CONNERSVILLE — The Connersville FFA Chapter celebrated a highly competitive season of state-level placements, leadership awards, and local field work during its annual banquet this past Friday night. Along with distributing individual degrees and highlighting critical wins at the District IX level, the chapter officially released its 2025–2026 “Year in Review” and announced its student leadership team for the upcoming school year.
A large class of student advancements anchored the chapter’s season this year, spanning junior high newcomers to state-level achievers. During the banquet, special recognition was given to Chapter Farmers Ida and Willie Pfeiffer, who worked the local FFA field this season alongside their father, Jake Pfeiffer.
In degree advancements, the chapter recognized dozens of local students. Discovery Degrees were awarded to Liam Bertram, Wesley Bloom, Emma Gibson, Jackson Grubbs, Ella Hammons, Kambria Harmeyer, Luke Hoeing, Colin Hughes, Brenden Kempker, Will Mays, Wyatt Nobbe, Jaylynn Parsons, Layna Risch, Brenlee Risch, Joseph Scott, Mia Sizemore, Macy Smith, Olivia Stienard, Victoria Stienard, Shelby Tincher, Gracelynn Urban, Mayson Welter, and Zoey Wooley.
The first-year Greenhand Degree class included Alexa Bischoff, Mason Branstetter, Peyton Chambers, Savannah Chandley, Jayden Clark, Shade Crabtree, Aubrey Edward, Alexis Fields, Chloe Free, Caigan Gettingger, Evelyn Haldeman, Rayna Heady, Emma Hisel-McKee, Ella Huffman, Brylei Hughes, Clara Jackson, Emma Johnson, Phoebe Jordan, Justin Kitchen, Payton Lainhart, Brady Lewis, Maranda Messer, Jaden Mills, Avery Morgan, Emmett Nobbe, Evan Nobbe, Colton Selby, Kami Scott, Ellie Silvers, Jill Smith, Callie Solomon, Riley Swininger, and Kaliah Woods.
Chapter Degrees went to Wyatt Bohlander, Phoenix Crabtree, Payton Dice, Jaxson Harvey, Adrianna Marcum, Kenzie Meyers, and Cora Nobbe. Reaching the pinnacle of state-level recognition, several students were recognized for earning their Hoosier FFA Degrees, including Khloe Cockerham, Michael Haldeman, Lorelei Hughes, Sam Scholl, Kyndal Scott, Ida Pfeiffer, and Kinze Van Meter.
Connersville students also placed prominently in Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) proficiency areas, with multiple members advancing toward national review. Cora Nobbe took first in the district and first in the state with a gold rank in Fruit and Nut Production, moving her on to the national evaluation. Kenzie Myers placed first in the district and second in the state with a gold rank in Wildlife Production and Management, also putting her in the running for national honors.
Hayden Steele took first in the district and third in the state in Beef Production Entrepreneurship, while Lorelei Hughes placed first in the district and fourth in the state in Agriculture Education. Michael Haldeman took first in the district with a silver rank in Sheep Production, and Kinze Van Meter earned first in the district with a bronze rank in Diversified Agriculture. Other top district finishes included Adrianna Marcum taking first in Equine Science, Kyndal Scott placing second in Goat Production, Peyton Gabbard taking second in Small Animal Production and Care, and Phoenix Crabtree placing third in Poultry Production.
In skills contests, the Connersville livestock judging team—made up of Michael Haldeman, Caigan Gettingger, Ida Pfeiffer, Kyndal Scott, Kami Scott, and Hayden Steele—evaluated four separate species across three regional contests under coach Layne Baldwin. In welding, Caigan Gettingger and Brady Lewis took third in the district to secure a state spot, competing alongside Allison Stienard, Hunter Bales, Elijah Booth, and Wyatt Bohlander.
Individual District IX Leadership Contest results featured a first-place finish by Kyndal Scott in Extemporaneous Public Speaking. Michael Haldeman placed second in Ag Sales, Cora Nobbe took second in Essay, and Avery Morgan placed second in Freshman Public Speaking.
In the lab, Christina Caldwell won State Star in Agriscience after taking top state spots in animal systems, food systems, and plant systems. Phoenix Crabtree, Cora Nobbe, Kenzie Myers, and Adrianna Marcum also secured top-three state finishes for their environmental and natural resource projects.
The banquet concluded with the traditional installation of the new student officer team for the 2026–2027 school year. Lorelei Hughes will serve as President, joined by Vice President Michael Haldeman, Secretary Cora Nobbe, Treasurer Kyndal Scott, Reporter Ida Pfeiffer, Sentinel Kami Scott, Parliamentarian Shade Crabtree, and Historian Wyatt Bohlander.
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