A celebration of a year’s worth of achievement and the election of new officers highlighted the 57th annual Elgin FFA Banquet held Monday night.
FFA President Samuel Hemenway handed the gavel to Taylor Beckman who will serve as the chapter president during 2024/25. He is the son of Eric and Anney Beckman.
Joining him as new officers are:
• Vice President Callie Heithoff
• Secretary Kylee Lichtenberg
• Treasurer Natalie Burenheide
• Reporter Sara Bode
• Sentinel Isaac Hemenway
• Parliamentarian Kyndal Busteed
• Junior Advisor Gemma Miller
The banquet, which lasted just short of two hours, featured a number of awards and presentations.
Achieving Greenhand degrees were Justice Blecher, Kyla Donaldson, Ruby Durre, Kierstyn Eisenhauer, Madelyn Kurpgeweit, Kylee Lichtenburg, Braelyn Martinsen, Gemma Miller, Rylen Schwarting, Dannyka Smidt, Zoey Buechter, Megan Wright, Brayden Burenheide, Gavin Kallhoff, Brooke Kinney, Elizabeth Moser, Michael Selting and Aubrie Parks.
Accepting the Star Greenhand award was Kylee Lichtenberg.
Recognized with Chapter Degrees were sophomores Kyndal Busteed, Ticen Sparr, Jarek Erickson, Jaydalynn Chessmore, Kayton Zwingman, Aiden Klein, Grady Drueke, Karson Kallhoff, Landyn Veik, Kaiden Bode, Isaac Hemenway, Haley Parks, Tessa Barlow, Camry Kittelson and Autumn Forbes.
Haley Parks was selected to receive the ‘Most Improved Member Award.
Eighth grade students recognized with Discovery degrees were Brystol Buschow, Max Henn, Makenna Mortiboy, Evin Pelster, Kaidynce Schrad and Molly Thiessen.
Honorary Chapter Degrees were presented to Larry and Yoli Anderson, Gary and Dawn Nelson as well as Eric and Emily Heithoff.
Also recognized during the evening were businesses and individual who made donations to the ‘I Believe in the Future of Ag Campaign.’ They were McNally Law Office, Lucinda Donaldson, Tina Thiele-Blecher, Danny Donaldson, Vicki Miller, Kallhoff Electric LLC, Kyle Childers, Daniel Zwingman, Sharon Burenheide, Klein Family Farm, Janice Bolling, Martinsen Appraisal, JK Construction, Josh Kinney, Country Line Cattle, Gary Nelson, Northern Grain LLC, Donald Kahl, Kenny Reinke, Rhonda Heithoff, Cheryl Veik, Liane Bode, Paul Beckman, Scotty’s Manure LLC, Diamond C Land & Cattle LLC, Gina Moser, Tammy Bode, Matthew Pelster, Angela Simmons, James Meis, Lichtenberg Tire Service Inc., Durre Well Service Inc., Busteed Inc, and Anne Hemenway.
Before the new officers were announced, senior officers’ Samuel Hemenway, Keyera Eisenhauer, Brenna Martinsen, Nick Anderson and Baylee Busteed shared their favorite memories of their years in FFA.
