Continuing an 82 year-old tradition at Dexter High School, the local chapter of Future Farmers of America recognized members and celebrated successes Thursday evening.
The FFA chapter held Parents Night Thursday night, and awarded the Greenhand Degree to 33 members and the Chapter FFA Degree to 20. The recognition meeting was held in the DHS cafeteria with parents and FFA members in attendance.
The meeting was called to order by chapter president Alex Neldon. In keeping with FFA tradition, each officer was introduced and explained the function of their position. Chapter officers this year include: Alex Neldon, President; Chelsey Massey, Vice President; Christin Sitzes, Secretary; Shelby Edwards, Treasurer; Nick McCollough, Reporter; and Dustin Bates, Sentinel. Ronnie Shipman is the chapter adviser.
Students who exhibited crops and livestock at the Stoddard County Fair earlier this fall were recognized, presented with their ribbons and prize money. Chapter members who participated at the fair include:
- Colton Averett: 4 blue, 2 red and 1 white ribbon; cash awards of $57;
- Will Baker: 2 blue ribbons for his soybeans and $18 in cash awards;
- Dustin Bates: 1 red ribbon for corn; $6 in cash award;
- Shelby Edwards: 1 blue and 1 red; cash award of $15;
- Savannah Hicks: 2 blue ribbons for her soybeans and $18 in cash awards;
- Chelsey Massey: 3 blue ribbons for her hogs and $36 in cash awards;
- Jamie Manuel: 16 blue ribbons, 1 red for her hogs and $135 in cash awards.
Chelsey Massey was also recognized as the top salesperson on the chapter’s fundraiser this fall. She received a plaque and $100 prize for selling $1075 during the fundraising project.
The FFA Greenhand Degree is given at the chapter level and is the first degree members work toward earning. Students must be enrolled in an agricultural program in school, learn basic information about FFA, and have plans for a Supervised Agricultural Experience project.
The local chapter awarded the Greenhand FFA Degree to 33 students:
Colton Averett, Nicole Battles, Cody Bolon, Cheyenne Courter, Ben Dachs, Jessy Eads, Kaitlin Eaton, Trey Fortner, Cody Gibson, Jackson Hubbard, Chance Jarrell, Luke Lewis, Dalton Manuel, Erica McCoy, Aaron Parris, Maura Peters, Dalton Rickel, Aaron Sandlin, Kylie Scott, Kara Simmons, Cory Stacy, Rian Stevenson, Timmy Swinney, Shawn Compson, Bailee Cooper, Sarah Jones, Venus Laing, Erica Morgan, Ronnie Martin, Jennifer Aslin, Alex Crider, Shanna Gant, and Jessica Snider.
The Chapter FFA Degree is given to top members. Candidates for Chapter FFA Dexter must have an approved Supervised Agricultural Experience in operation, be enrolled in an ag course in high school, must participate in and help plan chapter activities, earned and invted at least $150 or have worked 45 hours outside of class on the SAE, effectively lead a group discussion for 15 minutes,, demonstrate five parliamentary law procedures, show program in achievement in the FFA programs, have a satisfactory academic record and complete a minimum of 10 hours in community service.
The chapter awarded the Chapter FFA Degree to 20 members:
Will Baker, Dustin Bates, Drew Crider, Shelbey Edwards, Hunter Frampton, Savannah Hicks, Tyler Laws, Brianna Madigan, Chelsey Massey, Nick McCollough, Brandon Mitchell, Angela Reed, Christin Sitzes, Derek Felker, Samantha Hadley, JR Putnam, Morgan Lovins, Jamie Manuel, and Tasha Rodgers,
Future Farmers of America was founded by a group of young farmers in 1928. The local FFA chapter was founded in 1928 at DHS and is one of the charter chapters in Missouri.
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DONIPHAN - Three Rivers students faced off against University of Missouri competitors at the recent 2011 Ozarks Regional Timberfest.
