By: Reporter, Hailey Weidenhamer and Mason Schlatter
The Paulding FFA Chapter has had a very fun and eventful year. Throughout the pandemic the chapter has found many new ways to still give back to the community and stay on track with our annual projects.
In January, The Paulding FFA started off the new year by putting the final touches on the state and American degrees applications as well as the officer books. In February, the FFA Chapter and its members held a teacher appreciation lunch to thank our teachers for their continued support of our chapter. We also wrote a grant to create the Panther’s Care Closet which features hygiene items to help students in need. We had a school wide drive and had over 500 items donated to the hygiene closet. In March, the chapter was interrupted by the COVID-19 shutdown which, unfortunately, led to the cancellation of spring CDE’s. During the COVID-19 shutdown some of the chapter members recorded themselves reading books and they were made available for kids to listen to while they were out of school on social media.
In April, the chapter had their annual FFA banquet virtual and posted it on our social media page. We also held a drive-thru banquet where members and their families came, picked up awards and took phones and received an FFA cookie treat. In the month of May, the chapter helped plant and maintain the community garden and helped with the annual greenhouse sale. We would also like to congratulate Nolan Johanns, Colton Howell, Jonathan Reinhard, Sydney Reineck, and Kennedy Foor for receiving their state degree in May virtually! The month of June would have brought the Paulding County Fair, but due to COVID-19 it was canceled but the exhibitors were able to sell their animals if they chose too. The chapter members also helped serve lunches at the summer lunch program in June.
In the month of July, the Paulding FFA officer team went on an officer retreat for three days to Hocking Hills, Ohio. During the officer retreat the officers scheduled events for the upcoming year and did many team building activities. The month of August brought school for the FFA members. During September the members participated in the virtual farm science review which is normally held in London Ohio.
The next three months of October, November and December were busy times for the FFA members. In October, all of the members painted small pumpkins for Halloween, which were given to the residents of The Gardens of Paulding and the Country Inn. Unfortunately, the 93rd National FFA Convention was held virtually this year because of COVID-19 concerns but all of the members were able to participate in the virtual convention. We would also like to congratulate Kalyn Strahley and Courtney Luderman on receiving their American degree during the convention.
In November Kyle Mobley, Jamy Hunt, Sydney Trahin, Carter Manz, Paige Jones, Nolan Johanns, and Sydeny Reineck participated in the virtual job interview. We would like to congratulate Sydney Reineck, Carter Manz, Jamy Hunt, and Paige Jones for moving on to districts! Also, in November the chapter was excited to kick off their annual fruit sales which was very successful this year. The chapter also helped with the adopt a family by buying for a family in need from our school district.
December brought the end of the fruit sales and the delivery of our fruit. We had a food science team made up of Paige Jones, Lily Roehrig, Baylee March and Carter Manz who competed at the state level and placed 30th as a team. Paige Jones placed 21st out of 413 members who took the test. The members also made Christmas ornaments out of plastic ornaments, glitter and polyurethane which were donated to the residents of The Gardens of Paulding and the Country Inn to spread some joy this Holiday Season. During Christmas break members will be preparing their state and American FFA degrees for evaluation in January. 2020 has been different with all contests and events being virtual but we have made the best of it and had a very successful year for the members of the Paulding FFA and we are ready for whatever 2021 brings!
