News Articles

Brandon Fann began his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project after getting in contact with a local builder, Brian Wing, through Mrs. Anderson and our internship program in the Ag department. After being introduced, Brandon and Mr. Wing set up a meeting to discuss what the internship would look like and agreed on the general terms and expectations for the experience.
Through this SAE, Brandon has been working alongside Mr. Wing on building houses in order to gain hands-on experience in the construction industry and to learn as much as possible about the trade. While construction is not exactly the field Brandon plans to pursue in the future, the wide variety of skills and experiences he gains through this internship have proven to be extremely valuable.

A look inside of our shop classes here in the Ag science department. In Mr. Beckner's first period class they have been working up in the engine's lab trouble shooting and figuring out how to get the engine running. In his Ag and Industrial power classes, they started their year out in the woodshop and were building tool boxes. Once they completed building the tool boxes they headed into the metal shop and started learning how to use the welding machines, plasma cutter and the forge. In his mechanical principles class they built a step stool at the beginning of the year, and now have moved into leather working. They just finished making key chains and started sketching out a design for a belt they will be making.

All of the students working out in the shops feel they leave learning something new or being more comfortable with machinery and knowing how to use it.

Members Graden McCreary, William Ramge, Mackenzie Linscott, Madison Warrix and Madi Hamilton all went to a leadership night run by the state officers. The night's theme was cooking in the kitchen, there were different activities and statements to all lead to the big picture that leadership isn't just about you, but the impact you can make on people and a group. All the members that went left the night with valuable insight and a new way of looking at things. Members also said they met new people and now have greater connections with members outside of their chapter.

Recently our department has had a couple visitors, all of the animals we bring into our department always benefit the students and the class they are taking. We've had a variety of animals such as goats, puppies, lambs, and kittens!

Recently Mrs. Thompson found a kitten in her yards, and brought it into the department for the students to see. The kitten still needed milk and we suspected it had a few minor injuries. The kitten was taken care of by Mrs. Thompson's classes. Mrs. Thompson has also brought in her dogs, April and Dewy, we use these smaller dogs to learn different restraints and the temperament of the different size and breeds of dogs

Mrs. Anderson recently had a Veterinarian come in with his Great Dane, to talk to the class more about Vet science and about the things his dog has been through. She has also brought in two golden retriever puppies, the puppies were a lot more energetic than Odell. Classes learned how to bathe the puppies properly and also the amount of attention that puppies really need.

We are extremely grateful for the opportunities we get to grow our knowledge with real animals.

Delaney Looney is an active member of our FFA chapter, she has been a member for 3 years now and is a junior at Marysville High school.

Through her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), Delaney Looney focused on raising and selling meat rabbits as a way to earn money toward her State FFA Degree while gaining hands-on experience in animal care. Her SAE began after encouragement from her FFA advisor, who recommended showing an animal at the county fair as a way to develop handling skills, responsibility, and financial management.
Delaney chose to work with meat rabbits because they allowed her to gain daily experience with livestock while learning the importance of proper care and preparation. Throughout her project, she was responsible for feeding, cleaning, monitoring health, and handling her rabbits regularly to ensure they were calm and well-prepared for the fair. These daily tasks helped her build consistency, patience, and attention to detail.
By exhibiting her rabbits at the fair, Delaney was able to sell them and contribute directly to her State Degree earnings goal. More importantly, the experience taught her valuable lessons beyond profit. The most significant takeaway from her SAE was the knowledge she gained about proper rabbit care and the work required to prepare animals for competition. This project strengthened her confidence in working with animals and reinforced the value of commitment and responsibility.
Delaney’s SAE experience demonstrates how hands-on agricultural projects can develop practical skills while helping FFA members work toward their long-term goals.

As an offshoot of the national Wreaths Across America program that our chapter had participated in prior to this, FFA members came together to honor and recognize the sacrifices of U.S. veterans through a meaningful community event. The ceremony brought together approximately 30 community members, creating a respectful and patriotic atmosphere centered on gratitude and remembrance.
More than 10 FFA members were actively involved in the planning and setup of the event, demonstrating strong teamwork, leadership, and dedication to service. From organizing logistics to preparing the ceremony site, members worked collaboratively to ensure the event ran smoothly and respectfully. Their efforts reflected FFA’s commitment to community involvement and honoring those who have served the nation.
The event opened with a welcome speech delivered by an FFA member, who thanked veterans for their service and acknowledged the immense sacrifices that come with serving in the military. The speech emphasized how deeply FFA values veterans, not only for their dedication to protecting the country, but also for the example of leadership, responsibility, and service they provide to younger generations.
Overall, the event served as a powerful reminder of the importance of honoring veterans and preserving the values of patriotism, respect, and gratitude within the community

Madi Hamilton is a sophomore at Marysville High school and is an active second year member of the Marysville FFA chapter.

