South Haven News

By Michelle Tevington

This past year the South Haven FFA chapter has had some ups and downs. We had an amazing group of members and a strong officer team leading the way. From competing in various events to attending conventions and meeting new friends, our chapter has made a mark in history.

Words from the 2024-2025 President, Brady Russell

President Brady Russell was an FFA member all through high school. During his senior year he was able to serve as president of the South Haven FFA chapter. Russell’s favorite part of being president was having the title of president. He was able to attend the 2024 FFA National Convention. This was his second national convention and it was the highlight of his final year in FFA. If he had the opportunity to redo something from this year, he would have gotten more involved in a wider variety of contests.

Competitions

District Competitions

Our FFA chapter has traveled to numerous South Central District competitions this year. Below is the list and placings of our teams and individuals.

In April 2024, Greenhand and Senior Agronomy teams competed in a plant and seed ID competition. The senior agronomy team took sixth overall and was made up of Arallai Wartick, Aubrey Pond, Kelly Theurer, and Brady Russell.

The Greenhand team won first place. This team was made up of Emmalee Burden and Ely Tompkins, who tied for second overall individual, Brody Heater and Will Theurer, who tied for fourth place individual, Ayleigh Nixon and Emma Wiiest, who tied for seventh place individual, Carley Russel, with ninth place individual, and Tyson Byers, Adalyn Irey and Dax Dark, who were all in the top 15 inndividals.

A few weeks later, the senior livestock judging team traveled to the district competition. The team took seventh overall. This team was made up of Maddox Pond, Maddy Ferguson, Michelle Tevington, and Avery Strickland. Coal Vanzant also competed in the senior division.

In September 2024, the land judging greenhand and senior teams competed at the district competition. There were four senior land judging teams. The first senior team won the entire competition, and was made up of Maddox Pond (placing fifth senior individual,) Brody Heater, Maddy Ferguson, and Tony Trillo (all placing in the top 20 individuals.) The second senior team placed 6th overall, and this team was made up of Carley Russel (placing ninth,) Emmalee Burden, Tyson Byers, and Kody Wartick. The third senior team got tenth place and was made up of Michelle Tevington, Avery Strickland, Coal Vanzant, and Will Theurer. The final senior team was made up of Sage VanZant, Jacye Willson and Ely Tompkins.

The greenhand land judging team got third overall greenhand team. This team included Carlee Heater in fourth place, Logan Kuchar in sixth place, Jett Bohannon in eighth place, Landon Goeckel in ninth place, Kenzie Trillo, Aiden Shore, and Xava Weins in the top 15 individuals, Trista Metzinger, Corbin Lucas, and Emmanuel Saunders.

Also in September of 2024, the Homesite judging team competed in the district competition and won first place. This team was made up of Aralli Wartick as top individual, Kelly Theurer in sixth place, Addison Heater in ninth place, and Brady Russel in 15th place. Annabelle Burden also competed placing fourth in the individual competition.

In October of 2024, the senior dairy cattle team competed at the district competition. The team placed 32nd and consisted of Arallai Wartick, Brody Heater, and Emma Wiiest.

For the first time in a long time, the entomology team competed at the district competition in November of 2024. The team got seventh overall and was made up of Avery Strickland in 14th, Kelly Theurer, Arallai Wartick, and Maddy Ferguson.

Also in November of 2024, several members were selected to compete in the leadership information test. The senior team got 15th and was made up of Avery Strickland, Maddy Ferguson, Carley Russell, Kelly Theurer, and Arallai Wartick. Annabelle Burden, Emmalee Burden, and Maddox Pond also competed in the leadership information test. At this same competition, the officers competed in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies competition. Unfortunately, they did not make the second round of competition.

In December of 2024, the Ag communications team competed in the district competition. The team got 11th overall. This team consisted of Carley Russell, Emmalee Burden, Trista Metzinger, and Carissa Braddy. Carley Russell placed seventh in the video division. Emmalee Burden placed 10th in the journal division. Trista Metzinger got eighth in the web article divison. Carissa Braddy got 11th in the opinion division. All the girls also competed in a quiz competition, unfortunately no one placed.

