The Goodhue FFA Chapter has had an exciting and successful year filled with strong competition results, meaningful community involvement, and hands-on learning in the classroom.
Several Goodhue FFA Career Development Event (CDE) teams have qualified to compete at the State FFA Convention in April. The Dairy Judging Team, consisting of Clara Benrud, Garrett Pearson, Joe Waccholz, Curtis Klindworth, and Liesl Veiseth, earned their spot at state through their hard work and dedication. The Livestock Judging Team—Haley Betcher, Brooke Betcher, Abby Dicke, Trevin Dicke, and Allison Lubahn—also qualified for state competition. In addition, the Floriculture Team, made up of Summer Scheele, Lillian Raasch, and Isabel Germann-Hutter, will represent Goodhue FFA at the state level.
We had a full number of participants in individual Leadership Development Events this year at the University of Minnesota Invitational and at the Regional Contest. Gus Raasch, Curtis Klindworth, and Brayden Schmit competed in Extemporaneous Speaking, Summer Scheele competed in Employment Skills, Lillian Raasch competed in Prepared Public Speaking, Joe Waccholz and Atticus Miller competed in Discussion Meet, and Haley Betcher competed in Creed Speaking.
Haley Betcher moved on to represent Goodhue FFA at the State LDEs in December and earned 2nd place in the state in Creed Speaking, which is a tremendous accomplishment for Haley.
Goodhue FFA had two Proficiency Award applicants this year. Garrett Pearson applied in Dairy Production Placement, and Haley Betcher applied in Goat Production Placement, highlighting their strong Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs.
Community involvement continued to be a priority for the chapter. The annual Corn Drive was very successful, and during the drive, members also handed out meals to local farmers as a way to show appreciation for their hard work. The chapter also hosted the Farmers Feed, where farmers and their families were invited to enjoy a meal priced at the value farmers receive for their commodities. Our Fruit Sale was another success, and we would like to thank our community for their continued support.
Inside the classroom, students experienced engaging, hands-on learning opportunities. The Minnesota Wildlife class traveled to the Minnesota Zoo for a behind-the-scenes tour of animal exhibits and the kitchen where animal meals are prepared. The Animal Science class raised and cared for a litter of kits (baby rabbits), providing valuable real-world experience. All of the rabbits have since found homes, and the dam has returned to her owner. It was exciting to see all students be able to spend time with these animals. Meanwhile, the Ag Business class developed Shark Tank-style presentations, pitching innovative business ideas and products to teachers in the school.
The Goodhue FFA Chapter is proud of its members’ accomplishments and looks forward to continued success in leadership, competition, and community involvement throughout the year.
