Plant sales, soil contests, competition highlight Keota’s year

As the year ended, it was evident that 2022 was another successful year for the Keota FFA. The chapter started the year off by celebrating National FFA Week where the Keota FFA held events like the faculty breakfast, tractor day and dress up days. In February we took 13 members to Sub-District contests in Sigourney. Members participated in a variety of contests including Conduct of Meetings, Chapter Program, Welding, and Greenhand Quiz. Four members advanced to the District Contests in Pekin.

In April, Mr. Jamison took 11 FFA members to Ames for the 2022 FFA State Convention. These members participated in contests, received awards, served as voting delegates, and attended sessions. The end of April brought the Annual Plant Sale hosted in the Keota FFA greenhouse. FFA members volunteered their time to sell annual flowers as well as vegetables to community members.

The month of May entailed the Annual Spring Awards Banquet. Certificates were given to members for their hard work in contests throughout the years and new officers were inducted. Officers for the 2022-23 school year were elected as listed: President- Dalton Dodd, Vice President- Hunter Sieren, Secretary- Taylor Garman, Reporter- Grace Conger and Ava Greiner, Treasurer- Aiden McGuire, and Sentinel- Evan Vittetoe. These newly elected officers attended Chapter Officer Leadership Training in June.

July and August were busy with members exhibiting their projects at fairs. In July, we had members exhibiting at both the Washington County Fair and the Keokuk County Expo. August brought the great Iowa State Fair, where we again had several members showcasing their hard work. With the new school year starting, Mr. Jamison began preparing the soils team for the upcoming soils contests in September. The teams first contest was the Quad County Contest. The team placed 2nd at this contest and Dalton Dodd received honors as the 1st place individual at the contest. Next the team traveled to Muscatine for the district contest. Here the team placed 5th and earned a trip to the State Soil Contest.

Keota FFA members spent lots of time fundraising during the month of September. All members participated in selling fruit, meat, cheese, and candy which is the chapter’s largest fundraiser of the year. October brought lots of traveling for the chapter. Mr. Jamison took 9 freshmen to the Greenhand fire-up in Tiffin, Iowa. The next trip was to Indianapolis to attend National FFA Convention. Six members went on this trip. On their way there they stopped and toured Umbarger Show Feed and Cummins. At the convention they got to attend tours, sessions, and workshops.

As we enter into the new year, members are working hard to prepare for the Sub-District contest and National FFA Week. Mr. Jamison says he is proud of all the accomplishments the chapter had throughout 2022 and hopes to continue to build the legacy of the Keota FFA Chapter in 2023.