WORTHINGTON - Delayed a day due to a winter storm, the Worthington FFA Chapter hosted its annual banquet Tuesday evening at the high school.
The evening included the presentation of numerous awards, with star status presented to seniors Taylor McCarvel (Star in Ag Placement) and Kendrick Bickett (Star Entrepreneur). The Star Greenhand award was presented to Kya Nickel for excellence as a freshman member of the FFA.
The Honorary FFA Degree, presented to an individual who has made a positive impact on the chapter, was awarded to Brett Schmidt, an agriculture instructor and FFA advisor for the chapter.
Nine of the chapter’s members will earn their State FFA Degree next month at the Minnesota FFA Convention in St. Paul. The group was recognized during the banquet and includes Cole Bents, Lindsay Bents, Christina Shorter, Taylor Hastings, Nathan Schuck, Taylor McCarvel, Bailey Kruse and Kendrick Bickett.
Special awards presented during the evening including the Retiring President’s gavel set to Lindsay Bents; the Golden Spatula Award for dedication to the FFA food shack during the county fair to Bailey Kruse; the Blue Glove award to Christina Shorter; the DeKalb Senior Award to Cole Bents and the Senior Student of Merit honor to Bailey Kruse.
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Receiving awards for participating in public speaking contests in the FFA were Taylor Ponto (prepared public speaking), Abby McCarvel (extemporaneous speaking) and Samara Nordby (creed speaking).
Leadership and Scholarship pins were presented to the top students in each grade level. Leadership awards were presented to freshman Samara Nordby, sophomore Kaylee Bents, junior Ben Rogers and senior Lindsay Bents. Scholarship pins went to freshman Taylor Ponto, sophomore DeLayne Kuhl, junior Ryan Newman and senior Christina Shorter.
Several scholarships were also presented during the evening, including the Jerry Russell Scholarship to Cole Bents, the Martha Olson Scholarship to Taylor McCarvel, the Lowell Haack Family Scholarship to Lindsay Bents and the Worthington Advisory Board Scholarship to Nathan Schuck.
The chapter also recognized members who were tops in fruit sales this year. The fruit sale is one of the chapter’s primary fundraisers. Kya Nickel earned first place, Ryan Newman earned second and Nathan Schuck earned third.
Also recognized at the banquet was WHS graduate Doria Drost, who served as the Region FFA Vice President this past year.
