By Lilah Heinz | Special to the Times Vedette
ACGC FFA prides itself on having 207 members receive the Iowa FFA Degree. During the month of January, the chapter added 10 more members to the wall of fame displayed in the school. The Iowa FFA Degree is the highest rank that can be conferred upon active members by the Iowa FFA Association. Those who receive the degree are selected for nomination by the State Committee according to provisions in the Iowa FFA Constitution.
Students in the chapter must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Iowa Degree:
- be an active member for the chapter for 24 months or more
- have completed 360 hours of instruction in the Agriculture classroom while in high school.
- have earned and invested $1,000 or more than 300 hours in excess of scheduled class time or have a combination of both of these
- have served 25 hours of community service
The following members who qualified this year will be recognized at the Iowa State FFA Leadership Conference April 15, 2025.
Bryce Betts is a senior member with a beef production SAE project where he manages his cow/calf operation on his family farm. He keeps track of the profit brought in from selling calves from his herd each year.
Emmarae Ellis is a senior member of the chapter with a beef production SAE where she purchases a market steer and feeds it out on her family’s farm before selling to the packing plant. She also held an agriscience research project that she conducted during her freshman year. She keeps track of the profit made off her market animals each year.
Gracie Hodges is a junior member of the chapter and holds a beef production SAE project. Here, she maintains her cow/calf herd on her family farm. She keeps track of the finances of the operation as well as profit brought in from selling her calves.
William Kading holds a beef production SAE project and is a senior member of the ACGC FFA chapter. He is actively growing his cow/calf herd that he started with his grandfather when he was a freshman. He keeps track of his hours worked on the farm and the profit made off selling calves from the herd each year.
Lucy Knutter is a junior member of the FFA chapter and works in agriculture service with her placement SAE project, keeping track of the hours she has worked at Pioneers Pub and Grub, which is a local restaurant in Casey. She is also currently serving as the chapter’s secretary.
Chase Slaybaugh maintains an agriculture service SAE project working at Guthrie Livestock Auction house throughout the year. He keeps track of the hours that he works there and tracks the profit based on his income. Chase is a junior member of the chapter. He is also currently serving as the chapter sentinel.
Blaise Tallman is a senior member of the FFA chapter and is currently serving as the chapter treasurer. He holds an agriculture service SAE project working at a Prime Time in Guthrie Center, which is a local restaurant. He keeps track of hours worked and profit made from his efforts.
Tyler Thomas holds a beef placement SAE project where he works for Bull Sheeder Farms just outside of Guthrie Center. Here, he helps to maintain their cow/calf operation throughout the year. He is a senior member of the FFA chapter. He keeps track of his hours worked and profit made.
Irelyn Wirt is a junior member of the chapter and holds a beef production SAE project. She runs a cow/calf operation on her family farm from the breeding heifers she showed the previous year. She keeps track of her animals in her herd and profit made from selling the offspring.
Casey Young is a junior member of the chapter and holds a turfgrass management SAE project where he works for the Lake Panorama National Golf Course as a groundskeeper and maintenance worker. He keeps track of his hours worked and income made.