Chaplain Miley Jo Pierce and Historian Isaac Bemis.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda
The PBL chapter's advisers/ag teachers are Mike White, Kirsten Wyatt and Brodee McCormick.
Wyatt said the recognition "is all based upon the hard work and dedication, not only of the officers but the entire FFA chapter."
The chapter membership totals 195 students.
The PBL chapter's activities list is a long one, including:
Herding Up FFA Members:an initiative that fosters participation by creating smaller, connected "herds" within the chapter, allowing for personalized communication and encouragement.Turkey Trot:The November event promoted physical activity and healthy lifestyles through a walking/running activity.Harvest Your Future:The luncheon provided PBL seniors interested in agriculture or trades with scholarship information and guidance on future career paths.Be an Angel:Members organized a donation drive and halftime contest at a basketball game to support the Paxton Area Angel Tree project.
PBL's leader team includes President Karley Putnam, Vice President Ally Wright, Secretary Mason Loschen, Treasurer Shay Duffin, Reporter Joie Gallaghere, Sentinel Payton Dorche, Historian Lily Breckman, Second Vice President Ben Strebeck and Third Vice President Corbin White.
Blue Ridge
Chapter adviser Jacalyn Meisner said Blue Ridge has placed high before.
"Since 2020, we've been a national finalist and a three-star chapter," Meisner said.
Among the chapter's activities are an interview blitz, in which adults help members practice their interviewing skills before they go through proficiency, office or even job interviews.
The chapter also hosts an FFA Barnyard each year for elementary and high school students, in which the youngsters get to pet and visit with animals they normally wouldn't get to interact with.
The chapter also hosts a breakfast for teachers.
Blue Ridge chapter's membership totals 93 students in eighth through 12th grade.
Two have graduated but are earning their American degree -- Kaleb Southern and Gracie Shaffer.
Officers are President Kaydance Wooton, Vice President Rachel Light, Reporter Lillian Enger, Secretary Lori Weiss, Treasurer Presley Hardesty, Sentinel Carmen Ellis and Historian Ava Paullin.
Mahomet-Seymour
Jennifer Wherley is in her 16th year as FFA adviser, while Jacob Meisner is in his third year at M-S and ninth year overall.
"This is the first year we've applied for this award," Meisner said of the national recognition. "It was a goal our officer team had set to fill out the application. It was definitely a student-led effort."
Mahomet-Seymour's chapter has about 160 members.
Among the events it hosted: assembling farmer first-aid kits; holding a teacher breakfast; quarterly doughnuts-and-development meetings inviting guest speakers to give personal-development tips and strategies before school; a book walk for students at Middletown Prairie to learn about the benefits of worms with engaging activities for different grade levels; and a community ag show that included several hands-on learning stations about agricultural topics.
Officers include Karsyn Ellis, Allie Dilger, Cash Bryan, Alleigha Nelson, Taylor Mills, Lauryn Uebelhoer, Ethan Brewer, Addie Lagacy, Jack Jessup, Grant Arbuckle, Isaac Burge, Callie Turner, Faith Benedict and Alexa Turner.