For three hundred seventy-five chapter members, parents, friends and guests attending the 74th Annual Edon FFA Chapter Banquet on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, it proved a bittersweet evening. While there to celebrate the Chapter’s many activities and accomplishments over the past year, they also came out to honor FFA Advisor Paul Stoll as he directed his last banquet; the well-respected, much beloved teacher is set to retire at the end of the current school year.
From the onset, the evening proceeded in its traditional manner, never giving rise to the surprise planned later in the program for the unsuspecting mentor. With everyone settled in after enjoying a delicious ham, baked steak and lamb buffet dinner, houselights dimmed and the Musical Introduction of Officers and Advisors took center stage. Individually selected songs offered guests a quick look into each one’s personality as they moved out of the spotlight towards the head table proudly sporting the FFA “Blue Jacket”. Upon reporting to the assembly his or her respective duties and the significance of the assigned station, President Clay Parrish concluded the Opening Ceremonies by declaring the annual meeting open.
With assistance from Sentinel Dakota Parrish, Reporter David Headley had the distinct honor of presenting the evening’s first group of awards to FFA CDE (Career Development Events) participants. Receiving certificates for their accomplishments in team or individual competitions were:
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Presented by Reporter David Headley
Assisted by Sentinel Dakota Parrish
Grain Merchandising
2nd Place District 1 Competition
2nd Place State Competition
Matt Cook
Kyle Gearhart
Ben Brown
Dakota Parrish
David Headley
Austin Winzeler
David Ackley
Payton Muehlfeld
Devin Reetz
Austin Fenner
Reba Wicker
Gabby Siebenaler
Farm Business Management
2nd Place District 1 Competition
5th Place State Competition
Ben Brown
Kyle Gearhart
Clay Parrish
Dakota Parrish
David Ackley
Spenser Goebel
Dairy Judging
1st Place District 1 Competition
Dylon Houser
1st Place District 1 Individual Competition
Clay Parrish
2nd Place District 1 Individual Competition
Mariah Hantz
Ben Brown
Dakota Parrish
Matt Cook
Karlee Trausch
Kyle Gearhart
Brittany Combs
Destinee Riter
Sarah Armbruster
Autumn Joice
Rural Soils
Logan Bechstein
Alex Baker
River Wicker
Wyatt Zulch
Connor Hug
Dakota Parrish
Spenser Goebel
Urban Soils
Trevor Green
Brock Thiel
Reid Bowling
Agronomy
David Headley
Matt Cook
Kyle Gearhart
Ben Brown
Taylor Schwartz
Clay Parrish
Haley Jacoby
Sarah Armbruster
Cassi Trausch
Parliamentary Procedure
1st Place County Competition
5th Place District 1 Competition
Clay Parrish
Ben Brown
Mariah Hantz
Wyatt Zulch
David Headley
Matt Cook
Alex Baker
Kyle Gearhart
General Livestock
Dakota Parrish
Clay Parrish
Mariah Hantz
Sarah Armbruster
Connor Hug
Dylon Houser
Carley Muehlfeld
Morgan Hiller
Poultry
Alex Baker
Wyatt Zulch
River Wicker
Heath Brown
Garrett Trausch
Matt Cook
Ben Brown
Wildlife Management
Tyler Seaman
Joey Fox
Logan Bechstein
Kyle Gearhart
Taylor Schwartz
Shane Carter
Equine
Spenser Goebel
Throughout the banquet, members were presented awards in the following categories as well:
Officer Awards
Presented by Vice President Ben Brown
Assisted by Sentinel Dakota Parrish
Reporter Scrapbook
David Headley
Secretary
Mariah Hantz
Treasurer
Wyatt Zulch
Public Speaking Awards
Presented by Vice President Ben Brown
Assisted by Sentinel Dakota Parrish
Beginning Creed
Landon Bloir
Extemporaneous
Tyler Seaman
Colten Lyman
Advance Creed
Alexis Mitchell
Phillip Richmond
1st Place in District 1 Competition
State Qualifier
Beginning Prepared
Jim Peckham,
Alexis Mitchell
2nd Place District 1 Competition
State Qualifier
Job Interview
Mariah Hantz
Cassi Trausch
