Academics 3
November 24, 2022
Emily Harold Awarded National
American FFA Degree
Press Release. INDIANAPOLIS-Sat-
urday October 29, 2022 -National FFA
Organization – Each year, the National
FFA Organization honors FFA members
who show the utmost dedication to the
organization through their desire to de-
velop their potential for premier leader-
ship, personal growth and career success
through agricultural education.
The American FFA Degree is bestowed
upon a select group of students in rec-
ognition of their years of academic and
professional excellence. This year
4,305 American Degrees were be
awarded.
Emily Harold, a member of the West
Branch FFA Chapter in West Branch,
Iowa was awarded the American FFA
Degree at the 95th National FFA Con-
vention & Expo Oct. 26-29. Emily is the
third member of West Branch FFA to re-
ceive this distinguished degree since its
Charter in 1936.
Sponsored by Case IH, Elanco Animal
Health, Pepsico Inc., and Syngenta, the
award recognizes demonstrated ability
and outstanding achievements in agri-
cultural business, production, processing
or service programs.
To be eligible, FFA members must have
earned and productively invested
$10,000 through a supervised agricul-
tural experience (SAE) program in
which they own their own business or
hold a professional position as an em-
ployee. Recipients must also complete
50 hours community service and dem-
onstrate outstanding leadership abilities
and civic involvement through comple-
tion of a long list of FFA and community
activities. Less than one percent of FFA
members achieve the American FFA De-
gree.
Skills USA comes to WBHS
Keaton Norfleet
Staff Writer
WB is offering a new program
this year that promises a demonstration
of higher levels of academic success in
students who partake in it.
SkillsUSA is a United States
career and technical student organization
(CTSO) that aims to ensure that America
has a skilled workforce.
Senior Harry Lackey de-
scribed, “SkillsUSA is an organization
to help young generations to learn about
the construction a bit more than what
they would in school. We get to be more
hands on and get to go to state competi-
tions, have fun, and build an awesome
family in the process.”
A career and technical student
organization is an organization that en-
gages in career and technical education
activities as an integral part of the in-
struction program.
CTSOs provide opportunities
for students to develop and refine the
skills they need for their chosen occupa-
tional areas.
The WB SkillsUSA group is in
its first year of existence, and is led by
Industrial Tech. teacher and SkillUSA
Sponsor Randy Robertson.
Robertson said, “This is our
first year, and we are really kicking it
off. I feel we are on the right track. We
need to be sure all members do their job
to make this chapter work. We have a
good group of students and with
numbers. I’m hoping we can continue to
grow each year.”
There are currently 28 student
members, and nine of them are officers.
Officers are students who are respon-
sible for managing the chapter.
A chapter is a specific group of
Jazz Band to perform at Wildwood on Dec. 15
Emily Coleman
Staff Writer
The WBHS Jazz Band began practicing at the beginning of the second quarter. Jazz
band is a co-curricular class that is offered for quarters two and three, and any member in band
is allowed to join jazz band. The band meets at 7:15 a.m. and rehearses until 8:00 a.m., and
there are two high school groups. The first group meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the
second group meets on Wednesdays. Each group performs different pieces, and they will be
performing at Wildwood on December 15. They also perform at the Annual Swing Show.
The jazz bands are directed by Samuel. Ogilvie. Working alongside him is student
teacher Elizabeth Gosztola. This is her first and only semester of student teaching, and she
said, “This is my first time teaching in a jazz style. I have experience with first time musicians
but not in this area of band. The kids are awesome, and I love them!”
The Bear
Each recipient of the American FFA De-
gree receives a gold American FFA De-
gree key and certificate after being
recognized at the national convention.
The National FFA Organization is a
school-based national youth leadership
development organization of more than
735,000 student members as part of
8,817 local FFA chapters in all 50 states
Puerto Rico.
###
About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a
school-based national youth leadership
development organization of more than
735,000 student members as part of
8,817 local FFA chapters in all 50 states
and Puerto Rico. The FFA mission is to
make a positive difference in the lives of
students by developing their potential
for premier leadership, personal growth
and career success through agricultural
education. For more, visit the National
FFA Organization online at FFA.org and
on Facebook and Twitter.
About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds
partnerships with industry, education,
government, other foundations and indi-
viduals to secure financial resources that
recognize FFA member achievements,
develop student leaders and support the
future of agricultural education. A sep-
arately registered nonprofit organization,
the foundation is governed by a board of
trustees that includes the national FFA
president, educators, business leaders
and individual donors. For more, visit
FFA.org/Give.
students and teachers that are a part of
CTSO.
The officers are seniors Kin-
nick Boelk, treasurer; Kyle Harold, pres-
ident; Lackey, vice president; Grady
Burmeister, second vice president; fresh-
man Kiley Pierce, first secretary; fresh-
man Alison Gade, second secretary;
senior Wesley Neuburger, president of
events; sophomore Paxton Tisinger,
president of membership; and sopho-
more Dilan Kazlauskas, president of
public relations.
