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Gordon Richards FFA Awards
Recipients of The Gordon Richards, Sr., Achievement Award from left to right sitting are Isabel Webb, Shawnee, Olivia Bellah, McLoud, Paisley Sturgill, Bethel, and Kylee Greenwalt, Dale. Standing back row left to right are Jamie Barrick and Tim Barrick of the Clinic Pharmacy, Tyler Blankenship, Macomb, Trenton Sears, Tecumseh, Jace Milburn, Asher and Gordon Richards, Jr. Recipients Aleciea Bienhoff, North Rock Creek and Zane Hulce, Wanette were unable to attend the banquet. Photo/Suzie Campbell, Countywide & Sun
Nine young women and men from the nine FFA chapters in Pottawatomie County were honored this week as recipients of the The Gordon Richards, Sr., Achievement Award sponsored by the Clinic Pharmacy.
This is the 76th consecutive year for the banquet. For 75 years the honor had been called the Gordon Richards FFA Achievement Award. Starting with this year the award is now called The Gordon Richards, Sr., Achievement Award.
State Rep. Dell Kerbs, who serves District 26, was the guest speaker who spoke briefly, focusing on the importance of FFA and the role it plays in American lives today.
Kerbs serves as chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.
This year’s recipients include:
Olivia Bellah, McLoud
Olivia Bellah is McLoud’s Gordon Richards, Sr., Achievement Award recipient. She is the McLoud FFA President. She is a National Honor Society member, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association member and Oklahoma Jr. Maine Anjou Association member.
Olivia is also a member of the McLoud Marching Band and is a BancFirst Student Board member. She has served as a McLoud FFA officer for the past four years. She is heavily involved in school activities and out of school activities.
She has achieved Division Champion and Reserve Division Champion Maine Anjou Heifer honors at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, EYO (OK State Fair show in Duncan) and the Tulsa State Fair. She also has been awarded top honors in livestock judging contests around the state.
Olivia was also an American Farmers and Ranchers Ag Achievement Contest Scholarship recipient at the Oklahoma Youth Expo last spring. Her Vo-Ag teacher Dakota Streber says, “Olivia is a hard working student in and out of school, with her livestock projects, activities, memberships and also in the community.”
Kylee Greenwalt, Dale
This year’s Gordon Richards, Sr., Achievement Award recipient from Dale is Kylee Greenwalt. Kylee is a senior at Dale High School. She is the secretary of the Dale FFA chapter. Kylee is a Valedictorian of her graduating class.
She plans to attend Rose State College after graduation, then attend Oklahoma State University where she plans to obtain a degree in veterinary medicine. Kylee’s Supervised Agricultural Experience consists of working at the Shawnee Animal Hospital. Kylee has applied for her State FFA Degree and is a candidate for the Central Area FFA Star Farmer in Placement.
One day Kylee plans to own her own veterinary clinic where she can share her passion for helping animals.
Aleciea Bienhoff, North Rock Creek
The recipient of the Gordon Richards, Sr., Achievement Award from North Rock Creek is Aleciea Bienhoff.
She is a high school junior at NRC and currently the FFA Chapter President. Her SAE consists of showing and raising pigs.
She has also been selected as a Masonic student of the year and NRC student of the month.
Aleciea’s parents are Lance and Angela Bienhoff.
She currently works with her mother as a coowner of their shirt making business. She is looking into attending OSU to be a vet-tech.