February 13 , 2025 The Beacon • 15
FFA Week
FFA makes a huge impact on Ridgewood students
By Marianne Austin For The Beacon
During the week , FFA members from Ridgewood High School take part in agricultural , leadership and service-based activities , with instruction from teachers Sue Davis and Logan Pyers .
“ We have about 200 kids in our program , eighth-graders through seniors ,” Pyers said . “ Right now we are kidding out goats at the school farm on 751 . We just finished proficiencies and State Degrees . We have 10 State Degrees submitted to the American FFA Degree and 17 proficiency applications .”
The American Degree is the highest achievable degree in FFA , and proficiency honors members who have developed specialized skills they can apply toward their future careers .
“ We are starting spring career development events ,” Pyers said . “ The kids are learning how to be a dairy judge and judge livestock . We have a dairy team , a livestock team , a meat evaluation team , a poultry team . We get ready for the fair each year , and we have state convention in the spring . Some of the kids are working on their trip to Ireland . Sue Davis is taking 12 kids to Ireland to visit the farms there . The kids are working on fundraising for that . It ’ s going to be a fun trip for them .”
Senior Jordyne Carpenter has been an FFA member for five years .
“ At first I didn ’ t want to do anything in FFA , but over the years , it has brought me out of my comfort zone , and I have traveled all over in and out of Ohio doing things . I have met a lot of people and made new friends that will last a lifetime . FFA has really become my family .
Marianne Austin
During the week , FFA members from Ridgewood High School take part in agricultural , leadership and service-based activities , with instruction from teachers Sue Davis and Logan Pyers .
I have been able to go far , and right now I have my State Degree , and all I need now is my American Degree . I have been an officer for three years , and I am getting a lot of community service through FFA .”
Libirti Shortt-Wilkie , a junior at Ridgewood , is a reporter for FFA .
“ FFA has given me a second home . I am always busy with it . The people in FFA are so welcoming . Everyone laughs , everyone gets along and they are people that are fun to be around . We are really busy at dairy judging because we are practicing four days a week right now . I am really excited for state and invitationals . FFA has also brought me my two closest friends , and I met them through FFA . It has given me great opportunities . I ’ m getting my State Degree this year with breeding rabbits , my Supervised Agricultural Experience this year ,” Shortt-Wilkie said .
Sophomore Alaena Huff is in her third year of FFA . She became an officer her freshman year .
“ I have been the treasurer and club reporter . Last year I got a Gold Star at state for my reporter ’ s book . I hope to get a gold star again this year . I have my Green Hand and my
Star Green Hand . FFA has changed me into the person I am today . It has shown me who I want to be . I wouldn ’ t be anywhere now if it wasn ’ t for my ag teachers Logan Pyers and Sue Davis . It has given me friendships and family . It gave me friends from all over the state and some from out of state . I went to WLC this year , which is a leadership conference in Washington , D . C ., and this year we are going to Ireland , which is a big thing . I am stepping out of my comfort zone . FFA has brought out the good in me and shown me who I want to be ,” Huff said .
Jayvin Burrier is the Ridgewood FFA chaplain .
“ Without FFA I would probably be a different person with different perspectives . It has helped me with knowledge of subjects like meat science , poultry and larger animals . It has helped me with management skills and leadership skills . We have a tractor restoration program , and part of that is tearing down tractors , identifying all the different parts and rebuilding them so that we can use them on our school farm . They have taught me how to operate machinery like tractors , balers and such . I ’ ve had a great time , and I have one more year , and I hope to enjoy this last year in FFA ,” Burrier said . President Kiley Hahn said , “ I started as treasurer my sophomore year , vice president my junior year and now I am
president of the chapter . I used to not talk in front of people , but now since I was treasurer and had to give reports at the meetings , it has really grown on me . It has helped me get out of my comfort zone . I show breeding goats , market goats and market lambs . We have 50 baby goats right now , eight bottle babies , and so it ’ s a lot . It is pretty busy . We have 110 goats at my home farm , and then at the high school farm , we have five , and we just had a baby this morning . I got Supreme Showmanship at the fair this year . I don ’ t know if I will be able to show this year for my senior year because I ’ m going to college . After I finish school , I would like to be a veterinarian .”
FFA vice president for this year and last year is
Clare Bintz .
“ I am a junior and have been in FFA for three years . I started FFA after being home-schooled . I have a goat farm , and I work with horses too . I do horse judging , started with livestock judging , then horse judging and meat judging the year after that . I did just about everything , one for horse judging , a few for dairy and a meet for meat judging where you judge for cuts of meat retail , and we have to say what it is . Last year when we went to state , we were eighth place . They have hanging carcasses , and we have to judge for like , marbling and cuts of meat , like choice and prime cuts . I plan to be an electrical engineer after high school and have started working with Mrs . Davis on small electrical stuff ,” Bintz said .
Proud to support Coshocton County FFA members .
coshocton . osu . edu
724 S . 7th Street , Room 110 Coshocton , OH 43812
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