Crookston FFA held its annual awards banquet on Thursday, May 15 at the Crookston Eagles Club. Members, Parents, Alumni, and Supporters gathered to celebrate the chapter’s accomplishments throughout the year, hand out end-of-the-year awards, hear the final remarks of the retiring chapter officers, and see the 2025-2026 chapter officers installed.
FFA has a degree system with pins similar to lettering in athletics, arts, or academics.
Crookston FFA Awarded 24 Discovery FFA degrees. The National FFA Organization sets the qualifications to earn a Discovery FFA degree. The Discovery FFA degree is awarded to 7th or 8th graders who participated in at least one chapter activity outside of scheduled class time, have been enrolled in an agriculture course over the last school year, and demonstrate a general knowledge of the chapter’s program of activities and agriculture opportunities.
The degree recipients were Anna Heldstab, Axl Page, Lily Olmstead, Keatyn Kliner, Catelyn Maruska, Asher Wieland, Emmagail Frantz, Masen Lessard, Brady Samuelson, Emma Pierson, Eva Tate, Jacob Biermaier, Keegan Lessard, Lyla Oman, Morgan Boll, Anastasia Noyes, Eva Gosse, Ellie Rowan, Isabella Cisneros, Ceceila Newquist, Autumn Torkelson, Jennika Reese, Ava Oliver, Dane Peterson.
Crookston FFA awarded 15 Greenhand FFA Degrees. The Greenhand FFA degree is made of bronze and awarded to 9th graders or first-year high school FFA members. The recipients were Allison Abeld, Neveyahlee Bruce, Lillianna Bridgeford, Sylvia Christensen, Leia Parkin, Braxten Miller, Jax Fredrick, Lana Peterson, Bailee Klinnert, Neshelle Tellez, Aaron Gosse, Alexis Durham, Nora Groven, Cadence Corona, Jayde Uttermark.
Crookston FFA awarded 14 Chapter Degrees to Isabel Pahlen, Addisyn Schiller, Emilee Smith, Mykayla Garcia, Benjamin Capistran, Leah Johanneck, Elle Pierson, Rylee Anderson, Allysen Wagner, Austin Thode, Dylan Thode, Madilyn Abrams, Connor Hanson, Avery Mathews, and Cade Wisk.
The Star Discovery Award went to both Emmagail Frantz and Brady Samuelson.
The Star Greenhand Award went to Leia Parkin.
Ben Capistran was named Chapter Star Farmer for his work renting and farming fiber oil crops.
Emilee Smith was named Chapter Star in Agriculture Placement for her work at D&D’s Thomforde Garden Center in Diversified Horticulture.
Mykayla Garcia was named Chapter Star in Agribusiness for her SAE projects at Hugo’s and Ace Hardware.
Addisyn Schiller was named Chapter Star in Agriscience for her research on the science of baking.
The Honorary FFA Degree is awarded to those who help the FFA chapter be successful throughout the year. This year’s Honorary Chapter Degree was presented to Lacy Casavan and Sue Jacobson.
The Forever Blue and Gold Award is given to a member who shows a passion for FFA and lives the motto of “Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, living to serve”, and has a passion for agriculture. The 2025 Crookston FFA Forever Blue and Gold Award was presented to Joslyn Wallace.
The Award for Outstanding Leadership was presented to Taylor Wieland.
The award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Leah Johanneck.
The Award for Outstanding Service was presented to Joslyn Wallace.
The state Degree Recipients were recognized for earning their State Degrees at the 96th Minnesota FFA State Convention. Joslyn Wallace was recognized for her year of service as the Minnesota FFA Region 1 Vice-President. Addisyn Schiller was recognized for being installed as the 2025-2026 Region 1 Sentinel. All of the Career Development Teams were recognized for the monumental success they had in Region 1 and in the state.
2025-2026 Crookston FFA Chapter Officers:
President: Leah Johanneck
Vice-President: Ben Capistran
Secretary: Emilee Smith
Treasurer: Nevayahlee Bruce
Reporter: Isabel Pahlen
Sentinel: Addisyn Schiller
Historian: Lillianna Bridgeford
Officer at Large: Mykayla Garcia
Advisor (and new Agriculture Teacher): Lily Krona
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