Alexis Mitchell
Individual Proficiency Awards
Presented by Student Advisor Matt Cook
Assisted by Sentinel Dakota Parrish
Ag Sales
Taya Mason
Beef Production
Alex Baker
Mariah Hantz
Dairy Production
Ben Brown
Diversified Livestock
Ben Brown
Oil Crop
Wyatt Zulch
Poultry Production
Clay Parrish
Specialty Animal
Spenser Goebel
Swine Production
Dakota Parrish
Mariah Hantz
Clay Parrish
Vegetable Production
Corisa Brown
Top 2012 Sausage Salespersons
Taya Mason (230#)
Taylor Schwartz (200#))
Caleb Mason (182#)
Austin Winzeler (175#)
Gabby Siebenaler (158#)
Alex Baker (137#)
Nate Hickman (135#)
Trevor Green (125#)
Total Sausage Sales ~ 2695 pounds
4th Annual Ag Olympics Winners
Cow Roping
Logan Bechstein
Alexis Mitchell
Corn Shelling
Alex Baker
Poop Scoop
Taylor Schwartz
Egg FFA Roulette
Matt Cook
5th Annual Jacob Humphrey
Invitational Cornhole Champions
River Wicker
Jacob Brown
2013 Special Awards
Presented by
Advisors Paul Stoll and Krista Cape
Scholarship
Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or Better
Seniors
Dakota Parrish
Kyle Gearhart
Clay Parrish
Mariah Hantz
David Headley
Ben Brown
Kaleb Long
Juniors
Haley Jacoby
River Wicker
Sophomores
Phillip Richmond
Karlee Trausch
Autumn Joice
Kaden Sapp
Kyle Long
Garrett Trausch
Freshmen
James Peckham
Breanna Davis
Landon Bloir
Colten Lyman
Hayden Runyan
Meghan Dunkle
Preston Thiel
Leadership Award
Clay Parrish
DeKalb Award Winners
Clay Parrish
Ben Brown
Dakota Parrish
Mariah Hantz
Spenser Goebel
2013 State FFA Degree Candidates
Mariah Hantz
Alex Baker
Spenser Goebel
Star FFA Chapter Members
Alex Baker
Mariah Hantz
Spenser Goebel
Star Greenhand
Phillip Richmond
Tyler Seaman
Retiring Officer Awards
President
Clay Parrish
Vice President
Ben Brown
Second Vice President
Spenser Goebel
Third Vice President
Taylor Schwartz
Secretary
Mariah Hantz
Reporter
David Headley
Student Advisor
Matt Cook
Sentinel
Dakota Parrish
2013 Honorary FFA Members
Recognized by all Officers
Steve and Tina Parrish
Louise Dick
Kris Dulle
2013 Chapter Donors
Recognized by all Officers
Parrish Farms
Terry and Trina Hake
Jon and Vicki Hake
John and Jo Armbruster
Bennett Seeds
Tyler Hake ~ Pioneer Seeds
The Chapter’s long-standing custom to have a State FFA Officer as featured speaker, rang true to form when 2012-2013 FFA District 1 President ~ Edon’s very own Clay Parrish ~ rose to speak. However, upon taking the podium, everyone immediately came to realize, this was destined to be one talk they wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon.
“Mr. Stoll, can you come here for a second?” Complying with Clay’s request, the unsuspicious advisor quickly found himself being escorted to the stage by Secretary Mariah Hantz. “Mr. Stoll expects me to speak tonight ~ and as far as he knows, I’m still speaking,” chuckled Parrish. “But we have a couple guests here who are going to speak about Mr. Stoll ~ people who have either impacted his life or have been impacted by him.”
From his high school vo-ag teacher and student teaching mentor to former students and Edon FFA Chapter members, each proudly honored and congratulated this very special individual on his amazing FFA and Vocational Agriculture teaching career at Edon High School.
“In the spring of 1979, I received a phone call from Mr. Kent Adams wondering what I knew about this Paul ‘Straw’,” shared Stu Short, Paul’s FFA advisor and Vo-Ag teacher at Edgerton. Having had him in school, Short knew him well and advised Adams (who thought Paul was really young!) he had no choice but to hire him ~ there weren’t many teachers out there in agriculture education. “He took the recommendation and I think over the last thirty-four years, Edon has been honored to have Paul as its representative. He commands respect from both students and parents; he’s been a great asset and a class act.”
