It was a night of celebration as the 59th annual Elgin FFA Banquet was held Wednesday.
Elgin High’s gymnasium was a festive setting for the celebration of all things FFA.
It marked the last formal event for the 2025-2026 officers led by President Isaac Hemenway.
New officers were installed near the conclusion of the festivities. They were:
• President, Gemma Miller
• Vice President, Kylee Lichtenberg
• Secretary, Braelyn Martinsen
• Treasurer, Kyla Donaldson
• Reporter, Libby Evans
• Sentinel, Brayden Burenheide
• Parliamentarian, Kinley Miller
• Junior Advisor, Lillian Moser
• Historian, Sydney Niewohner
Discovery Degree recipients were Cael Bottorf, Aurora Burke, Garrett Busteed, Dominic Durre, Braxtyn Eisenhauer, Sheamus McLain, Rylee Rokahr, Cara Romej, Cecil Shavlik, Tenley Schindler and Jase Thomson.
Star Greenhand awards were handed out to Sophia Burke, Anna Dworak, Jayvin Erickson, Ethan Hansen, Braedon Hinkle, Raaf Klein, Cielo Kuhlman, Jael Lammers, Kinley Miller, Lillian Moser, Sydney Niewohner, Macy Rokahr, Kynlee Tillis, Gentry Zwingman and John Zwingman.
Selected as the Star Greenhand was Sydney Niewohner.
Earning Chapter Degrees were Brystol Buschow, Max Henn, Evin Pelster, Joseph McNally, Kaidynce Schrad, Molly Thiessen and Christian Preister.
Honorary Chapter Degrees were awarded to Ed & Anne Hemenway, Kevin & Sonia Rittscher and Ted & Tammy Bode.
Donors to the ‘I Believe in the Future of Ag Campaign’ were recognized. Contributors were Schindler Grain & Livestock LLC, Terry Murphy, Joseph F. McNally, Josh Kinney, Frederic Thiele, Kathy L. Maughan, Ron Burenheide, Michael Moser, James Meis, Kevin Rittscher, Joshua Kallhoff, Brian Thiessen, Denise Kurpgeweit, Lynn Selting, Aaron Parks, Ted Bode, Ed Hemenway, Julia Schwartz, Cassandra Schrad, Duane Jones, Danny Donaldson, Scott’s Backhoe & Well Service, The Elgin Review, Lichtenberg Tire Service Inc, Scotty’s Manure, LLC, Del Larson, Busteed Inc., Shavlik Cattle Company, Diamond C Land & Cattle LLC, Northern Grain, LLC, Durre Well Service Inc, Kuhlman Bros LLC, Midwest Electrical Services LLC, Mike Kreifels, Sam Schaecher, Jessy Dirks, Jill McNally, Thomas Hoefer and Daniel Zwingman.
