A group of Ellis High School freshmen traveled to Stockton High School on Monday to attend the 2017 Kansas FFA Northwest District Greenhand Conference.

These 15 students attended the event to qualify for their Ellis FFA Greenhand Degree. The event included an opening session with Northwest District Officers, FFA Knowledge Exam, an FFA Creed Speaking Competition, multiple leadership workshops with district and state officers and also representatives of the Kansas State University College of Agriculture.

Students representing Ellis High School were: Veronica Bieker, Isabella Bollig, Tegan Cain, Donovan Colby, JC Fischer, Maggie James, Kolten Keller, Colten Lewis, Austin McGuire, Darren McLaughlin, Abigail North, Clay North, Konnor Pfeifer, Sarah Wilson, and Toby Woodworth. Also pictured are Jaylinn Pfeifer, NW District Secretary and Lane Fischer, NW District Sentinel.

Overall the entire Ellis Team placed 10th out of 20 teams in the written FFA Knowledge Exam and 2nd overall in the Green Conference Sweepstakes. Individually, Isabella Bollig placed 9th in the Spelldown and 10th in the FFA Knowledge Exam. Bollig felt positive about her experience Monday, “Placing in the top ten made my day, because I was unsure of how I did on the exam. Spelldown was fun and difficult all at the same time, it was a rollercoaster of emotions.”

Toby Woodworth swept the stage in the Creed Speaking Finals and was named the 2017 NW District Creed Speaking Champion and will go on to represent Ellis and the district at the Kansas State FFA Convention in June.

Woodworth is glad he joined FFA this year, “I had a really fun time in my first FFA event and surprised myself in taking first in the district in the FFA Creed. I am really looking forward to trying to place in the State Competition.” It will be the results of his state rounds that determine his eligibility to represent Kansas FFA at the National FFA Convention in October of 2018.

— Submitted