FFA Officer Team Announced, Star Award Winners Honored

The 'Stars Over Wisconsin' shined brightly on Wednesday night in Madison as four FFA members where recognized with the highest awards a student can win at the state-level during the 92nd Wisconsin FFA Convention. The Star Farmer award went to Randy Winch of the Fennimore FFA; Wisconsin's Star in Agricultural Placement award winner was Kendra Goplin from the Whitehall chapter; Caleb Gotham, New Auburn, is the Star in Agriscience; and Kaelyn Sumner, Pulaski FFA, was the Star in Agribusiness recipient.

Another 304 members walked across the stage to receive their State FFA Degrees. Many other students were recognized as scholarship winners.

The organization also paid tribute to its late-advisor Jeff Hicken, who passed away last month after a brief illness.

Meanwhile, chapter honors went to the Denmark FFA, which was named the winner of the Food For America award. And New London FFA won the Sr. High Quiz Bowl contest.

This year's FFA Hall of Fame Inductees included Gordie Gasch, Robert Johnson, Paul Larson, Charles Rasmussen, Robert Voss, and R. Tim Wyss. VIP Citations were presented to Dr. Rick Bockhop and Daniel Ziegler. Empire Photography, Compeer Financial and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection earned Distinguished Service Awards. And 17 other adult supporters were granted honorary membership.

But the award winners weren't the only ones jumping for joy. Convention delegates elected new state officers Wednesday, who will start their year of service on Thursday. They are Katie Zimmer, Flambeau; Casey Denk, Mondovi; Amara Livingston, Cochrane-Fountain City; Mia Hillebrand, River Valley; Aubrey Schlimgen, Marshall; Emily Dahlke, Adams-Friendship; Lydia Rasmussen, Pulaski; Lashawna Vogel, Denmark; and Sydney Bender, Big Foot.

State FFA President Joe Schlies and his officer team will hang up their FFA jackets one last time on Thursday morning before installing the 2021-22 officers--with the exception of one member from this year's group who will be named the newstate president.

The 92nd Wisconsin FFA Convention wraps-up on Thursday with the naming of the state's top chapter.