She got started when she wanted to show a large animal, but her mom encouraged her to begin with small animals, leading them to compromise on showing goats. What began as a simple agreement quickly turned into a meaningful learning experience. The purpose of showing goats is to develop responsibility and independence, as it requires daily care, consistent feeding, health management, and strong time-management skills. Through this project, she has learned how to balance school, personal life, and animal care while taking pride in something she is fully responsible for. Most importantly, she has discovered that showing goats is not just about competition or awards, but about having fun, building friendships, and enjoying the positive, supportive atmosphere that comes with friendly competition in the show ring.

Graden McCreary is a junior at Marysville High School and a dedicated third-year member of the Marysville FFA chapter. Throughout his involvement in FFA, Graden has demonstrated a strong commitment to agricultural education and hands-on learning.

Graden’s Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) began with raising and showing market goats, which he exhibited at the county fair. What started as a small project quickly grew as he remained consistent and committed, eventually turning it into a long-term SAE. Graden now manages over 20 head of show quality goats, a responsibility that requires daily care, attention, and strong management skills. Through feeding, training, health monitoring, and preparation for shows, he has gained valuable experience.
The most important lesson Graden has learned through his SAE is the value of time management. Balancing school responsibilities, FFA activities, and the daily demands of caring for livestock has taught him discipline, responsibility, and the importance of using time wisely—skills that will benefit him well beyond his years in FFA.Graden McCreary is a Junior at Marysville high school and is a third year member of our FFA chapter.

Westley Thompson is a Sophomore at Marysville High school and is a 3rd year member of the Marysville FFA Chapter.

Westley´s SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) started by his wanting to hold more responsibility relating to his family's hay business, so they made an agreement for him to manage 2.5 acres by himself. The main purpose of his SAE is to teach him how to successfully run his own business while gaining experience and to make money while doing so.

One of the most important things Westley´s SAE has taught him is that timing matters every step of the way, not just when it comes to harvesting your crop. How you choose to prepare yourself and how you go about marketing your product all affect how much money you make in the end.

In our department we have the amazing opportunity to have a department dog, his name is Odell and he is an English Mastiff. Within our department we have a variety of different animal science classes, Odell is a trooper when it comes to being part of a demonstration. Odell not only is a help in the classroom with lessons but students also find him helpful in emotional ways, he's always down for a good pet.

This year we had 33 members get their Greenhand Degree, this was 12 more than the previous year! Marysville FFA officers Katie Sargent, Natailie Williams, Abby Thompson and Brandon Fann ran the bootcamp this year. During the camp members learned proper official dress, were tasked with memorizing the FFA creed and getting all the officers and advisors to sign it!

The ceremony was a night to remember for sure! Greenhands brought their families to watch them receive the first step in their FFA career. We are so proud of all the Greenhands and cannot wait to see the amazing things they do in the future and for our organization.

Our veterans mean a lot to our chapter, last year we participated in laying wreaths on veterans graves at Oakdale cemetery. Seeing that there were many veterans missing a wreath we decided to make a difference. We teamed up with Wreaths across America to help fundraise, we had sat out at Rural king and ACE with a booth where we would match the donations we received up to $500. We ended up donating over $1000 to help the organization purchase wreaths.
The ceremony was held this past weekend on December 13th. 17 of our students along with many other community members participated in a nationwide event. Over 4900 cemeteries across the country participated in this event, and locally we were able to lay wreaths at just over 500 veteran´s graves. It was a special day set aside to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

This past month the Marysville Ag department has gotten the chance to inform the incoming freshman about the Ag department!
High schoolers from the Ag department went to Bunsold middle school to inform them about the opportunities and various pathways we have to offer! In order to really show them what we have to offer we brought some of the department to them! Each science class had 4 high schoolers and 3 different stations, the stations included a graham cracker welding as the shop station, a sheep digestive tract as the animal science station, and play doh to for a hands on agronomy station! The middle schoolers left their day with new valuable information about our department. A couple weeks later they had the chance to come to us, to be given a tour of the department and see it firsthand! We had pairs of high school students leading them around our department showing them the ins and outs of what goes on and what your day could look like.