Students partake in various ac-
tivities such as meetings, community
service projects, and fundraiser events to
raise money for the chapter.
Robertson said, “My goal is to
give students a more understanding on
being more prepared to be successful in
life on a family side and employability
experience.”
Lackey stated, “My role is im-
portant because if the president isn't
there, then I have to step up. My role is
one of the highest ranking roles, so the
most important part is accountability and
responsibility. What I do is oversee all
the projects and make sure everyone is
doing their job by making phone calls to
places for events or whatever their job
might be at the time.”
The members of SkillsUSA are
K. Boelk, Harold, Lackey, Burmeister,
Neuburger, Lukas Guetzko, Evan Strie-
gel, Bradyn Randall, Cale Seydel, Nick
Hein, Logan Brockert, Wyatt Brockert,
Tisinger, Kazlauskas, Jackson Marcy,
Dawn Johnson, Baylee Gallegos, Lanie
Meyer, Garret Spevacek, Dylan Schiele,
Pierce, Gade, Reese Gingerich, Savanna
Graves, Jenie Gomez, Draven Ladehoff,
Brenna Benskin, and Lauren Keeler.
Scot, Kyle, Emily, and Carolyn Harold pose with Emily’s award. Photo compli-
ments of FFA Sponsor Renee Tompson.
Novice student builders construct solid shed
Ava Hazelwood
Co-Editor-in-Chief
On Sept 3, the construction for
a shed to be placed next to the football
field began in Randy Robertson’s indus-
trial tech. class. It took a full nine weeks
to complete, and the weather cooperated.
It was a difficult process, though. Rob-
ertson said, “Having eight freshman stu-
dents in an advanced class makes it hard
to do something so hard. They are learn-
ing how to use the hand and power tools
very quickly and have to be safe.”
The students were using air
guns to frame the walls, then torx screws
and rafters for assembly; cutting rafters
angles and using a speed square to figure
angles for the shed; siding angles for the
gable ends and framing in a doorway.
Shingling the shed was great for them to
do using a roofing nailer.
FFA continues to serve community
through fall season
Olivia Naber
Head Editor-in-Chief
The Future Farmers of America
have had a lot on their plates throughout
the fall season.
Most recently, each FFA
member was tasked with distributing 4-
5 invites for the third annual Harvest
Dinner, which took place November at
the Hansen household.
The Harvest Dinner is sup-
posed to send a message of appreciation
to those in the community involved with
agriculture and to honor the hard work
that has been done this year.
“Our goal is to let community
members involved in agriculture know
that we appreciate everything they do
and to give back to those who have
given so much to us,” said FFA Sponsor
Renee Thompson. “It is also a time to,
hopefully, celebrate a completed harvest
and a chance for our members to net-
work with adults who may work with
them in the future.”
FFA members Cadence Hansen
and Amber Wolf are chairs of the Build-
ing Communities Committee, which was
in charge of putting on the event. Also
involved in the committee was Noah
Pedersen, Avery Schultes, Addi
Schultes, Garrett Spevacek, Cale Seydel,
Wes Neuberger, Grady Burmeister, Tea-
gyn Hartz, Ben Shortt, Andrew Samu-
elson, Saylee Gingerich, and Lauren
Keeler.
Jazz Band Practice. Clockwise from bottom left. Keaton Norfleet, Nolan Staker,
Elliot Hinkhouse, Nina Torkelson, Addi Schultes. Photo by Journalism 1 Guest
Photographer Wyatt Chapman.
This was a great opportunity
for students to learn about construction
and give them a chance to work on
something themselves. Robertson said,
“In the end, I was pleased with the stu-
dents working on the shed, and they
learned a ton real fast. We have great stu-
dents who really care about doing great
work and being proud of a project!”
Shed Photo by Brooklyn Nash.
The group expected around
200 community members to be in atten-
dance.
In other news, the group also
held their annual fruit sales, which ran
from November 1-7. Each FFA member
aims to sell at least 35 items each year,
which helps them fund their endeavors
for the year.
Thompson explained, “All pro-
ceeds fund our chapter's many activities:
convention registration and travel,
contest entry fees, record book fees,
meeting expenses, and of course, costs
associated with community service proj-
ects.”
Fruit will be delivered to those
who purchased them sometime around
December 12, 13, or 14.
As for other upcoming De-
cember events, FFA members will be
staying busy as winter arrives. For in-
stance, on December 3, Kyle Harold will
be attending the IAT/State Officer Can-
didate Workshop in Ankeny. The current
FFA officers are also in the midst of
planning the group’s Holiday Party on
December 17.
For interested FFA members,
December 17 is also when the Johnson
County Beef Weigh-in is hosted.
Members who wish to exhibit market
beef at the county fair will do so then.
As one can see, FFA has plans
to stay busy. Make sure to stay on the
lookout for FFA events as they continue
to work throughout the year!