Austin Peterson of Centre was among several FFA members from Marion County who received awards at the South Central District FFA Banquet April 16 at Kingman. He will compete for a state star award at the state convention in May.

Star awards

Peterson won the district star award in agriculture placement. He was selected because he earned a state FFA degree, had the best supervised agriculture experience in that category, and was active in his chapter and community.

He worked for his late grandfather, Pete Peterson, and continues to work with his father on the Peterson family ranch near Burdick. He is involved in all aspects of the operation, including cattle and crops.

Centre’s Jensen Riffel won the district star greenhand award as a first-year member. He is in competition for a state award.

Proficiency awards

Carley Stapleford of Marion-Florence FFA received district and state proficiency awards in diversified horticulture. She works for Aunt Bee’s in Marion, where she helps make floral arrangements, makes deliveries, assists customers, and helps in the greenhouse. She also helps in her family’s large garden at home.

Kaitlyn Goebel received a proficiency award in small animal production and care. Her program consists of raising and selling rabbits. She has several producing does and sells their offspring on the Internet as well as local farm supply stores.

Goebel also was the district winner in veterinary science. She works at Animal Health Center in Marion and has a work-study program there. She assists veterinarians with procedures, caring for animals, and cleaning and sanitizing the clinic. She also works for Bluestem Animal Clinic in El Dorado while attending college at Butler County Community College.

Antone Vinduska was the award winner in forage entrepreneurship. He cuts and bales hay on 30 acres of rented ground. He exchanges his labor for the use of his father’s equipment and puts up hay for his father for their cattle herd.

All district winners received a plaque and a cash award from the Kansas FFA Foundation.

State FFA degrees

FFA members who were approved to receive their state degrees were: Centre — Zach Barney, Jacob Bittle, Grace Knepp, Austin Peterson, and Grace Peterson; Marion-Florence — Caleb Hett, Antone Vinduska, Carley Stapleford, and Kaitlyn Goebel.

Chapter awards

Centre and Marion-Florence FFA chapters received national superior chapter awards for their excellent programs of activities.