September 2007 Newsletter
by Josh Cordle, Reporter
Late Notice
I apologize for this newsletter being late. With the start of the new school year, we needed to get the freshman and any new members mailing addresses.
The meeting was Monday, September 17th, 2007 in the Ag. Center at 7:00 P.M. The Ag. Challenge was the egg toss. Remember the class of 2009 has won the Ag. Challenge two years in a row, so they are the class to beat!
Lion’s Club Chicken Barbeque
On Saturday September 8th, members helped with the Lion’s Club Barbeque. Thanks for coming and participating in this event. We enjoy helping out the Lion’s Club. Members that helped were: Katie Beedy, Jodi Roush, Erin Evans, Kaleb Miller, Catelin Covell, and Zach Poling.
Football Parking
On September 7th, members helped with parking cars from 5:30 P.M to 8 P.M. This is the first of three jobs for parking that we will do in September. This is a good fundraiser so come and sign up; help is always wanted. Members who helped were: Ryan Davis, Brittany Pinkstock, Kyla Drake, Ryan Mundy, Josh Hampshire, and D.J. Hopkins.
Saum Family Farm Work Day
On September 12th, members worked at Saum’s Family Farm. They made corn shocks to raise money for the chapter. Thank you to the members who helped with this event. Members who helped were: Ashlee Reynolds, Jessie Berisford, Kati Beedy, Lindsey Wortman, Becca Bentz, Curtis Hayes, Ryan Mundy, Josh Hampshire, Elizabeth Conrad, Colleen Trapp, Lyndsey Alexander, Jacob White, Mike Hite, Jennifer Bivens, Aaron Miller, and Titus Disbennett.
On September 10th at 3:00 P.M. members met in the Ag. Shop for the clean-up along State Route 159. Members picked up trash from between Tommy Wayne’s and Oakland. They wore orange vests for safety. Members that worked were: Sierra Dennis, Jennifer Bivens, Josh Hampshire, and Aaron Miller.
On September 19th, at 6:45 A.M., members who have paid for their ticket and are academically eligible need to report to the Ag. Shop for the trip. Members will return from London around 3:30 P.M. At the review, students will see new products, learn about agriculture, and enjoy lunch from some of the booths.
Forestry CDE
The Forestry CDE is where you learn to identify trees, identify the wood, learn about chainsaws, learn to read maps and compasses. The Knox County Invitational is at 3:00 P.M. on September 27th. The state contest is October 6th, at Hocking College. Members that are interested in this contest see Mr. Tilley. Practices have started and are posted on the web page.
Soils CDE
In the Soils CDE there are two divisions: Urban and Rural Soils. Urban soils is learning soils for the urban usage, such as homes, gardens, and road construction. Rural soils is learning soils for the agricultural use. We need members that are interested to see Mr. Tilley or Mr. Sharp A.S.A.P. As of right now we don’t have a team!
The Tarlton Firemen's Fish Fry is an activity that the FFA has participated in for the past few years, starting in 2002. The Firemen put on a fish fry as a fund raiser each year where anyone in the community can come and have a sit down dinner and enjoy an all-you-can-eat fish meal. The FFA members sit, serve and assist the people that come. We serve them their food, drinks and clean up after they are done. The FFA volunteers to help the firemen and help out the community while having a good time. Members met at the town hall at 3 P.M. on June 28th. Those members who participated were:
Members on July 5th did a general clean-up and repair (fence & trail repair, etc.) of the park. It is near Talton on Sixteenth Road and the clean-up lasted about 2 hours. Those members were:
Ohio FFA Camp is a summer camp for FFA members from across the state. The Ohio FFA Association established a state camping program on October 4th, 1941 and moved into the current facilities in 1943. There are now five sessions of regular FFA camp, of which, the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA typically attends session five. This year members took advantage of the good food from the kitchen mommas, the boats on the lake, and the fellowship with other FFA members. If you ask anyone who attended I bet they made a new friend. The dances were amazing and the slip-and-slide was quite soapy. Members that attended were: Lars Abel, Greg Bowers, C.J. Broaddus, Josh Cordle, Randy Forrest, Jessika Harmon, Travis Hart, D.J. Hopkins, Chris Sparkman, Holly Kidwell, Bridgitte Kyser, Matt Lamb, Chancey McMaster, C.J. Mets, Brittany Pinkstock, Teran Pinkstock, Ashlee Reynolds, Sarah Rogers, Brock Rose, Ray Spence, J.D. Stover, and Pat Foley. Jodi Roush also was there but helped run camp as the State Reporter.