One person seemingly thankful Paul was hired at Edon was his student teaching mentor at Crestview, Warren Reed. “About the third month of his three months as a student teacher, the rest of the teachers and administration had taken notice and tried their darnedest to find some way to keep Paul at Crestview ~ I think they even considered firing the existing Ag teacher. Fortunately, for you folks up here ~ and for me ~ they didn’t succeed! Thank you for the huge impact you’ve had on students both inside and outside of the Ag program. I don’t know how you’ve accomplished what you have, but that’s the Paul Stoll extra.”
And fortunate Edon High School was, to be blessed in experiencing that “Paul Stoll Extra”. From 1979 through 2013, he has impacted the lives of over seven hundred fifty students, as evidenced in remarks voiced by Steve Manges, John Juhasz, Becky Radabaugh, Carrie Vollmer-Sanders; letters from Joey Brown and Cambell Parrish, read by brothers ~ and current FFA Officers ~ Ben and Clay, respectively, and by those in attendance for this night of nostalgia, remembrances and tributes.
“I had three teachers in my four years of Vo-Ag,” said Steve, Paul’s first FFA president at Edon. “Most students here don’t realize the benefit from having one teacher – the longevity in seeing what you can do; to push you to accomplish [your goals] and to strive to be your best.”
Sentiments echoed by Becky, his first female FFA president. “Thanks for not just being a great teacher, but for being a mentor; an advisor; a friend ~ someone we could all count on when times got tough.”
“He’s more than a teacher teaching us things you don’t have a class for ~ or an advisor showing us how to appreciate; he’s a life coach,” shared Carrie, his first female American FFA Degree recipient. “He’s taken the time to invest in all of his students because he cares for each and every one of us and wants all of us to succeed in life.”
One final ~ and important comment John, his first State Officer (Sentinel) shared ~ best summed up everything these special guests had conveyed about the Paul Stoll they came to know. “When Krista contacted me to share a few comments this evening, a phrase I remember hearing or reading immediately came to mind; it went something like this: ‘Wealth is not measured in dollars or gold; wealth is measured in the number of lives that you’ve had a positive influence on.’ And I think if that’s the case, that (pointing to Paul) is the richest man in the world.”
Met with a standing ovation of thunderous applause in his honor, Paul unassumingly accepted a token of thanks from his officers ~ a plaque with the back of the coveted Blue Jacket, FFA emblem and words “Paul Stoll, Years of Service, 1979-2013” ~ presented by President Clay Parrish.
As the evening neared its end, Paul took a few moments to convey his thoughts on his years at Edon and his plans upon retirement. “This has been emotional up to now and I’ll try to control myself,” Stoll admitted as he shifted to his ‘Plan B’ speech. “When I saw Mr. Reed, Mr. Short and the others here ~ it really caught me off guard.” Making a quick recovery, he continued to tell how he had been spending his final year ~ teaching Ag part-time, driving bus and doing some subbing in the younger classrooms. “So when you get the grandkids of your first students,” he noted, “you know it’s time to retire!”
During these past weeks as he began reflecting back over his career, Paul wondered how you could sum up thirty-four years in a couple of minutes. “I actually got my start in agriculture in 1967 when, somehow, Dad trusted me to drive the WD45 and hopper wagon over to the Blakeslee elevator!” Each subsequent trip ~ including a bottle of pop purchased with the dime kept securely in his pocket ~ was big time and left Paul with many fond memories of the elevator and its employees Jack Holthues, Martin Bechtol and Dugan Hug.
From his high school years at Edgerton, college at The Ohio State University, student teaching at Crestview High School to his tenure at Edon High School, Paul highlighted special moments that over time have not dimmed ~ nor his gratitude for the opportunities, guidance, life lessons and friends afforded him.
“So here we are in 2013….and it’s kind of amazing,” Paul said in closing. “I’ve come [full circle] because this fall; I hope to start bringing in grain again to the Edon Co-Op! It’s been a pleasure [teaching here]. Now I did take the time ~ and I’m not a computer guy ~ but I kept a personality profile on each kid (numbering over seven hundred fifty) and each one has their own story here [on this yellow pad]. My philosophy ~ even when I started ~ was I just wanted the kids to get interested in agriculture or to get some kind of profession because not all of them were going to farm. When I first started here in 1980, if you were in FFA, you were a farmer and that’s just not true [now]….so I hope I’ve made a positive influence on each one of them ~ in one way or the other ~ and I thank you, the Edon Community, for your support of Edon FFA.”
With all business addressed, awards received and gifts presented, the 74th Annual Edon FFA Banquet was adjourned for another year.
