Southern Nebraska Register
The inaugural FFA chapter at Aquinas Catholic in David City qualified 12 students for the Nebraska State FFA convention April 1-4, resulting in 11 event placings and a state champion.
FFA – started as “Future Farmers of America” in 1928 –is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. FFA is for students who want to engage in agriculture and aspire to be farmers, teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more. There are more than 200 FFA chapters in schools across Nebraska.
Aquinas Catholic students have previously benefitted from participation in the David City FFA Chapter, explained Father Michael Ventre, chief administrative officer of Aquinas. There was not an instructor at the school.
“With the recent departure of our building trades program teacher, who had dedicated 25 years to constructing a home each year, we had a unique opportunity to establish a program tailored to meet the needs of our predominantly rural student population,” he said.
“We were fortunate to have hired Mrs. Shelly Kubicek, whose expertise was instrumental in launching this new program.”
At the state convention, the ag sales team featuring seniors Brooklyn Stutzman and Miriam Frasher, junior Becca Podolak, and sophomore Sarah Coufal placed fourth. The livestock management team, consisting of juniors Marissa Miratsky, Becca Podolak, and Lydia Meysenburg, sophomores Sarah Coufal and Natalie DeWispelare, and freshman Natalia Lopez, placed third in the poultry evaluation division.
Junior Marissa Miratsky earned a bronze medal in speech. Junior Becca Podolak placed sixth in employment skills and claimed the title of state champion in ag sales, following her interview with Jon Vanderford from 1011 News, which is available online.
“It has been an amazing experience to have this opportunity to be in FFA and especially go around to see what FFA has to offer,” Podolak said. “As a new chapter, we are just enjoying all these new experiences.”
Next year, the FFA will be expanded to include eighth-graders.
Team photo courtesy Aquinas Catholic