On July 16th, members canoed down the Hocking River. This was a summer activity and members came back soaking wet and exhausted. Members that attended were: Andrew Bennett, Greg Bowers, Brandon Bresler, Gene Brown, Judd Ellinger, Scott Loudermilk, Tara McCalla, C.J. Mets, Max Noll, Cody Notestone, Brittany Pinkstock, David Sams, Cody Sharp, Dalton Shreve, Chris Sparkman, Cory Tedrow, Zach Underhill, and Tyler Van Horn.
The Washington Leadership Conference (previously known as the Washington Conference Program) is a 5-day conference where FFA chapter leaders from around the country have the opportunity to go to our nation's capitol while learning valuable leadership skills and experiencing personal growth.
Those attending are chosen through an application and interview process within the chapter. The Amanda-Clearcreek FFA awards all-expense paid scholarships at the chapter banquet to the two members who have completed the interview process and have proved they possess the characteristics of future chapter leaders.
The conference is led by an inspirational and energetic staff of past state and national FFA officers who are currently in college. This staff is usually composed of five to six people who work with the FFA members to improve their communication and leadership skills as well as supply them with vital qualities for a future career. This is done in workshops involving all attendants of the conference, in small groups and in one-on-one teaching.
When the FFA members have to eventually depart from the Washington Leadership Conference, they know they are taking home great memories. The skills and experiences that are earned can be brought back to the home chapter to inspire and teach all FFA members how to become better leaders. The WLC is something any member with desire to achieve should strive to attend. Members this year were Madison Fausnaugh, Sarah Rogers (she raised the money herself so she could attend), and Jodi Roush. Here are some quotes from the WLC attendees:
“WLC was a lot of fun and you get to meet a lot of new people.”
-Madison Fausnaugh
“I had a really good time and it was cool getting to know people from all over the country.”
-Jodi Roush
The Ohio Leadership Camp is like FFA Camp but with a few differences. OLC stresses leadership, public speaking, and organization. It prepares you for a lot of everyday things in life: job interviews, class presentations, and standing firm in tough situations. OLC is June 22nd through June 25th, 2007. Members that attended are: Madison Fausnaugh, Ryan Davis, Stacey Sams, and Jessie Berisford. Here is what one of these members had to say about OLC:
“OLC was the most fun camp I’ve been to. The groups were small and we did a lot of fun activities.”
-Jessie Berisford
On July 23rd, members who attended this activity toured: Freshwater Farms in Urbana, Ohio (indoor aquaculture facility, specializing in rainbow trout, yellow perch, tilipia, and sturgeon); Robert Rothchild Berry Farm (specializes in gourmet foods); and the Running Bare Ranch (specializes in raising American Bison). Members who attended were: Scott Loudermilk, Tyler Genders, Cody Sharp, Andrew Bennet, Gene Brown, Ashlee Reynolds, Chris Sparkman, Zack Spires, Heather Stevens, Dylan Thompson, Zach Underhill, and Aaron Wortman.
Members were in official dress and hosted the Ohio FFA Center on the Ohio State Fairgrounds on August 1st. They showed people the Ohio FFA Center as they entered from the fair. Members who attended were: David Sams, Jodi Roush, J.R. Rogers, Kayla Notestone, Brittany Pinkstock, and Alyssa Jenkins.
Ohio Cattleman & Poultry Association Food Booths
Members on August 1st served food at these two booths at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. Members work diligently in the booths for a shift and then enjoy a meal from one of the booths. After their shift or before they could visit the fairgrounds. Those members were: Brett Bentz, Nathan Brumfield, Judd Ellinger, Adam Foster, Megan Gierhart, Matt Hill, Jessika Harmon, D.J. Hopkins, Tara McCalla, Max Noll, Cody Notestone, Phoenix Queen, Ashley Reynolds, Larry Sahr, Chris Sparkman, Ray Spence, Brittany Stevens, and Steven Young.
Upcoming October Events
Thursday October 4th, Ag. Breakfast @ 6:45 A.M. at school (Meal will be decided at Sept. meeting)
Monday October 8th - Friday October 12th, Fairfield County Fair (Students will exhibit projects.)
Friday October 12th, Football Parking (Members need to sign up to help.)
Sunday October 14th, Chapter Trap Shoot @ 1:00 P.M. (Members enjoy this activity a lot so sign up and see for yourself.)
Monday October 15th, FFA Meeting @ 7:00 P.M. in the Ag. Center (Members we need good attendance; this is how you voice your opinion in our organization.)
Wednesday October 24th - Saturday October 27th, National FFA Convention trip (Members who are interested need to see Mr. Tilley ASAP)