State Proficiency Award Finalists

The agricultural proficiency award program recognizes excellence in supervised agricultural experience (SAE) programs. The program rewards FFA members at the local, district, state and national levels for exceptional accomplishments in progressing toward specific career objectives in agriculture.

Entrepreneurship program: For FFA members whose SAE involves owning an agricultural production operation or agribusiness enterprise.

Placement program: For FFA members whose SAE involves working for others for wages or experience.

We would like to honor all the district proficiency applications that were considered for state evaluation. Please note that in some cases members won two areas on the district level and were able to select their first proficiency area to be reviewed for state evaluation. If they won that area their second application was removed from consideration. If they were not selected as a winner in their first area of consideration their second application was then reviewed.

Agricultural Education Charlie Bestwick, Sabetha Karina Rodriguez, Hugoton Rachel Sebesta, Ellsworth Grace Young, Osawatomie

Sponsored by Larry Gossen Family and Harmon Bliss Family (State) and the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation (National) Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication Lane Goodwin, Riverton Colton Lohrentz, Buhler Spencer Ralph, Centralia Levi Stainbrook, Prairie View Sponsored by Abilene Machine (State) and Lincoln Electric (National) Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance – Placement Isaac Badders, Iola Morgan Doll, Renwick Kyler Havel, Republic County Drake Thomas, Jayhawk-Linn Sponsored by KanEquip (State) and Tractor Supply Company (National) Agricultural Processing Josie Buck, Jackson Heights Suheila Rosas, Hugoton Alyssa Sherron, Spring Hill Sponsored by City BBQ (State) Agricultural Sales –Entrepreneurship Kyra Uphoff, Prairie View Sponsored by Harris Crop Insurance (State) Agricultural Sales – Placement Jodee Borgerding, Marysville Karson Hermreck, Hugoton Elsie Sorrell, Labette County

Sponsored by Stewart Seed (State) and Cargill and Fastenal (National) Agricultural Services

Taylor Cherney, Republic County

Benjamin Kneisler, Royal Valley Jay McClure, Hugoton Sponsored by Farm Credit Associations of Kansas (State) Beef Production –Entrepreneurship

Carissa Dahlquist, Council Grove

Wesley Denton, Valley Heights

Weston Schrader, Minneapolis Corbin Wilkinson, Scott City Aidan Yoho, Yates Center

Sponsored by Sam & Janet Hands (State) and Merck Animal Health and Rabo AgriFinance (National) Beef Production – Placement Caylee Blew, Pretty Prairie Tucker Huseman, Ellsworth Rustin Pearcy, Hugoton Christina Perkins, West Elk Blayne Wilson, Burlington

Sponsored by Tiffany Cattle Co. (State) and Zoetis (National) Dairy Production – Placement Katrina Ball, Republic County Cauy Phillips, Holton Sponsored by Kansas Dairy Commission (State) and Kuhn North America (National)

Jacob Bell, Hugoton Garner Grauerholz, Beloit Jayla Johnson, St Marys Parker Meats, Burlington Tanner Stuchlik, Centre Sponsored by Triangle H Farms – In Memory of Greg Hands (State) Diversified Crop Production –Entrepreneurship Nathan Holz, Wamego Ben Russell, South Haven Sponsored by Vulgamore Family Farms (State) Diversified Crop Production –Placement

Luke Elkinton, Paola

Coy Stamm, Washington County Charlie Wettstein, Hugoton

Sponsored by Kansas Corn (State) and AgReliantGenetics and CHS (National) Diversified Horticulture Erin Deters, Sabetha Tori Gilliland, Tonganoxie Rebekah Vague, Ellsworth Sponsored by Hummert International (State) and The Toro Company (National) Diversified Livestock Production Kaitlyn Butler, Chapman Krista Haley, Paola Molly McClure, Hugoton Carlin Stucky, Pretty Prairie Sponsored by Kansas FFA Foundation (State) and Tractor Supply Company and Bekaert Corporation (National) Environmental Science & Natural Resource Management Lily Rolf, Burlington Sponsored by Midwest Ford Dealers (State) and CHS (National)

