Western Reserve FFA celebrates member successes

Members of the Western Reserve FFA Chapter were recognized for a year filled with achievement, leadership, and service during the chapter's annual banquet. Students, parents, advisors, and community supporters gathered to celebrate accomplishments in Career Development Events (CDEs), Leadership Development Events (LDEs), degree advancements, fundraising, scholarships and officer installation. Throughout the year, chapter members demonstrated their knowledge, leadership, and technical skills by competing in a wide variety of contests ranging from soil science and veterinary medicine to public speaking and parliamentary procedure. Several teams and individuals advanced to district and state-level competition. One of the chapter's largest teams competed in soil judging, where students evaluated soil texture, drainage, and land-use capabilities. Team members included Ben Woodrum, Bishop Whitt, Austin Purdy, Layken Barnhart, Maylee Wetzel, Austin Kolb, Hunter Miller, Hunter Myers, Ezra Green, Haddie Green, Makenna Myers, Aaliza Shaffer and Drew Clemons. The floriculture team showcased creativity and floral design skills with competitors Makenna Myers, Aubree Zunis, Graycee Jackson, Makayla Case, and Haddie Green. Students competing in animal management demonstrated skills in animal care, breed identification and safety. Team members included Bailee Burke, Jaxson Davidson, Addie French, Lilliana Jarrett, Eliza Stewart, Olivia Whitt, Lacie Wiley and Benjamin Woodrum. Eliza Stewart advanced to state competition. The animal behavior team included Lake Crosby, Jaxson Davidson, Ezra Green, Kohler Graves, Brooke Jones, Makenna Myers, Eliza Stewart, Lacie Wiley and Benjamin Woodrum. Ben Woodrum earned second place in the district competition. Students also sharpened professional skills in the job interview contest. Competitors included Jaxon Dalton, Ezra Green, Drew Clemons and Emmett Resko. Western Reserve's parliamentary procedure team advanced to the state level after demonstrating their knowledge of official meeting procedure. Team members included Addie French, Hunter Miller, Corynne Kinney, Ethan Linder, Aaliza Shaffer, Stella Blake, Haddie Green and Peyton Kerby. Students in ag tech and mechanical systems demonstrated welding, wiring, and equipment repair skills. Competitors included Jakoby Auerhamer, Wyatte Blystone, Keegan Case, Travis French, Andrew Gardner, Austin Kolb, Hunter Miller, Anmarie Nolan, Wyatt Ogilvy, Lukas Resch, Emmett Resko, William Taylor and Justin Yaworsky. Middle school members also found success in Quiz Bowl and public speaking contests. Quiz Bowl participants included Gavin Blair, Jeffrey Chapman, Colton Clemons, Colton Goebbel, Derek Keith, Nora Klusty, Addison Miller, Raigan O'Donnell, Natalie Rains, Logan Reising, Thomas Stewart, Samuel Streets, Josiah Watson-Collins, Bishop Whitt, John Woodrum and Parker Workman. Gavin Blair, Colton Goebbel, Derek Keith and Bishop Whitt advanced to state competition. Additional state representatives included Austin Purdy, Ava Stevenson, Riley Tansey, Brenna Spettle, Grace Brammer, Colton Dalton, and Emerson Balog. The ag sales team included Ava-Grace Thornburg, Graycee Jackson, Anmarie Nolan and Kara Woodruff. Public speaking contestants Grace Brammer, Austin Purdy and Jaxon Dalton represented the chapter with speeches focused on agricultural topics. Eli Ommert and Wyatt Ogilvy competed in ag power diagnostics, while the Greenhand Quiz team tested first-year FFA members on FFA history and knowledge. The equine team featured Bishop Whitt, Olivia Whitt, Aaliza Shaffer, Grace Brammer and Austin Purdy. In Outdoor Power, students identified engine components and diagnosed mechanical issues. Team members included Ezra Green, Travis