Imperial FFA brings home top individual placings

    Imperial FFA garnered some top individual placings at last week’s 95th annual Nebraska FFA Convention in Lincoln, which more than 7,600 members attended.
    While no teams qualified for nationals this year, Imperial FFA was in the spotlight for several individual accomplishments.
    Two of its members were second in the state for their proficiencies, three earned State FFA Degrees, a seventh grader took the 1st place Gold in the AgriScience Fair and one Imperial FFA member was top purple ribbon winner in the Jr. Livestock Judging Contest.
    Mason Tyerman, a junior, and Peyton Owens, a sophomore, both placed second in the FFA proficiency competition.
    Tyerman was recognized in the turf grass management division for the business he owns, while Owens was runner-up in poultry production for the business she owns raising and selling chickens.
    FFA Advisor Jason Speck said he expects both Tyerman and Owens to grow their businesses in the coming years, which will eventually make them even more competitive on the national level.
    “Both have very good chances of being state champions” in the future, he said.
    Three earned the State FFA Degree—Peyton Dubas, Carter Leibbrandt and Liz Reeves.
    Dubas is the Imperial chapter’s sentinel. His Supervised Ag Experience involved employment at Wren’s Well Service and Houlden Contracting.
    Leibbrandt is Imperial FFA president. His SAE includes work experience at Imperial Country Club and Longhorn Lawn Care.
    Reeves serves the chapter as treasurer. Her work on the family operation, Reeves Farm and Ranch, is her SAE.
    Jaxsen Villarreal, a seventh grader, took first place in the plant science division for junior high members in the FFA AgriScience Fair.
    Speck said this was Imperial’s first year entering this competition, which has divisions for junior high and high school members. It’s set up similar to a science fair, Speck said.
    Villarreal’s entry involved determining which liquid preserves fresh flowers the longest. His project will now be sent on to nationals for judging and, if it scores high enough, will be presented at the FFA national convention in October, Speck said.
    FFA freshman Jayme Gittlein was top individual overall among all team members in the Jr. Livestock Judging competition. Imperial’s team was third overall.
    Imperial FFA senior member Madelynn Hanes participated in the FFA Choir, which performed at several convention activities.
    Randy Vlasin, ag teacher and FFA advisor at Hayes Center, was recognized at the convention as one of six finalists for 2022-23 Nebraska Ag Educator of the Year.
    As a finalist, he was presented a $500 cash prize and plaque in front of fellow teachers and students at the convention. Announcement of the state winner is expected this summer.
    The award is sponsored by the Nebraska FFA Foundation, the NE Ag Education Association and Nationwide.
Individuals
State Degrees—Liz Reeves, Carter Leibbrandt, Peyton Dubas
Proficiencies—Mason Tyerman, second; Peyton Owens, second
Sr. Public Speaking—Mason Tyerman, 6th Place Gold
AgriScience Fair—Jaxsen Villarreal, 1st Gold
FFA Choir—Madelynn Hanes
Teams
Floriculture—Red, Madelynn Hanes-Blue, Peyton Dubas-Red, Westyn Mendenhall-White, Peyton Owens-Red
Ag Mechanics—Westyn Mendenhall, Peyton Dubas, Carter Leibbrandt, Sean Heermann
Agriscience—Anna Aragon-White, Ashlyn Heermann, Miranda Spady, Odessa Zadina-Red
Natural Resources—Ashlyn Heermann-White, Dylan Heermann-Red, Miranda Spady, Malachi Christensen-Blue
Jr. Livestock Judging— 3rd Place Purple team, Jayme Gittlein-1st Purple, Jasmine Johnson-Blue, Tessa Smith-Blue, Odessa Zadina-Red
Sr. Livestock Judging—Peyton Dubas, Liz Reeves, Kathya Aragon, Sean Heermann
Conduct of Chapter Meetings (CCM)—9th Place Gold team, Tessa Smith, Harrison Foote, Navy Havel, Anna Aragon, Carter Kuenning, Beau Weiss, Tate Teply, Aiden Tomky
People in Ag—Violet Sparrow, Norah Weiss
Jr High Quiz Bowl—3rd Place team, Charlie Johnson, Cadence Lambert, Violet Sparrow, Jax Villarreal, Tate Teply, James Adle, Alex Nelson, Lukas Fries, Dominic Harris, Kadence Wallin.