(PHOTOS PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR VISIT … (Left to right) Mr. Jon Burke – PDY Superintendent, Jordinn Heinemann – Reporter, Abbigail Savage – Vice President, Ryan Graham – Student Advisor, Allison Earl – Secretary, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Walter Hallett IV – President, Gracyn Pelton – Treasurer, Jayda Graham – Sentinel, and Mrs. Jessie Schulze – Delta FFA Advisor.
NEW JACKET … Jensyn Gillen trying on his new FFA Jacket for the first time.
NEW JACKET … Jakub Heinemann trying on his new FFA Jacket for the first time.
DONATION … Delta American Legion Post 373 Commander Bill Pacak presenting the National FFA Convention donation check to the Delta FFA Officer Team with President Walter Hallett IV receiving the donation.
By: Jordinn Heinemann
FFA REPORTER
The Delta FFA Chapter received a generous donation from the Delta American Legion Post 373
to help fund the travel expenses of 24 students who attended the National FFA Convention the past November.
This substantial contribution provided crucial financial support, easing the burden on students and their families as they prepared for the prestigious event in Indianapolis.
The donation underscores the strong community partnership between the FFA and local organizations, with the American Legion expressing their commitment to supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders.
The National FFA Convention is a significant opportunity for students to showcase their skills, participate in leadership development, and network with peers from across the country.
Greg Peper, Gerald Grain Center, Inc together with Syngenta participated in the FFA Blue Jacket program through the National FFA Foundation for an opportunity to recognize and support Delta FFA.
Syngenta challenged its retailers to contribute $2,500 to the National FFA Foundation. In recognition of each dealer’s contribution, a local FFA chapter selected by the Syngenta retailer received a $2,330 check for chapter use and two FFA blue jackets.
These funds are to be used for community service events, agricultural education needs, conferences or conventions and career development opportunities. This donation was fully matched by Syngenta to continue to grow the National FFA Organization’s mission.
This program is one of the many ways Syngenta retailers across the nation are supporting American agriculture.
This fall, the Ohio FFA Foundation awarded the funds for chapters to purchase over 200 FFA jackets for first-year members. Students from across Ohio either applied or were nominated to be a part of the Blue Jackets program, sponsored by Beck’s Hybrids.
Since 2017, Beck’s Hybrids and the Ohio FFA Foundation have been committed to helping provide over 1,000 FFA jackets for first-year members.
“I am amazed each year how many jackets our Beck’s dealers donate to their chapters of choice. The support [Beck’s dealers] give toward the FFA is overwhelming,” said Eric Rife, sales support manager at Beck’s Hybrids.
“I enjoy hearing how the jacket recipients thank the donors. The students are very appreciative for what our dealers do.” Jacket donors included Beck’s Hybrids and 25 Beck’s Hybrids dealers, as well as other generous individuals and community supporters around the state.
For many members, having an FFA jacket is one of the first steps toward becoming a future leader in agriculture. There are so many members that deserve to wear the blue jacket that may otherwise not be able to afford one. Beck supporters are truly opening doors of opportunity for these members.
Altogether, the Ohio FFA Foundation received nearly 600 applications and nominations for FFA jackets in 2024. Congratulations to this year’s Delta FFA members who won their official FFA jacket: Jensyn Gillen, Jakub Heinemann, and Kylee Steele. They would like to thank the sponsors and donors for their continued support of the FFA.
About the Ohio FFA Foundation
The Ohio FFA Foundation is a cooperative effort among education, business and industry to support and inspire Ohio’s 25,000 FFA members.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Delta Ag Ed students at Pike-Delta-York Schools are set to greatly benefit from a $2.5 million grant awarded to enhance career technical education.
The funds will support a range of new initiatives, including the creation of a farm-to-table program featuring a greenhouse and industrial kitchen, transform its current industrial arts lab into a cutting-edge Innovation Lab, which will feature a virtual heavy equipment operator simulator, industry-grade metal fabrication equipment, and advanced engineering design tools.
These upgrades will provide students with hands-on experience in high-demand fields such as agriculture, culinary arts, manufacturing, and engineering.
In addition to these exciting opportunities, the officer team had the privilege of meeting Lt. Governor Jon Husted during his visit to the district, where he highlighted the importance of career technical education in preparing students for future workforce success.
This investment will ensure Delta Ag Ed students gain the skills necessary to thrive in today’s evolving job market and contribute to Ohio’s economy.