This year our members decided to bring our alumni and supporters to one of our FFA meetings but also take the chance to learn from our alumni and have some food! Members and alumni were asked to bring their favorite thanksgiving food and we had a great variety of foods! After the meeting was adjourned we ate food and had some conversations with our supporters, then played a fun icebreaker game. Members went around asking alumni about their careers and how they got there and the challenges they may have faced.

Many members including myself said they benefited tremendously from this, hearing first hand the challenges and obstacles they faced gave many a peace of mind. We are so grateful for this opportunity to get a closer connection with our alumni.

Marysville FFA chapter had the amazing opportunity to attend the 98th National FFA Convention!
We started off our trip going straight to convention, on the way their members were preparing for interviews, one for National Chapter and one with Pete Emmens on his podcast ¨Thats Agratastic¨. After the interviews we headed to Lucas oil stadium for the Opening session, then went to the hotel to change for the Ella Langley and Ernest Concert!!
Day two began with a tour at RSG which is a Reproduction Specialty Group in Indiana. While there we learned about the insemination process and saw the lab rooms where the process is done, and saw where the animals are held. After the tour concluded, we headed back to convention for another session where we listened to the Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins. We then had time to explore the career and college expo, and the FFA shopping mall.
Day three, we went to Conner Prairie, Indiana's first Smithsonian affiliate that is changing how people use museums. Through interactive, immersive, and hands-on experiences across our grounds, each visit to Conner Prairie is your own. Our stop was a tour at Lincoln Tech where we were given a tour of their facility and the various programs that they provide. We then attended the sixth session at Lucas Oil Stadium to find our placing in the category Strengthening Agriculture.

We are one of the top 10 Chapters in the Nation!
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,042,245 student members as part of 9,207 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The National Chapter Award program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters that actively implement the organization’s mission and strategies. These chapters improve operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities, and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.
Our Marysville FFA President, Brandon Fann and Vice President, Natalie Williams took on the responsibility of presenting in front of …. To determine our spot within the top 10 chapters in the nation in the category of Strengthening Agriculture. The Presentation was over our activity Ag in a Lunch Bag, one of our many activities that interacts with the youth of our community. Ag in a lunch bag is an activity that teaches all of the 2nd graders of Marysville School district where their food comes from and how it gets from farm to table. We received a grant to help fund this activity, with the grant we were able to provide every 2nd grader with their own copy of the book How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? By Christine Butterworth. After reading the book we challenged the kids to draw what Agriculture means to them onto a paper grocery bag provided by Kroger, we then went through a voting process of who had the best bag; that student then received a cow printed onesie provided by Marysville FFA. The bags were then distributed back to Kroger where the community could enjoy the personalized bags and even be reminded of where their food really comes from. We are extremely proud of our chapter.

This was a fun activity for FFA members not only from Marysville, but from all over Ohio to come together. Our chapter Vice President, Natalie Williams worked extremely hard in planning and scuffing out the minor details to make this event as good as it could be. Many members were also involved by helping set up, provided decorations and tearing down after the event was over. Cowboy Prom was an absolute blast from start to finish! The night was filled with hot pizza, slushies, and sweet cotton candy that everyone enjoyed. The dance floor stayed packed as members showed off their best line dances and sang along to all the country hits. Outside, cornhole games kept the competition friendly and fun, with laughter echoing all around. From dancing boots to sugary treats, the whole evening was filled with energy, smiles, and memories that we’ll be talking about for a long time.

The Marysville Agricultural Science Department recently had the exciting opportunity to host the Ohio FFA State Officer Team for interactive leadership lessons focusing on effective communication. The visit brought energy, insight, and inspiration to Marysville’s FFA members as they learned valuable skills that will serve them both inside and outside of the organization.
During the visit, the state officers led engaging activities that emphasized the importance of listening, teamwork, and clear expression. Students participated in hands-on exercises that challenged them to think critically about how they communicate with others and how strong communication can strengthen both personal relationships and chapter success.
The officers shared their own experiences from serving at the state level, highlighting how communication has played a vital role in their leadership journey. They encouraged members to not only speak confidently but also to actively listen and understand others perspectives which is a key trait of effective leadership.
The Marysville Ag Science Department extends its gratitude to the Ohio FFA State Officers for taking the time to share their knowledge and passion for leadership. Their lessons will surely have a lasting impact on the future leaders within Marysville high school.

