UWRF ATA AND AG ED SOCIETY MEMBERS
PAVE THEIR WAY TO SUCCESS IN INDY

INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) was well represented at the National Alpha Tau Alpha Conclave and National Collegiate Agricultural Education Conference (NCAEC) held in Indianapolis in conjunction with the National FFA Convention, October 22-24, 2009.

Members of Alpha Tau Alpha (ATA), the national professional honorary fraternity for agricultural education and members of other collegiate agricultural education organizations, including UWRF’s Agricultural Education Society spent the week recruiting for the university, networking with professionals, as well as hearing from individuals involved with agricultural education at the state and national levels. They also competed in five different competitions at the NCAEC.

Jeff Dombroski, a junior agricultural education major from Amherst, Wis., Preston Green, a junior from Richland Center, Wis., Alex Patten, a junior from Boyd, Wis., and Leonard Polzin, a senior dairy science major from Cadott, Wis. placed first in the debate contest. This year’s topic was “should the Federal Government be implementing the Biomass Crop Assistance Program?”

UWRF won the overall Program of Excellence contest which focuses on collegiate agricultural education organizations achievements in the areas of community service, fellowship, fundraising, and professional development. Katie Wirkus, a senior agricultural education and math major from Athens, Wis. represented UWRF in the competition. UWRF also placed first in the professional development division.

Kellie Claflin, a senior agricultural education major from Osseo, Wis. received a plaque for winning the essay contest. The essay topic this year focused on agricultural education advocacy.

The quiz bowl team comprised of Claflin, Nikki Beucler, a senior agricultural education major from Faribault, Minn., Teal Kampe, a junior agricultural education major from Oshkosh, Wis., and Hunter Wojcik, a junior agricultural education major from Hatley, Wis. placed second overall among the fifteen teams that competed. The questions focused on the following areas: agricultural economics, the National Association of Agricultural Educators, the National Young Farmers Educational Association, and professional education.

The parliamentary procedure team placed second overall and took first place in the written test. Team members included: Megan Kelly, a freshman agricultural education major from Holmen, Wis., Nathan Kringle, a senior dairy science major from Barron, Wis., Emily Lezpona, a junior agricultural education major from Holmen, Wis., Melissa Ploeckelman, a senior agricultural education major from Stetsonville, Wis., and Kaleb Santy, a senior agricultural education major from Pulaski, Wis. Kringle and Santy also tied for first place individual for the written test.


UWRF also received the A.W. Nolan Memorial Leadership Award at the platinum level for the fifth year. The Nolan Leadership Award recognizes collegiate organizations for their participation throughout the school year. UWRF was also recognized for their 100% student membership in the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE).

The UWRF students spent time in the National FFA Convention career show representing the university at the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences booth. They also assisted with workshops in the ‘Teacher’s World’ portion of the career show. The national youth organization for agricultural education, FFA, has a membership of over a half-million students and over 54,000 members, advisors and guests attend the national convention each fall.

Other students that traveled with the university to Indianapolis were LeeAnn Hitsman, a freshman agricultural education major from Howards Grove, Wis., Rachel Kroeplien, a freshman agricultural education major from Sheboygan Falls, Wis., and John Nelson, a sophomore agricultural education major from Galesville, Wis.