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Front row (L-R): Cheyenne Hanlin, Mallory Miller, Nora Collins, Aime Witham and Anna Kindred. Back row (L-R): Reed Naughton, Rylee Robb, Libby Shaffer, Logan Demling, and Keagan Meserole.

Olympia FFA Honors Members at Chapter Banquet

On Sunday, April 16th, the Olympia FFA Chapter held their annual Chapter Banquet. Due to the fire at OHS, the awards banquet was held at Minier Christian Church this year. There were 52 FFA members and over 150 guests present at the banquet. On this night the FFA recognizes all of the FFA members and their accomplishments. 

The banquet started with a complimentary dinner and was followed by the awards program. Freshman FFA member, Tyler Carroll, recited the FFA Creed to start the program. Next, many awards were handed out and members were recognized for their accomplishments. One of the many highlights was the Olympia FFA Alumni and Supporters scholarship awards. Seven Olympia seniors were awarded college scholarships ranging from $1000 to $2000 each. Scholarship winners included: Tarah Hilt, Isabelle Forrest, Brooke Rogers, McKenna Lally, Luke Pratt, Paige Finchum, and Chrystal Cornwell. Other awards included Star Greenhand-Shane Demling, Star Sophomore-Reed Naughton, Star Junior-Blake Buatte, and Star Senior-Tarah Hilt. Outstanding FFA members were also recognized for each level of membership. The outstanding greenhands included: Braxton Apel, Ryan Ballinger, Wyatt Reinhart, Camryn Hilt, Palmer Scheets, Anna Johnson, Anna Gordon, and Nora Collins. The outstanding chapter degree members included: Chase Ragar, Keagan Meserole, Mallory Miller, and Kaitlynn Whitecotton. The outstanding juniors included: Trinity Weeks, Aime Witham, Libby Shaffer, Anna Kindred, Cheyenne Hanlin, Logan Demling, and Rylee Robb. The outstanding seniors included: Brooke Rogers, Isabelle Forrest, and Kassidy Tackett.
 
Olympia FFA has made it a goal to acknowledge those FFA members who have worked behind the scenes and have gone above and beyond in our chapter. Keagan Meserole, Chase Ragar, and Blake Buatte were presented with the Olympia FFA “Kyle Haning” Blue and Gold Awards sponsored by First Farmers Bank of Minier a Branch of the Bank of Pontiac. 
To close the ceremony the old officer team gives their duties to the new officer team. The old officer team of 2022-2023 was President-Tarah Hilt, Vice Presidents-Brooke Rogers, Logan Demling, and Anna Kindred, Secretary-Isabelle Forrest, Treasurer-Reed Naughton, Reporter-Libby Shaffer, Sentinel-Aime Witham and Historian-Rylee Robb. The new officer team for 2023-2024 consists of President-Logan Demling, Vice Presidents-Aime Witham, Libby Shaffer, and Reed Naughton, Secretary-Nora Collins, Treasurer-Keagan Meserole, Reporter-Rylee Robb, Sentinel-Cheyenne Hanlin, Chaplain-Anna Kindred, and Historian-Mallory Miller. 

A slide show of all the Career Development Events and various other FFA events was shown at the end of the program.