i vol. 41 NO. 37 Vo-Ag Groups Focus On Unity At Summer Meeting GAIL STROCK Mifflin Co. Correspondent STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) The Pennsylvania Voca tional Agricultural Teachers Asso ciation (PVATA) met at Penn State this past week for their Agri science/Tdchnical In-Service for agricultural educators. On the surface, the group pre sented awards at its banquet and listened to Jay Jackman, the new executive director of the national organization. Behind the scenes though, the focus was unity. “The PVATA is actively pursu ing a unified effort among several agricultural organizations who have the same goal —agricultural education,” says Steve Kline, out going president of PVATA. “Some of the things we do at PVA TA and in FFA tend to overlap. FFA, the FFA Foundation, and PVATA are all going through changes. With PVATA taking the lead, we’ve started to work through a planning process cen tered on unified ag education. I’m excited about forming an ag ed family of these organizations.’ I*’" 1 *’" Fore FFA Event Gamers Nearly $20,000 For Foundation VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Farming Staff DENVER (Lancaster Co.) The Fore FFA Golf Tour nament and Dinner/Auction raised nearly $20,000 this year, with more than $9,000 raised during the auction alone. In it’s fourth year, the event again surpassed funds raised the previous year, even though weath er forcasts warning of flash flood ing apparently prevented all from attending. More than 220 people attended the steak dinner/auction event, which followed a day of golfing, with nine teams of FFA members and advisors and guests playing morning rounds and regular regi strants competing in an afternoon shotgun scramble. Despite day-long blustering winds and overcast skies that didn’t break, the top gdlf score was a 59, considered an excellent fair weather score. Out of the 36 teams that com peted in the tournament, the top team consisted of Jamie Fickes and Brad Fickes of Newville Building Supply, and Mike Dunsmore and Doug Lehman. The second place team con- This Week Special advertising messages from exhibitors at the Lebanon Fair can be found this week on Pages A 32 to A 35. You will also find an events schedule and photos from last year too. The Lebanon Fair will be held July 27 to Aug. 3 at 1 the fair grounds. 604 Par Copy Focusing on the slogan “Com munication, Cooperation, and Col laboration,” Kline said their efforts are attracting others. “In planning next years PVATA In-Service session, we tentatively have it set for the same week in July that teachers are here for Ag in the Classroom. Pennsylvania Young Farmers asked if they could meet then too. Although all the or ganizations have their own identi ty, it all leads to the same goal.” Kline said the Pennsylvania De partment of Education, Penn State and PVATA have always worked together on an informal basis and are very receptive to the idea of unity. At the awards banquet on July 10, Jay Jackman, executive direc tor of the National Vocational Agricultural Teachers Associa tion, spoke to the crowd about how agricultural education teachers haye the opportunity to “open doors they’ve (students) never had the courage to open before.” Jackman’s leadership of the na tional organization began just four months ago. He travels throughout sisted of players Mark Steam, Greg Winger, Greg Kite, and Ben Johnson of Commonwealth Bank. There was a three-way tie for third place, between teams consist ing of Ken Miller, Tom Sasser, Mark Ritko, and Buddy Brenner, Michael Domiano of Furhman’s Foods, Ken Fisher with Sauder’s Penn-Dutch Eggs, and Roy Reeves and Daryl Bachman with R.U.S. Image in Action; and Oxford High School Vo-Ag teacher Scott Gold, Dave Houston, Steve Moran with The first combined 4-H and FFA dairy show In Pennsylvania was held at the Lebanon Fairgrounds this week as champions were named at the 41 st Southeastern District Dairy Show. Background Information and the show results are reported on page A2B. In this photo the Holstein champions are shown. From the left, Lebanon County Dairy Princess Alisha Myers, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 20, 1996 the United States meeting teachers and is convinced that ag ed teach ers do make a difference. He re minded them of the toll-free num ber for the national office. Jackman also introduced Entre preneurial Education Program. The NVATA is promoting the year old grant-funded program. Jack man said local FFA clubs can iden tify a winner and that application will be sent straight to the national competition. A recent Gallup Poll discovered that seven out of 10 high school students want to start their own business. In addition, young people have little confi dence in corporate America. Awards Four teachers earned engraved watches for reaching the 25-year mark in their teaching career. Dr. Dennis Scanlon, who serves on the agricultural and extension education staff at Penn State, Er nest Onr of Ephrata, Wayne Sol lenberger of Huntingdon, and Pe ter Hickman of Walter Biddle Saul High School of Agricultural (Turn to Pag* A 26) Herr Foods, and John Coldiron. The top three teams received plaques commemorating the achievement. The top team’s plaque included a collectible mini ature tractor-trailer with the Pen nsylvania FFA logo, while the sec ond and third place plaques were mounted with collectible toy trac tors and commemorative brass plates. More than ISO items were donated by the FFA Foundation, a number of FFA chapters, support- Earl Brown, left, of Coudersport High School and Tom Willey of Williamsburg High School receive the Outstand ing Agricultural Educator awards at the Pennsylvania Voca tional Agricultural Teacher Association’s summer convention ing businesses, and individuals for sale at auction. Among the various valuable items donated were such things as a Ned Smith print of a pair of otters that sold for $9OO. In a different new twist this year, a registered Holstein calf was placed on the auction block and sold for $9OO to Bill Campbell, CEO of primary event sponsor Hoss’s Steak and Sea House. The calf that was shown was a visual aid, as it were, was returned to its show Judge Matthew Wanner, Ur Miss Dairy Princess Melissa Bashore, Jesse Bomgardner with his grand champion, Kevin Bomgardner with the reserve grand champion, Lynette Hef fner with the Junior champion and Rachel Krall with the reserve Junior champion. Four Sections owner. Cedar Crest FFA ciiaptcr secretary Amanda Bomgardner. Hie money raised through the token sale of the calf, along with $5OO already raised by the Cedar Crest Young Fanners and the FFA, is to be used to purchase a regis tered Holstein calf that is to be donated to a deserving FFA mem ber for use as a project animal. The remainder of the funds are to be divided equally between the FFA Foundation and the CCYF. (Turn to Pag* A2O) $27.50 Per Year
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