BHC Ag Recognition Banquet honors students, staff and volunteers
- Award recipients at the Black Hawk College – East Campus Ag Recognition Banquet are, front row from left, Jamie Bloomberg, Rebekah Irish, Marilyn Brandt, Jennifer Lincoln, Brooke Fruits, Tonja Egan, Kayla Wells, Amanda Taylor. In the back row from left are Austin Waltz, Jacob Cory, Andrew Jackson, Tyler Rumbold, Doug Vogel. Missing from the photo were Blake Evans, Harrison Frey, Nick Riecke and Shelby Zerrusen.
Students, faculty, staff, businesses and other individuals involved in the Black Hawk College – East Campus agriculture programs were honored May 21 at the Agribusiness Club’s 38th annual Agriculture Recognition Banquet.
Click here to view the 2011 Ag Recognition Banquet Program online
This year’s banquet, sponsored by VandeVoorde Sales, Inc. and Beck’s Hybrids, recognized student achievements which included 15 honor graduates, three who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA; 70 scholarship recipients; 32 achievement award winners; and six Founders Scholars and 17 Phi Theta Kappa honor society inductees.
Acknowledgements of appreciation were also presented to those who have given time and effort to the agriculture program not only in the past year but also on a continuing basis. They may have hosted a laboratory, presented material or information to a class, or provided other assistance to make the ag program more successful. This year approximately 53 individuals/businesses were honored with recognition plaques provided by the Black Hawk East College Foundation.
Coaches also recapped the accomplishments and highlights of the competition teams, beginning with the National Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization (PAS), an extension of high school FFA at the college level. This past fall 22 students competed at the Fall Leadership Conference held in Canton, Ill. Students were co-advised by Brian Arnold, Bill Good, Dr. Jeff Hawes and Andrew Larson.
From left: Kim and Doug Egan, Tonja Egan & Donal Ward of Walnut (Agriculture Transfer -Rosemary E. Ward- Award)
The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Team, coached by Donna Irvin and Drew Cotton (34 participants), finished the regular nine-meet season earning eight team championships and one reserve championships; placed as High Point Team Champion at the Regional competition; and High Point Team Champion at Semifinals. Ten students competed at the Regionals and seven went on to compete at Semifinals.
At Nationals competition, the team won five National Championship Titles, one Reserve and every rider was in the top six; the team itself finished third. Rebekah Irish of Acampo, Calif., won the most prestigious award of the Western Show, the National High Point Open Rider. Paige Frevert of Glasford place as National Champion in her Beginner division and Amanda Taylor of Colfax placed fourth in the Intermediate division.
Nine students were members of the IHSA National All-Academic Team. All-Academic awards are for students that have competed during the 2010-11 season and have achieved academic excellence. All-Academic Team members were listed in the National Program and recognized at the National Horse Show. Each Student receives a certificate of recognition from the intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Members of the All-Academic First Team (GPA 3.8 or higher) included: Marilyn Brandt of Andover (4.0), Rebekah Irish of Acampo, Calif. (4.0) and Lauren Wells of Bonfield (4.0). Members of the All-Academic Second Team (GPA 3.5 or higher) included: Kayla Bridgman of Ewing, Mo. (3.78), Paige Frevert of Glasford (3.71), Amanda Taylor of Colfax (3.5), Erika Tomiyama (3.65) and Vicki Tomiyama (3.68) both of Hilo, Hawaii, and Kayla Wells of Aurora (3.52).
The Soil Judging Team, co-coached by Andrew Larson and Scott Wiesbrook and assisted by Brandon Hall, took eight participants this spring to the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) contest hosted this year at Modest Junior College (California). Not only did the Team A place 1st in the nation, Team B placed 2nd. Cody Curry of Alpha placed first in the nation individually followed by teammates taking the 2nd through 5th, 7th and 8th top ten placings. This is the third year in a row that a Black Hawk College student has been named the national champion soil judge.
Other teams competing at NACTA included Agribusiness Management Team coached by Bill Good, placing 6th; Agriculture Computers Team coached by Jodee Werkheiser, placing 4th and John Andress of Dothan, Ala. placing 3rd in the nation individually; Crop Science Team, coached by Jeff Hawes; Dairy Cattle Team coached by Dan Hoge and Brian Arnold, placing 2nd and Jacee May of Stillwater, Okla. placing 2nd and Andrew Stockdale of Waynetown, Ind. placing 3rd in the nation individually; Knowledge Bowl Team coached by Jeff Hawes and Jodee Werkheiser, placing 1st; Livestock Judging Team coached by Dan Hoge and Brian Arnold, placing 2nd with Jason Hieston of Jamestown, Ind. placing 3rd, Stockdale 6th, Sam Mattingly of Lebanon, Ind., 7th and Stephen Gentry also of Lebanon placing 8th in the nation individually. NACTA is considered the “World Series of College Agriculture.”
The Horse Judging Team, coached by Aaron Callahan, competed at four contests. The sophomore team (8 members) finished their two-year judging career undefeated at contests this fall. Seven of the students were members of the Academic All American Horse Judging Team, chosen by the National Horse Judging Team Coach Association. Students earning this honor must have a 3.5 GPA or higher and be in the top 10 overall at the national level. Distinguished Academic All Americans have a GPA of 3.85 or higher. Members included Marilyn Brandt of Andover (4.0), Courtney Douthit of St. Francis, Kan. (4.0), Cori Elliott of Stockton (3.5), Paige Frevert (3.71), Rebekah Irish of Acampo, Calif. (4.0), Melissa Kieser of Bloomington (3.57) and Amanda Taylor of Colfax (3.5). The freshmen team (9 members) took over this spring also finishing undefeated at both contests.
The Livestock Judging teams (12 sophomores and 22 freshmen) were coached by Dan Hoge and Brian Arnold. In reflecting on this year’s teams Dan said, “After 41 years, this is what this is all about. . . . Brian Arnold & Dan Hoge would travel to the edge of the earth for this crew.”
The freshmen traveled to four contests and came home 2nd in three team competitions. The sophomore team finished their two-year career judging 14 national contests placing in the top 10 in ten of those competitions. In closing Dan had this to say, “We may not have been champions in the arena of livestock judging, but in the arena of life, I’m presenting you champions.”
Jamie Bloomberg of Berwick (3.55) was a member of the Academic All American Livestock Judging Team, chosen by the National Junior College Coaches Association as being in the top 15 individually at the national level based on academics and national judging achievements.
