Students, teacher honored at Missouri FFA Convention

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience.

Award winners included:

• Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award — Aiden Plenge, Kahoka.

Plenge, a junior at Clark County R-1 High School, is the son of Matt and Chrissy Plenge and a member of the Clark County FFA Chapter. His advisers are Mark Lemmon and Dan Oilar. His SAE involves owning and operating a corn and soybean enterprise with responsibilities including creating and implementing conservation practices and fertility improvement strategies.

• Diversified Crop Production Placement Proficiency Award — Beau Triplett, Rutledge.

Triplett, a senior at Scotland County R-1 High School, is the son of Curt and Vanessa Triplett and a member of the Memphis FFA Chapter. His adviser is Waltedda Blessing. His SAE involves being employed at Triplett Brothers Farmers where his responsibilities include hauling grain, transferring materials, operation equipment and performing maintenance on equipment.

• Poultry Production Proficiency Award — Alaina Hoffman, Lewistown.

Hoffman, a junior at Highland High School, is the daughter of Justin and Holly Hoffman and a member of the Lewis County C-! FFA Chapter. Her adviser is Angie Hamlin. Her supervised agricultural experience program involves raising and marketing turkeys, broilers and show flock.

•Specialty Animal Production Proficiency Award — Sierra Bryson, Madison.

Bryson, a senior at Madison High School, is the daughter of Jeffery Bryson and Robyn Purdy and a member of the Madison FFA Chapter. Her adviser is Katie Haverkamp. Her SAE program involves raising catfish to sell as live fish or to process as filets with responsibilities including feeding the fish and maintaining equipment.

Also recognized were:

• Josh Bondy — Grand prize winner in the inaugural year for the Golden Owl Award and 2023-24 Ag Educator of the Year.

Bondy teaches in Paris and nominations described him as tireless in his efforts to revolutionize agriculture education. One nomination described him as “always willing to give his time and service to boards and committees aimed at improving agriculture education.”

• Crayton Schwieter — State Star in Agribusiness. Schwieter is the son of Casey and Laura Schwieter of Shelbina, and a member of the South Shelby FFA Chapter. His advisers are Kaytlyn Mefford and Mitch Schmidt.

State Stars in Agribusiness are selected based on outstanding achievement in work experience in an agricultural business as part of a student’s SAE program and active participation in FFA.

• Tegan Herold — first place in the Missouri Ruralist Larry Harper Young Writers Essay Contest. She is a member of the Palmyra FFA Chapter. Chapter advisers are Amanda Haeberlin and Jeremy Griesbaum.