Montezuma FFA earns four state championships, pair of third place honors

     The Montezuma FFA Farm Business Management Team continued the program’s winning ways by capturing a state championship honor and gold rating at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames. Mia Boulton was the high individual overall in the CDE competition with Maguire DeJong, Colton Benson and Madison Johannes capturing second, third and fourth places in the state. Owen Cook, not pictured, was an alternate on this year’s team. Pictured are, from left: Madison Johannes, Colton Benson, FFA Advisor Rick Swenson, Maguire DeJong and Mia Boulton.  

By J.O. Parker
 
     The Montezuma FFA Farm Business Management team finished with a sweep of the top four spots while capturing a state championship and gold rating at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames.
    Mia Boulton was the high individual overall in the career development event (CDE) competition with Maguire DeJong, Colton Benson and Madison Johannes capturing second, third and fourth places in the state. Owen Cook was an alternate on this year’s team.
    FFA teams from 100 chapters participated in this year's CDE designed to provide the student an opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Farm Management. The 367 individuals who participated in the event each completed an objective test which had three sections: economic principles, records and analysis, and risk management. All team members worked together to solve a problem related to break even analysis.
      The state championship by the Farm Business Management team was one of four captured by Montezuma FFA students at the state conference.
      Also capturing state honors and a gold rating was the Montezuma FFA Ag Communications team. Members of the first-place team included Madison Van Zee, Alivia Cline, Camryn Brennan and Makenna Johannes. 
      High individual for the web design practicum was Madison Van Zee. Alivia Cline was named the high individual for the video production practicum. The team also captured top honors in the team presentation and team practicums categories.
       FFA members from 20 chapters participated in this year's career development event. The event provided students the opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of agricultural communications. The 80 individuals who participated in the event completed several activities including demonstration of skills and problem solving in web design, video production, journalistic writing, and opinion writing, as well as presenting a team media plan. 
      The Montezuma FFA Chapter brought home a state championship and gold rating in the Marketing Plan CDE. Team members include Haylie Moore, Abby Pope and Kallie Robison. 
     Participants had to develop marketing skills through the development and presentation of a plan that promotes a current or proposed product, supply or service. The Montezuma team’s project focused on FFA Advisor Rick Swenson’s show pig business, Hilltop Farms.
       Montezuma was named a top team in written plan and team presentation categories in the contest.
    The Montezuma FFA Floriculture team was also recognized as a state champion following the team’s competition in 2021 at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Team members Makenna Johannes, Madison Van Zee, Alivia Cline and Camryn Brennen beat out more than 20 schools to capture first place and punch the team’s ticket to nationals. Makenna was top individual overall and Camryn finished fourth overall. 
    The Montezuma FFA Ag Sales team brought home third place honors and a gold rating at the state convention. Team members included Matthew Ranfeld, Korrinn Kehoe, Sawyer Tindle and Jaemi Hartman. Matthew was the second place individual and Jaemi finished in third overall.
     Montezuma was among 79 FFA chapters who participated in this year’s CDE designed to provide the student an opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Agriculture Sales. The 312 individuals who participated in the event each completed an objective test, made a sales presentation, and performed a customer relations practicum. All team members worked together to prepare a marketing plan and make an oral presentation of the plan to the judges. The team worked together to sell community tower gardens, a product for growing herbs and vegetables outdoors or in a greenhouse setting.
       The Montezuma FFA Conduct of Meetings team wrapped up the state convention with a third place finish and gold rating. Team members included Ellen Cook, Emily James, Elizabeth DeJong, Bryson Stockman, Taya Sincox, Addyson Probasco and Kylee Larmore. Taylor Wickham served as the team’s alternate.
       Teams participating in this event were composed of seven members organized to act out the duties of an officer team. Teams were required to perform opening ceremonies, demonstrate two parliamentary procedure abilities and successfully close a meeting. This event aids in the development of leadership abilities of young members for present and future chapter activities.
      The Montezuma FFA Experience the Action team earned a gold rating with their Toy Story presentation at this year’s state convention. Team members included Madison Cheney, Jordan Ranfeld, Ashlee Eilander, Sam Bos and Laila Kercheval.
Proficiency Area: Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance - Placement   
    Montezuma’s Sawyer Tindle was the winner in the area of Ag Mechanics Repair and Maintenance Placement SAE. Throughout his SAE, Sawyer worked at Glens Tractor Repair in Montezuma and Van Wall Equipment in Grinnell where he would maintain tractors, planters, combines, balers and tillage equipment. Sawyer gained skills in problem-solving with electronic control systems, equipment, and a power source system while performing preventative maintenance. Upon graduation, Sawyer plans to attend Northeast Iowa Community College to become an agricultural technician at Van Wall Equipment.
Iowa Degree recipients
        Montezuma had four students who earned their Iowa Degree. They are: Korrinn Kehoe, Haylie Moore, Matthew Ranfeld and Sawyer Tindle.
      The four state championship teams will represent Montezuma at the FFA Nationals, Oct. 26 – 29, in Indianapolis.

      The Montezuma FFA Ag Communications team was one of four teams who brought home championship honors at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Alivia Cline, Madison Van Zee, FFA Advisor Hannah Garland, Makenna Johannes and Camryn Brennan.

​      The Montezuma FFA Ag Sales team finished with a third-place honor and gold rating at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Matthew Ranfeld, Korrin Kehoe, Sawyer Tindle and Jaemi Hartman. The team worked together to sell community tower gardens, a product for growing herbs and vegetables outdoors or in a greenhouse setting.

      The Montezuma FFA Chapter brought home a state championship and gold rating in the Marketing Plan CDE at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Kallie Robison, FFA Advisor Rick Swenson, Abby Pope and Haylie Moore. The Montezuma team’s project focused on Advisor Rick Swenson’s show pig business, Hilltop Farms.

     The Montezuma FFA Floriculture team, from left, Madison Van Zee, Alivia Cline, Camryn Brennen and Makenna Johannes, brought home top honors at the state floriculture competition in June 2021 at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. The team’s state competition win was recognized at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames.

​     The Montezuma FFA Conduct of Meetings team finished with a third-place honor and gold rating at the 94thFFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Taya Sincox, Elizabeth DeJong, Ellen Cook, Bryson Stockman, Kylee Larmore, Addyson Probasco, Emily James and alternate Taylor Wickam.

      The Montezuma FFA Experience the Action team earned a gold rating with their Toy Story presentation at the 94th FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 11-12, at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Ashlee Eilander, Laila Kercheval, Jordan Ranfeld, Sam Bos and Madison Cheney.

     This junior high group explored convention, watched their fellow members compete, and even packed meals. Pictured are, from left, front row: Analeece Kerchevel, Vivian Cook, Rylee Wolford, Krista Cheney, Back row: Leah Urfer, Sydnee Burgess, Easton Hudnut, Rett Pargeon and Broox Stockman.