More than 250 students, parents, administrators, school board members and supporters attended the Cleburne FFA annual awards banquet.

The chapter, chartered in 1938, provides leadership opportunities for students enrolled in agriculture education classes at Cleburne High School. Membership reached an all-time high with the 2006-07 school year with 252 active members. Agriculture teachers Barney McClure and Christin Pack serve as chapter advisors.

Chapter Vice President Melissa Hillyer, who has competed in FFA the past four years, received the Member of the Year Award. In addition to serving as an officer, Hillyer was a member of the state reserve champion floriculture judging team. She also showed a lamb at the Johnson County Junior Livestock Show and was on the state-qualifying agriculture issues team. She will attend Dallas Baptist University this fall.

Hillyer was also honored by fellow chapter members as the Agri-Christian of the Year. This long-established award is presented to the student who best epitomizes Christian morals and values. Hillyer is a member of Eastern Heights Church of Cleburne.



A.D. Wheat Scholarship

Kathryn Gaarz was named the recipient of the A.D. Wheat Scholarship. Gaarz has been an active member, competing on the FFA ag issues team and the state champion public relations team. She was a winner in the Cleburne Rotary Club speech contest, and has served on the state-qualifying land judging team. She plans to attend Texas State University to major in criminal justice

The Co-op Member of the Year honor, bestowed upon the hardest-working student in the agriculture co-op class, was presented to Ashton Irwin. Irwin was a member of Cleburne’s state champion public relations team. She also showed goats, hogs and broilers at the Johnson County Junior Livestock Show.

Laura Beth Hallman was named the Star Lone Star Degree recipient for agri-business. She has been on the chapter conducting and job interview leadership teams. She has shown market broilers at the county show and was captain of the horse career development team. She has also competed in the senior prepared speaking event.



Star Lone Star Degree awards

Bodie Carroll was named Star Lone Star Degree recipient for production agriculture. He has raised steers, goats and a hog for the county show and was also a competitor at several major livestock shows. Carroll has participated with the quiz team, the state qualifying agriculture issues team and helped lead Cleburne’s livestock judging team to 10th place at area.

“Bodie was a true leader inside the classroom and out while serving as a district officer and this year’s chapter president,” said chapter sponsor Barney McClure.

The 2007 Lone Star Degree Award in agricultural science was awarded to junior Dean Black.

“Dean earned this award because of his experiments on swine breeding,” said chapter sponsor Christin Pack. “In addition to his swine projects, Dean served as the Lake Whitney District president and will be the Area VIII president next year. He has been a member of the state-qualifying agriculture issues team and has shown many different species of animals throughout the state. He will advance to the state level with this award and be recognized on stage at the state FFA convention this summer.”



Star Chapter Degree

The Star Chapter Degree recipient in production is Kodie Carroll. Carroll led CHS’s junior chapter conducting team, served on the livestock judging team and showed livestock throughout the state. She served as a chapter officer this year and will serve again next year. Kodie was also named district and area winner in FFA competitions and is one of the finalists for Texas Star Chapter for Production Agriculture. She will interview for the final round of the competition this summer and will appear on stage at the state FFA convention in Fort Worth.



Star Greenhand Award

The Star Greenhand Award was presented to the 2006-07 outstanding first-year student, Shelby Galvin. Galvin was on the state qualifying skills leadership team and the national qualifying range team, and won the Rotary speech contest. She showed and had a champion at the Johnson County Youth Fair.



Ag Academic Awards

Cleburne FFA also recognized members who excelled in the classroom with the presentation of the Ag Academic Awards. Top students in each grade level were freshman Stephany Ballew, sophomore Kayler Campbell, junior Bodie Carroll and senior Melissa Hillyer.



Proficiency awards

Proficiency awards were presented to the outstanding participants in various phases of agriculture. Winners were as follows: Ag Communications, Melissa Hillyer; Ag Mechanics Design, Craig Hughes; Ag Mech Energy Systems, Shelby Galvin; Ag Services, Laura Wilson; Agriculture Education, Kathryn Gaarz; Aquaculture Entrepreneurship, Clay Baker; Dairy Production, Kayler Campbell; Diversified Livestock, Kodie Carroll and Tori Marshall; Equine Science, Laura Beth Hallman; Equine Science Placement, Alice Cook; Floriculture Placement, Catie Camp; Floriculture Entrepreneurship, Sarah Bullard; Home and Community Development, Ashton Martwich; Landscape Management, Joseph Snyder; Nursery Operations, Robbie Fossett; Outdoor Recreation, Tim Garey; Poultry Production, Marcie Alison; Sheep Production, Kolby Russell; Small Animal Production Entrepreneurship, Estefan Jimenez; Small Animal Production Placement, Bryce Menzies; Specialty Animal Production, Bodie Carroll-Area Qualifier; Turf Grass Management, Trent Campbell; Vegetable Production, Calvin Fossett; Wildlife Science Entrepreneurship, Joel Jernigan.



2007-08 officers

Officers elected for the 2007-08 school year were announced after a presentation to outgoing President Bodie Carroll at the end of the banquet. The incoming slate of officers are President Dean Black, First Vice President Bodie Carroll, Secretary- Kodie Carroll, Treasurer Carlos Delgado, Reporter Tyler Hammond, Sentinel Kolby Russell, Student Advisor Catie Camp, Historian Laura Beth Hallman, Parliamentarian Justin Conner, Second Vice President Sarah Bullard, third Vice President Bryce Menzies and Fourth Vice President Sarah Brandon.