French, Austin Kolb, Eli Ommert, Wyatt Ogilvy, Emmett Resko, William Taylor, Kaleb Tite, Wesley Wilson and Justin Yaworsky. Ezra Green, Austin Kolb, Wyatt Ogilvy, Eli Ommert, Wesley Wilson and Justin Yaworsky advanced to district competition. The veterinary science team included Ben Woodrum, Eliza Stewart, Claire French, Olivia Whitt and Kaleb Tite. The general livestock team earned statewide recognition after placing 14th in Ohio despite being made up entirely of eighth and ninth-grade students. Team members included Jakoby Auerhamer, Estella Blake, Jeffrey Chapman, Addie French, Cole Hilaman, Derek Keith, Corynne Kinney, Jacob Kobylski, Ethan Linder, Anmarie Nolan, Ava Stevenson, Riley Tansey, Wyatt Tansey, Chance Warthling and John Woodrum. Ethan Linder also won the district judging contest. The chapter recognized coach Mr. Alex Linder for his leadership and dedication throughout the competition season. FFA members were also honored for their fundraising efforts during the chapter's annual fruit and cheese sale and strawberry sale. Top sellers in the fruit and cheese sale were Brenna Spettle (third place), Eli Ommert (second place), and Haddie Green (first place). In the strawberry sale, Addie French earned third place, Corynne Kinney placed second, and Cole Hilaman was recognized as the top seller. The banquet also included the presentation of FFA degrees. Members receiving the Chapter Degree included Braylin Allread, Jakoby Auerhamer, Estella Blake, Bailee Burke, Keegan Case, Makayla Case, Sophia Clemons, Tyler Cooper, Jaxon Dalton, Addie French, Andrew Gardner, Kohler Graves, Haddie Green, Cole Hilaman, Graycee Jackson, Averee Johnson, Peyton Kerby, Corynne Kinney, Hunter McClain, Jasmyn Montanez, Makenna Myers, Emmett Resko, Aaliza Shaffer, Schyler Slagle, Lucas Summerfield, Kaleb Tite, Weston Tite, Paul "Chance" Warthling, Chase Welch, Olivia Whitt and Aubree Zunis. Nine members were recognized for earning their State FFA Degree, one of the organization's highest honors at the state level. Those members included Ezra Green, Wyatt Krisha, Austin Kolb, Wyatt Ogilvy, Eli Ommert, Lukas Resch, Kendall Warthling, Wesley Wilson and Justin Yaworsky. Two members, Mason Kinney and Anna Woodrum, were honored for earning the prestigious American FFA Degree, the highest degree achievable in the National FFA Organization. Alex Linder and Stephine Wetzel received the Honorary FFA Member Award for their continued support and service to agricultural education and the FFA program. Chapter president Ben Woodrum was presented with the Alumni Scholarship. Woodrum plans to attend The Ohio State University and pursue a career as a large and small animal veterinarian. The chapter also recognized students receiving Star Awards, presented to members who demonstrate involvement, trustworthiness and hard work. Eighth-grade recipients were Austin Purdy and Derek Keith. Freshman recipients were Cole Hilaman and Addie French. Sophomore recipients were Claire French and Jaxson Dalton. Junior recipients were Austin Kolb and Ezra Green. Senior recipients were Drew Clemons and Maylee Wetzel. The banquet concluded with the installation of the 2026-27 Western Reserve FFA officer team. Officers include Peyton Kerby as sentinel, Justin Yaworsky as EHOVE coordinator, Haddie Green as community service director, Makenna Myers as animal care manager, Claire French as ag shop supervisor, Kara Woodruff as student advisor, Addie French as reporter, Hunter Miller as treasurer, Lacie Wiley as secretary, Ava-Grace Thornburg as vice president and Austin Kolb as president. Chapter leaders congratulated all members for their accomplishments and encouraged the newly elected officers to continue the chapter's tradition of leadership, service and agricultural excellence.