The Marysville Ag Science Department is a pretty cool place to be, especially when we have visitors.

Not only do we get guest speakers from field experts, but we also get to meet some critters every so often. Most recently, myself–Abigail Thompson, brought in someone. This visitor was one of my own lambs from my flock at home. I shared with the class his story. “Batman” was a week-old baby, who almost didn’t make it. His mom wasn’t the best at helping him nurse, and with the temperature drop, this was not a good pairing. I explained to the class about what you do in this instance. Students in Mrs. Thompson’s class learned how to triage and care for lambs with hypothermia.

Classes like Livestock Management and Animal Health get several animal visits throughout the year whether they are learning how to treat and give vaccines/antibiotics or trimming feet and horns. This allows students the opportunity to get a feel of what it’s like to live on a farm or be a veterinarian.

Logan Ross is senior at Marysville High School and is a 2-year member of the Marysville FFA chapter.

Logan’s SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) started as ride-alongs with his father. Logan has always had a fondness for the outdoors and working hands-on. The first steps of his SAE were working with his dad’s landscaping business which eventually led to an agricultural internship with Union III Outdoor Living. An internship through the ag department is another way to get extra credit. This does not require you to be an FFA member, just enrolled in a class.

Logan’s favorite parts of the job are being able to work side by side with his dad and also seeing the progression of his father’s company over the last four years. After graduation, Logan plans to continue work, but his next steps are to refine and learn new skills so he can move up in the company to become a foreman. Logan wishes to run his own crew doing carpentry.

This Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) spotlight features Austin Bennett. Austin is currently a senior at Marysville High School and is a 4th year member of the FFA program. Austin has come a long way in his FFA career and is serving as the 2024-2025 Vice President.

Austin says his Ag Business class helped him the most and will continue to benefit him in the future. Agricultural business is one of the many classes in the department that prepare you for life by giving you real-world scenarios to work through. Austin has several SAEs (Supervised Agriculture Experiences), but none compare to his current job.

Austin was noticed and approached by members of Koenig Equipment and has now been working there for a year. After high school, he plans on attending their training program. This two-year training program involves a rotation that will see Austin working for 8 weeks and then attending school for 8 weeks. The Chapter and Ag department would like to thank Austin for all his hard work in improving and inspiring members through this program.

My first Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) spotlight features Will Ramge. Will is a freshman at Marysville High School and is a second-year member of the Chapter.

Will has a promising SAE in the making. So far, his project consists of seven calves, two heifers and five bulls. Will’s future goals for are for his business to become more efficient and profitable, all while also saving up for college. Will has purchased most of the calves on his own from previous fair checks, small jobs, and support from his grandfather. Will has plans to sell his calves to his grandfather to add to his herd after the project is completed.

This is just one of the many skills a SAE project provides students. After high school Will hopes to attend college for Farm Business Management to add knowledge and the skills necessary to continue the family farm.

Last Saturday members of the Marysville FFA observed the Wreaths Across America Ceremony and helped lay wreaths on the veteran’s graves at Oakdale Cemetery.

This is a national holiday that began in 2007 and was adopted by the City of Marysville on Dec 17th, 2022. There are over 1,000 veterans buried in Oakdale Cemetery with many more around Marysville. Next year, the Chapter has set a goal to help purchase a set number of wreaths and find additional sponsors so that as many veterans as possible are honored.

On December 3rd and 4th students from Bunsold Middle School visited both the main high school (MHS) and the STEM school to decide where they will continue their education for the next four years. The Marysville AG Science Department was a big hit.

Students got to see the ends and outs of learning down in hallway E. The tour started with our plant science classes and they were able to see what is currently being grown in the greenhouse. In this pathway, these incoming freshmen can take Floral Design & Marketing or Greenhouse/Landscape Management.

Next stop, The Shop, kids got to see the shop in use by some upperclassmen. This looked like welding, woodworking, and equipment use. You can take the Power, Structural & Technical Systems (AG Power 1) as a freshman.

Finally, The Animal systems classes were shown off. Students saw the department’s animals and occasional visitors, along with a dissection of a cow’s uterus. This is used for our Livestock and Vet science classes. Freshmen are eligible for Companion Animal Selection/ Nutrition & Management, Livestock Selection & Management, Natural Resources & Wildlife, and Animal Health.