Equine Science –Entrepreneurship Claudia Clark, Hugoton Morgan D'Albini, Spring Hill MaKyna Jacobsen, Holton Sponsored by Kansas FFA Foundation (State) and Zoetis and Red Brand (National) Equine Science – Placement Jodi Banks, Atchison County Grace Dillinger, Hugoton Kendall Schoenhals, Atchison County Sponsored by United Mosquito and Fly Control (State) and Tractor Supply Company (National) Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production Luke Elkinton, Paola Kylie March, Labette County Sponsored by

Kansas Soybean Commission (State) and Bunge (National) Forage Production Marten Corwin, Holton

Sponsored by Kansas Forage and Grassland Council, Inc. (State) and Claas of America (National) Forest Management & Products

Jarred Bohnenkemper, Holton Wyatt Lingenfelter, Marais des Cygnes Valley Sponsored by Kansas FFA Foundation (State) and John Deere (National) Fruit Production Robert McKain, Minneapolis Sponsored by Kansas FFA Foundation (State) Goat Production Clay Brillhart, Uniontown Gracie Jessup, Phillipsburg Ashtyn Jolly, Atchison County Sponsored by Kevin Davis Family (State) and Tractor Supply Company (National) Grain Production Nathan Holz, Wamego Kylie March, Labette County

Nicole Popelka, Republic County Ethan Theurer, South Haven Isaac Utz, Holton Sponsored by

Kansas Wheat Commission (State) and Wilbur-Ellis Company (National) Landscape Management Jenna Curry, Iola Sponsored by Lawrence Landscape (State) and Tractor Supply Company (National) Nursery Operations Miranda Maulsby, Coffeyville Gannon Mosher, Chapman Sponsored by Kansas FFA Foundation (State) and NuFarm (National) Outdoor Recreation Destinee Thrush, Chapman Tyran Zeiset, Hugoton Sponsored by Vivayic, Inc. (State) and Yamaha Motor Corporation USA (National)

Poultry Production Emilee Falk, Atchison County Krista Haley, Paola Kirsten Heimer, Minneapolis Levi Meiwes, Iola Kendall Schoenhals, Haven Sponsored by Amos Khar Trust (State) and Tractor Supply Company (National) Service Learning Levi Stainbrook, Prairie View Sponsored by Seitz Fundraising (State) Sheep Production

Maci Behrnes, Atchison County Addison Emmot, Beloit

Hailey Gillespie, Anderson County Sadie Marchiano, Fort Scott Taylor Nulik, Hugoton Sponsored by Hobbs Show Lambs (State) Small Animal Production & Care Victoria Bryan, Hugoton Lauryn Holloway, Iola

Sponsored by Animal Health Center of Marion County (State) and Tractor Supply Company and Elanco Animal Health (National) Specialty Animal Production Jocelyn Dvorak, Hiawatha Benjamin Timple, Paola Payton Walk, Greeley County Sponsored by Prairie School Farms (State) Swine Production –Entrepreneurship Kynna Crawford, Hugoton Dillon Knepp, Centre Brody Nemecek, Iola Sponsored by

Kansas Pork Association (State) and Indiana Farm Bureau and

Farm Bureau Insurance (National) Swine Production – Placement James DeRouchey, Wamego Sponsored by Kansas Pork Association (State) Turf Grass Management Derek Larison, Riverton

Sponsored by Sod Shop Inc. (State) and John Deere (National) Vegetable Production Karlie Albright, Royal Valley Kyra Shelton, Hugoton Emily Welch, Columbus Sponsored by From the Land of Kansas Program (State) and Tractor Supply Company and Wilbur-Ellis Company (National) Veterinary Science Katrina Bartel, Holton Abigail Porter, Beloit

Lydia Watanabe, Arkansas City Morgan Winebold, Spring Hill Sponsored by Kansas Veterinary Medical Association (State)