Greenville FFA Participates in County Soil Contests

Greenville FFA Participates in County Soil Contests

 The Darke County FFA Soils Contest was held recently just north of Versailles.  The soil contest consists of a written test, a Soil Survey test, and three pits to evaluate. The team, consisting of up to eight students, grades the soil pit based upon the guidelines provided on the scoring card.  The team is given approximately fifteen minutes at each of the three pits to determine various soil characteristics.  Then based on what characteristics were found, management practice recommendations are made.

The Rural Soil Judging team looked at the slope, soil texture, air and water movement, depth of topsoil and subsoil in each of the pits. Then the team members chose conservation practice to recommend in order utilizing that type of ground in a farming situation correctly.

The Urban Soils team looked at slope, landform, flood hazards, soil stability, soil texture of the surface and subsoil, depth to seasonal high water table, and depth to bedrock.  They used these characteristics in determining use limitations for buildings with basement; septic tank absorption fields, driveways and local roads, and lawns, gardens, and landscaping.  Based upon what was found, members then chose some recommended management practices for each of these areas.




Rural Soils Participants          

Several Greenville FFA teams competed in the Darke County Soils contest where the Urban team took 1^st, 2^nd, 3rd, and 4^th places and the Rural team took 5^th and 6^th places

High scorers for the Greenville FFA in the Urban Contest included Andrew Clark, Kevin Brenner, Alex Yohey, and Seth Monnin. In the Rural Soils Contest, the high scorers were David Shultz, Ivy Berger, Christian Jennings, and Christian Kimmel.



Urban Soils Participants

Those who were on the Urban Soils Team were Seth Monnin, Kevin Brenner, Clayton McGlothin, Alex Yohey, Connor Garber, Steve Dakin, Tyler Pitman, Jaymie Phillips, Jenna LeMaster, Matt Freshour, Karri Stickley, Josh Magoto, Kyle Conklin, and Andrew Clark. Those judging on the Rural Soils Team included Lydia Schafer, Ivy Berger, Stephanie Monnin, Elizabeth Bernhard, Seth Gessler, Zach Garland, Christian Kimmel, Christian Jennings, Levi Boehringer, and David Shultz.

 

FFA Holds Annual Safety Awareness Days

Greenville High School students shared their knowledge about food production and safety with first-graders on Thursday, Oct. 10^th, during the FFA’s Annual Safety Awareness Day at the Darke County Fairgrounds.

“We host this annual event because it’s a learning experience for both our high school students and our school district’s first-graders,” said John Guttadore, agricultural teacher and FFA adviser.

 First-graders from Greenville City Schools and St. Mary’s first-graders attended the event at the fairgrounds. The high school students set up many learning stations at the fairgrounds.

“It’s an urban education day,” said Patrick Garber, FFA President, “They get to taste cheese made from the cow, taste apple butter and apple cider, eat popcorn, roast marshmallows, taste honey, and learn how certain situations are dangerous.”  He also said that as the children boarded the buses to return to school, they received a few reminders of their trip to Safety Awareness Days.  They included pencils, coloring pages, safety brochures, apples, and pumpkins.

Many of the stations are focused on safety – such as bicycle safety, fire safety, lawn mower safety, and first aid. Other stations focus on various aspects of agriculture. Students also learned about products made from milk, corn, soybeans, honey and apples, as well as the products that go into making a cheeseburger. They petted farm animals, sat on a tractor, roasted marshmallows, and painted pumpkins.

“Most students today do not live on farms,” Guttadore said. “Days like these give students an opportunity to learn about where their food comes from.”          

Members of the Greenville FFA provided and served lunch for the children. They sat on bales of straw on an almost perfect weather day to enjoy their noontime lunch of ham sandwiches, apple, cookies, and water.

This program has been a tradition for the FFA for many years and each year we try to add something new and different. This year we added a station dealing with Lawn mowers and how to keep safe when in the presence of one. “Safety Awareness Days is a unique opportunity for the younger students to experience agriculture for a day, and learn about being safe in a way they can understand,” stated Guttadore.