“Several schools were invited to this event, but the University of Missouri and Three Rivers were the only schools to actually attend and participate,” reported Pepper Martin, advisor and coach to the Three Rivers Forestry Club and accompanying Triple Creek Cutters timbersports team.
“We saw outstanding participation,” said Martin. “Three Rivers was represented by 16 Jacks (males) and 6 Jills (females).”
Mizzou’s Timber Tigers finished the competition ahead with 86 points. The Triple Creek Cutters’ final score was 56. Among the notable Three Rivers wins:
- Anna Fromm and Melissa Johnson, both of Poplar Bluff, finished in first place in Two-Woman Buck Saw both days of the competition
- Lanna Shaffer of Ellsinore took first place in Single Woman Buck Saw
- Charlie Leach of Clubb took first place in the pole climbing competition both days
- Kyle Young of Doniphan finished first in Men’s Speed Chop
- Young and Shaffer took first place in Jack and Jill Buck Saw
Kyle Young is the current team captain of the Triple Creek Cutters while Zephrey Jameson is the president of the Forestry Club student organization.
“I think the team has done real well this year,” said Martin, during the competition. “We have a lot more students participating. The girls do really well on the crosscut, and we’re good with that overall. The guys are really competitive, and they’re doing very well in the Pulp Toss.”
Photo Above: The Triple Creek Cutters. the timerbersports team at Three Rivers Collere, competed recently in timber games at a Doniphan festival (TRC photo)
By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor
The number is pretty important.
There are 50 states, 50 cents, it’s a “golden number” for anniversaries. Barbie even celebrated her 50th “birthday”!
Today (Monday, Oct. 31) is the 50th day of school for students in the Dexter schools, and the kids in Shannon Putnam’s first grade classroom at Southwest Elementary are celebrating all things 50.
Many of the students dressed right out of the 1950s – complete with “oodles of poodles” on skirts and boys dressed as “Fonzie wannabe”s with t-shirts and cuffed jeans. Putname and Cadet Teacher Evie Dehne even got into the act, sporting poodle skirts of their own.
Throughout the day the students celebrated things in increments of 50 = 50 seconds, 50 jumping jacks, and on and on. They even celebrated with soda floats popped bubble gum!
Photo Above: First grade students celebrated the 50th day of school on Monday - dressing right of the '50's and celebrating all things "50." First grade teacher Shannon Putnam (standing, left) and Cadet Teacher Evie Dehne (standing, right) celebrated with the students Monday morning - showing off in their outfirst right out of the Nifty Fifties! (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)
POPLAR BLUFF - Three Rivers student Dustin Hillis has won a $1,000 scholarship after participating in the nationwide “FAFSA Frenzy” program.
“FAFSA Frenzy” is a series of events designed to encourage prospective college students to fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid during the second semester of their senior year of high school.
The most recent “FAFSA Frenzy” took place during February of 2011.
Hillis was selected through a drawing conducted by the Missouri Department of Higher Education in Jefferson City. The Broseley, Mo., resident was one of four students selected from a pool of students from 55 participating Missouri colleges.
Hillis is the son of Kevin and Deborah Hillis of Broseley and is a 2011 graduate of Twin Rivers High School. Hillis is taking general studies courses at Three Rivers.
A good crowd at T. S. Hill Middle School in Dexter for my Creature Feature this week.
Each year around Halloween, English instructor John Stephens likes to show the students the old black and white scary movies from the 1930's to the 1950's. This year wthey watched the original 1939 versions of The Mummy, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Invisible Man. I
“I think it is important for the kids to see scary movies that are not ‘hack and slash full of blood and guts’ type shows, but those that are suspenseful and ‘jump out at you’ scary,” Stephens said. “We discuss things like how lighting and shadow create mood and how the actors’ actions seem to show fear or insanity and that sometimes a psychological scare is more frightening than a visual one.”
Over the course of the three movies this week, about 105 total students attend. They enjoyed some popcorn, soda, and “a good time was had by all.”
Thanks to SMT Reader & English Instructor John Stephens & to Michelle Cannon for the information and photo
