Written by: Oliiva Thilges
On Sunday, March 30th, in the Performing Arts Center, the Algona FFA chapter hosted their 78th annual FFA banquet. Many different awards and degrees were presented that night, such as the Greenhand Degree, Chapter Degrees, Blue & Gold Award, Chapter Member Award, and many more. After the awards ceremony, the Algona FFA hosted a meal and the FFA Alumni Association held an auction.
During the night, the installation of new officers was also held. Previous officers handed over their positions to the new officers. The 2024-2025 officers were president, Ace Studer; vice president, Tucker Brunsvold; secretary, Cassidy Bierstedt; treasurer, Malea Divis; reporter, Morgan Fraker; sentinel, Harold Reynolds; and advisor, Betsy Becker. New incoming officers for 2025-2026 are president, Malea Divis; vice president, Cassidy Bierstedt; secretary, Alissa Engel; treasurer, Walker Eilerts; reporter, Charli Dodds; sentinel, Grace Luitjens; and advisor, Betsy Becker.
The first award handed out at the banquet was the Greenhand degree. The following are Greenhand recipients: Logan Alt, Braxton Bierle Emmett Bormann, Kaden Bormann, Grandon Dahlhauser, Cody Doege, Hannah Foust, Aubrey Gardalen, Caden Harms, Aubrey Heidner, Alex Jahnke, John Ludwig, Grace Luitjens, Olivia Merryman, Alyssa Miller, Brooks Morgan, Lauryn Penner, Kaleb Rapstine, Keyton Rapstine, Dylan Riggert, Grady Ruger, Zachary Spry, Emma Smith, Lainey Steuk, Cadence Thompson, Ruiner Trujillo, Charity Wildt, and Keiden Wingerson. Out of the Greenhand recipients, two were recognized as Star Greenhands: Grady Ruger and Grace Luitjens.
The next award given out was the Chapter FFA Degree. This is an award for those who had met higher expectations to advance to a higher degree. Recipients were James Adams, Levi Allen, Ryan Barglof, Cassidy Bierstedt, Tucker Brunsvold, Evan Cantu, Taylor Coleman, Malea Divis, Charli Dodds, Walker Eilerts, Alissa Engel, Taylor Hellman, Sawyer Herrick, Wyatt Kelly, Grant Kramer, Caden Kuecker, Maya McDermott, Hana Perez, Harold Reynolds, Weston Rosenmeyer, Wyatt Rosenmeyer, Diedrick Schneiders, and Emma Spear.
The Iowa Degree is another step on the FFA degrees ladder. This award is the highest degree a state can bestow upon a member. In order to receive this award, a member must have earned and productively invested at least $1500 or worked 375 unpaid hours outside of class. Members who received this award were Christopher Dodds and Ace Studer.
The highest FFA degree that a member may receive is the American Degree. During the 2024 National FFA Convention in November, Algona had one FFA member receive this award. On average, only one percent of FFA members earn this degree. Aidan Morris was this year's award recipient for the American Degree from Algona.
Throughout the night, many awards were handed out to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. These awards included academic awards, $450 dollars in fruit sales recognition, and medals. Highlighting some of those awards, sophomore Walker Eilerts got his chapter degree, had $450 in fruit sales, gained a gold at District soil judging, and also received a silver in poultry at the State Iowa FFA Leadership Conference. Freshman, Braxton Bierle, received his academic award, Greenhand degree, and a silver at the Clay County Fair Livestock Judging contest with his team placing 27th.
Each year the Iowa FFA Association recognizes senior chapter members for their scholastic abilities at the District Leadership Convention. The following seniors have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher throughout their high school career and have been an FFA member for the past three years. Senior Academic Achievement receipts were Kayla Buscher, Kara Rotert, Carson Skow, Ace Studer, Landon Thompson, and Ellie Vaske. Kayla Buscher comments on the night, “FFA helped shape my future.”
Other events that took place during the night were the Star Chapter Award, which honors a junior or senior who demonstrates outstanding leadership, citizenship, and cooperation during high school. This award was presented to Ace Studer. Another award given out was the Chapter Appreciation Award, recognizing an individual who has helped the Algona FFA chapter. This year, Glen Simonson, from Glens Green Thumb, was given the award. Other awards handed out throughout the night were Outstanding Volunteer Recognition and many scholarships to senior FFA members.
To close out the 2024-2025 FFA banquet, audience members were invited to the commons of the high school for a meal and silent auction. Proceeds raised from the night went to next year's senior scholarships.