We would also like to thank the Greenville Township Fire department and their sidekicks Rage and Walker, Darke Co. YMCA, Spirit Medical Transport, Greenville High Schools Careers with Children program, Darke Co. Senior Fair board, Greenville Street Department, Mrs. Shellenbarger’s hospitalities class at the high school, Mrs. Denise McDade for help with the lunch products, Schlecty Family Farms, Jim and Luann Mann, and all the Alumni, Parents and Members who made this day possible. All of the donations, time, and effort made this great day possible. Thanks again.

FFA Observes Farm Safety Week in Greenville

Several hundred thousand dollars worth of tractors rolled into Greenville High School during Farm Safety Week—ten pieces of agricultural equipment in all.  Their investment—to promote safety on the farm, both today and in the future.

The annual TractorCade, which is held to close up National Farm Safety Week, begins a week of safety activities for members of the Greenville FFA Chapter.  “Our purpose is to promote farm safety on and off the farm,” said Greenville FFA Vice President Thomas Shaw . “We are hoping by recognizing this week and promoting safety, we can help to reduce accidents during this busy harvest season.”

National Farm Safety Week is more than showing off tractors to friends and neighbors as members show parade tractors in front of Greenville High School.  It is planting the seed of safety into the minds of the community

 

“This is the FFA’s way of promoting safety in a positive way,” Shaw said. “I enjoy seeing all the tractors, of course, but it really says something when you see this many kids come together and want to promote safety.”

 

Shaw said the need to practice safety, while sharing the roads with farm implements and motorized vehicles, is a year round practice motorists need to remember. “National Farm Safety Week is just that –a week. Safety should be practiced year round though,” he said.

As a promotional feature, students wore T-shirts, which observed the special week and highlighted its meaning.  Students will wear their shirts throughout the year, which will remind individuals of the real meaning of Farm Safety Week—safety for the year.

Girls CC Runners Prepare Pasta Meal for the Boys CC Team

Kristen Karns, Jacob Butsch, Calen Bruner, Bailey Hartle, Caleb Oda, Tanner Herrmann, Jacob Hounshell, James Conway, and Cheyenne Beam at a Pasta Party. Cheyenne and Kristen, members of the girls cross country team, prepared a homecooked meal for the boys who are all members of the Regional qualifying Cross Country team. The team runs this Saturday at Troy High School at 3:00 p.m. for an opportunity to go to State!

Career Tech Students of the Month

Greenville Career Tech Center, in order to honor outstanding accomplishments and leadership in Career Tech Education, is proud to announce the recognition of the September 2013 students of the month.  Dylan Blinn, senior member of Supply Chain Management, and Jake Snyder, senior member of IMTV, received a plaque to honor their selection, a gift certificate from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe, and a preferred parking spot for a month by the Career Tech Center.



Pictured from left to right: Dylan Blinn and Jake Snyder

Dylan Blinn, senior representative of Supply Chain Management taught by Dara Buchy has competed for Region 3 BPA Officer, was chosen to participate in a Marketing and Management Conference by the Darke County Visitors Bureau, and was selected to edit the current Darke County Visitor’s Bureau Brochure.

Jake Snyder, senior representative of IMTV taught by Lori Hover, has helped to facilitate the transition of Channel 5 to the Greenville Career Tech Center, and worked above and beyond the school day to make sure deadlines are met and projects are filmed to show on Channel 5.

Congratulations to Dylan and Jake for being recognized as the September 2013 Students of the month.  Special Thanks to Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe for providing gift certificates and their continued support of Career Tech Education.

Greenville High School Business Professionals of America

Recently  88 Greenville High School Business Professionals of America members traveled to Wright State Nutter Center to attend the Regional Fall Leadership Conference.  Students along with  advisors, Dara Buchy, Margie Heitkamp, Lori Hoover, Nate Sharp and Bob Warner heard from Dr. Joanne Li, Dean of the Raj Soin College of Business.  Then the region officers were announced and inducted.  During the torch award ceremony, Dylan Garland and Natalie Blinn represented the Greenville Chapter.

The event ended with a sneak peak at the exciting events planned for the National Business Professionals of America Workplace Assessment Conference that will be held, this year, in Indianapolis, IN.    Greenville business students are looking forward to have the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis to experience this year’s event.