FALLS VILLAGE – The Housatonic Valley FFA reflected on a year of accomplishments during its annual banquet and awards ceremony at Housatonic Valley Regional High School Thursday, May 28. Outgoing chapter president Riley Mahaffey, a senior, looked back on the group’s past year.
“We’ve had a lot of success,” she said.
Mahaffey, an Amenia, New York, resident and agricultural student at HVRHS, will attend Kansas State University in the fall to study agriculture business.
“I figured if I’m going to go, I might as well go far,” she said with a grin.
The chapter presented Special Chapter Citation awards – which recognize community members who work closely with the FFA chapter – to Chris Crane Sr., Bruce Bennett, Brian Allyn Sr., Erica Mahaffey and Rick McCue.
While FFA membership is primarily made up of HVRHS agricultural students, chapters may also give honorary memberships to adults who have supported agricultural education and the organization.
Honorary FFA memberships were awarded to Mike and Megan Gawel and Julie Lang.
Several students earned State Degrees, the highest honor a state FFA association gives. Recipients included Hayden Bachman, Kellie Eisermann, Michael Gawel, Daniel Moran, Daphne Paine, Hayden Bell, Levi Elliot, Spencer Markow, Logan Padelli and Allana Tatro. State Degrees recognize significant involvement in FFA leadership, chapter activities and agriculture education.
FFA alumni Emma Crane and Will Starr received American Degrees, the organization’s highest honor. Winners must hold a State FFA Degree, be active FFA members for the preceding three years, complete secondary instruction in an agricultural education program and operate an outstanding supervised agricultural experience program. Winners also must be involved in community service, exhibit leadership ability and demonstrate outstanding scholastic achievement.