To start out 2025 Emma Wiiest and Carley Russell competed in the creed speaking competition. Emma Wiiest ended up in seventh place.

In Febuary 2025, two food science teams and a greenhand and senior team competed in the district competitions. The first food science team got 11th place and was made by Arallai Wartick, Annabelle Burden, Maddy Ferguson, and Kelly Theurer. The second food science team got 33rd place and was made up of Adele Helsel, Carley Russell, and Jayce Wilson. The senior poultry judging team got 13th and had Emmalee Burden, Brody Heater, Coal Vanzant, and Tony Trillo competing. The greenhand poultry team placed 5th, this team had Corbin Lucas in eight place, Logan Kuchar, Aiden Shore, and Brooklyn Dvorak.

State Competitions

In October 2024, the top senior members from the land and homesite judging team traveled to the Kansas state judging team. The first senior land judging team got sixth place, this team was made up of Maddy Ferguson in seventh place, Tony Trillo, Maddox Pond, and Coal Vanzant. The second senior land judging team got 14th and was made up by Brody Heater, Emmalee Burden, and Carley Russell. The senior homesite judging team got first place and was made up of Annabelle Burden in second place, Arallai Wartick in third place, Kelly Theurer in sixth place, and Addison Heater in 11th. Brady Russell competed as an individual placing 14th.

National Competitions

In May 2024, the land judging team went to the National Land Judging Competition in El Reno, Oklahoma. The team found themself in a four-way tie for ninth place, and they finished 12th overall after the judges took a closer evaluation. The team consisted of Arallai Wartick who placed third overall individual, Kelly Theurer, Annabelle Burden, and Addison Heater.

Conferences

Greenhand Conference

In September of 2024, the greenhand class traveled to the South Central District FFA greenhand Confrence. This year, the chapter gained 12 new FFA members.
Our FFA members were split into small groups and sent to stations. Some stations cover contests members can attend. Other stations are about careers in agriculture. The final station is a test. Members are quizzed on their knowledge of dates, terminology, and the history of FFA. Jett Bohannon placed 4th in the spell down competion.

Kansas State Convention (Summer 2024)

In May of 2024, a group of members traveled to the Kansas State University campus and Kansas State FFA Convention. Avery Strickland and Michelle Tevington received scholarships for the Washington Leadership Conference. Alivia Bacon, Pake Spencer, Cole Theurer, and Jacee Theurer all received their state degrees. The 2023 land judging team was congratulated on winning the state competition.
During their stay, members went to the lake, played in the sand, and went swimming. The most memorable part of the trip was when the fire alarm went off while everyone was trying to sleep.

Washington Leadership Conference (Summer 2024)

In June 2024, Avery Strickland and Michelle Tevington attended the Washington Leadership Conference. During their stay, they met kids from all over the nation. About 250 FFA members gathered in the Omni hotel to kick off the start of the next five days. After the opening session, all FFA members were broken down into their community groups. Strickland was a member of the National Stockyard small group. Tevington was a member of the Washington Nationals small group.
On the last night of the trip the fire alarm went off.

Tevington said “The chaos of trying to find your community group to do a role call was like fighting through a Black Friday line.” After everyone was accounted for and the alarms were shut off everyone went back to their rooms. At 2:00 A.M., Strickland, Tevington headed for the airport to go home.

National FFA convention (Fall 2024)

In October, the South Haven FFA chapter traveled to Indiana for the National FFA Convention. Members attended the opening session on Wednesday. Before and after the session, they got to adventure around the career and college expo, the shopping center, and found food to eat. They attended several sessions after this, including the session where Ben Russell received his American Degree.

The members who attended the convention were freshman Carley Russell and Will Theurer, sophomores Mason Noll and Michelle Tevington, juniors Kelly Theurer and Arallai Wartick, senior Brady Russell, and former member Ben Russell. The adults accompanying them were Seth Stroman the chapter advisor and Bree Stroman.