As kids start to sign up for next year’s classes encourage them to take a look at MHS AG classes, and for any kid unsure where to start check out the Food and Natural Resources class as it covers almost everything in the department.

Marysville FFA Officers Abby Thompson, Abby Pratt, and Riley Karcher held Greenhand Boot Camp for first-year members looking to start their FFA career.

This year there were 21 students that attended the boot camp. To earn The Greenhand Degree the student is required to know The FFA Creed, Motto, History, and the levels of degrees. They must also have a solid SAE project (supervised agriculture experience). During camp students made a “Creed board”. This is a fun tradition the Officers decided to bring back this year. The point of this board is for Greenhands to learn the Creed, but also for some friendly competition. They were tasked with memorizing one of the five paragraphs and to repeat them to our Officers and Advisor for signatures.

Next stop Chapter degree!

This week, the Marysville FFA took their first trip of the school year to FFA Camp Muskingum. But before we got to the happiest place on dirt, we stopped for a tour at Hillview Farms in Coshocton. This is a family-owned operation started by George Beeson, now being managed by Larry Hobbs as well as his children Matt Hobbs and Carrie Grome. They raise corn crops and cattle, from roughly 6-7 months of age until they are finished out and are ready for slaughter.

We got to see where cattle are processed after arriving on the farm, to ensure the cattle are healthy and free from injury. As a takeaway from this trip, we learned that cattle take a long time to reach market weight, and this ranch serves as home to the cattle to grow off of pasture before shipping them to Marysville to complete the final phase of growth with locally produced corn. We met Larry and Deb Prysi, managers of the ranch location of Hillview Farms, and they walked us through tasks of pasture rotation and mineral supplementation. Larry and Deb are next door neighbors to the ranch and help to keep a close eye on this part of the farm as the rest of the farm has a busy schedule back in Marysville. Larry and Deb also have a separate cow/calf operation, raising 68 calves this past year, which they work with Hillview Farms to sell to market. We thank them for allowing us to have the opportunity to see a little behind the scenes!

Day two, Officers Abigail Thompson and Natalie Willams planned out our day at Ohio FFA Camp Muskingum. Starting with “The Dam Tour”, a pontoon boat tour of the Leesville Lake Dam, and stops along the way to learn the history of the camp and the significance of the construction of the dam to protect families and farms of the Leesville watershed. Next was a chance to learn and practice archery along with team bonding challenges on an outdoor obstacle course. Then we were off to our first leadership workshop, an ice breaker to get the group comfortable with one another.

Our second workshop was a trust activity where members partnered up with the goal of one person talking to the other blindfolded person to walk through the maze without touching anything. Sounds easy but it was not! Every step off course or obstacle hit added penalty time. This was quite the challenge for students but boy was it funny to watch and participate in!

Our third and final workshop helped teach communication. Students were put in groups to build a spaghetti tower; the builder couldn’t talk, and the other students couldn’t build but had to give instructions. They all did very well even if some didn’t have the best base and fell over. Outside of workshop time students had a blast trying out the camp’s awesome waterfront. Kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming in the lake were refreshing ways to spend the day and continue to build off of the relationships built over the two-day retreat.

The Officer team hopes everyone in attendance had an amazing trip and our membership can’t wait to see more students get involved!

May 10, 2024

Abigail Thompson
Marysville FFA Reporter

Last week members of the Marysville FFA attended the State FFA Convention. The chapter received several recognitions including: being named top ten chapter overall in the state, being designated a gold-rated chapter, having all officers books rated as Gold (secretary, treasurer, reporter), and being named top ten chapter in the area of strengthening agriculture. The following members were awarded their state degrees: Austin Bennett, Brody Kerns, and Riley Karcher. Mrs. Allen, our Superintendent, was also awarded with the Honorary State FFA Degree. At the convention, the welding team competed and placed fourth in the state.

Our State FFA Convention trip wasn’t all sessions and recognition. We also had the opportunity to tour the Anthony Thomas chocolate factory and the American Whistle Company. At the Anthony Thomas chocolate factory we got to see the process of making chocolate and learn about who they make it for. The tour of the American Whistle Company showed members the different types of whistles, how whistles are made and packaged. These whistles are the only ones still made in America. Members received both chocolate and whistle as a part of the tours.

Congratulations to all award members!