PHOTOS PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
2026-2027 OFFICER TEAM … The 2026-2027 Pettisville FFA Officer Team was installed at the 76th annual FFA banquet on March 26, 2026. Back row (left to right): Ty Morrison – Sentinel, Ben Nagel – Student Advisor, Kaleb Wyse – President, Carter Beck – Secretary, Front row (left to right): Hannah Fox – Treasurer, Bailey Booth – Vice President, Ali Genter – Reporter.
FALL SALES TOP SELLERS … The top salespersons from the Pettisville FFA Sales were recognized at the banquet on March 26, 2026. From left to right, Kaleb Wyse was 3rd place, Jamison Beck was 2nd place, Hannah Fox was 4th place, and Ava Genter was 1st place.
By: Ali Genter
Pettisville FFA Reporter
On March 26, 2026, the Pettisville FFA Chapter held its 76th Annual Pettisville FFA Banquet at Pettisville Missionary Church. Administrators, donors, and other area chapter officers were invited to attend.
This year, 14 FFA members were awarded Discovery Degrees. The Discovery Degree is awarded to 7th and 8th grade members in their first year of FFA membership.
The Star Discovery Degree was awarded to one 8th grader, Kole Klophenstein, and three 7th graders: Alec Genter, Ames Genter and Landri Rufenacht.
All four award recipients have been involved in attending meetings and volunteer activities, and have participated in at least one career development event.
Pettisville FFA had 20 members receive their Greenhand Degrees. This degree is given to freshmen and above first-year high school members.
Ali Genter was the Star Greenhand winner. Ali has been actively competing in multiple state-level CDEs in the past year as well as being an outstanding leader in the FFA.
Ten members received their Chapter FFA Degrees. The requirements to obtain this degree are having the Greenhand FFA degree, working 45 hours for their SAE or earning $150, participating in three chapter events, and leading a discussion about agriculture topics.
Bailey Booth was this year’s Star Chapter winner. Bailey served as a chapter officer this year and has participated in many CDEs. She has also been an outstanding leader throughout her time in the FFA.
Pettisville FFA had a successful turnout this year for fall sales. The top four sellers were first place, Ava Genter; second place, Jamison Beck; third place, Kaleb Wyse; and fourth place, Hannah Fox.
Nofziger Trucking sponsored the Good Recordkeeping Award again this year. This award was given to students who have kept their records consistent in the Agricultural Experience Tracker.
Six FFA students were awarded. Courtney Wiemken was the overall Outstanding Recordkeeping Award recipient.
This year, two FFA members received the Mr. & Miss Volunteer Award. These students are quick to volunteer and complete tasks that may not be the most enjoyable. This year’s winners were Carter Beck and Hannah Fox.
The Top Scholar Award is for a junior and senior FFA member who has the highest GPA across all classes through the first semester of the current school year. The Top Scholar Award recipients were Ava Genter and Kaleb Wyse.
The Ron Rupp Leadership Award was received by Ava Genter. This award is given to a student, either junior or senior, who exhibits outstanding leadership.
Ava has shown outstanding leadership through the four years she has been involved in FFA. She most recently served as chapter president for the past two years.
The Outstanding Junior Award was awarded to Kaleb Wyse. He recently served as chapter sentinel and has attended every chapter FFA meeting this past year.
He has competed in CDEs and attended multiple events where he has been able to grow his leadership skills further this year.
He will also receive his State Degree this April in Columbus at the Ohio FFA State Convention. Burkholder Farms sponsored this award.
The Outstanding Senior Award was awarded to Olivia Beck, Katie Moore and Courtney Wiemken. These outstanding members have been very involved in their final years in the FFA.
All three served as chapter officers, volunteered, grew and maintained their SAEs, participated in CDEs, and showed their dedication to the FFA Chapter. Burkholder Farms sponsored this award.
The FFA Alumni awarded four seniors and one recent graduate — who are planning or are enrolled in an agricultural or related major in college — with a scholarship of $500 each.
Noelle Fox, a student at Huntington University, received one of the scholarships and plans to use it to continue her education with a degree in agribusiness and animal production.
Ava Genter, Olivia Beck, Courtney Wiemken and Creighton Aeschliman were the four seniors who also received this scholarship.
This year’s Honorary Chapter Degree was given to Hannah Meller and Tony and Annalisa Wiemken. This degree is for those who help support and encourage advancement in agricultural education.
Hannah Meller serves as the alumni’s scholarship and grant committee chairperson. Mr. and Mrs. Wiemken help make popcorn for Pumpkin Fest every year and also secure the ice cream machine for the banquet.
For this year’s Pest Hunt, more than 13,000 points were turned in to the chapter. The top participant was Kaleb Wyse, who turned in 4,800 points to earn first place.
The Agriscience Research Award was received by Gavin Sifuentes, Creighton Aeschliman and Naomi Richer.
These three students completed an agriscience fair research project for their research SAEs. They presented their findings at various science fairs, including the District 1 Agriscience Fair, regional science fair and Ohio FFA Agriscience Fair. Beck Show Lambs sponsored this award.
Officer Book Gold Ratings were presented to Katie Moore, secretary, and Genevieve Galvin, treasurer, for their officer books this year. Both will be recognized at the Ohio FFA State Convention. The Weber Family sponsored this award.
Those who scored more than 350 leadership points earned the Positive Points Performer Award.
Thirty-six FFA members received this year’s award. The top performers in each class were: freshman Ali Genter, sophomore Bailey Booth, junior Kaleb Wyse and senior Olivia Beck. Rufenacht Farms sponsored this award.
Ava Genter was the 2025-2026 Chapter Sweetheart and crowned the new 2026-2027 Chapter Sweetheart, Paige Powell.
To conclude the 76th Annual Banquet, the 2026-2027 officer team was installed: Kaleb Wyse as president, Bailey Booth as vice president, Carter Beck as secretary, Hannah Fox as treasurer, Ali Genter as reporter, Ty Morrison as sentinel and Ben Nagel as student advisor.