SWCD awards banquet honors annual winners
Holmes SWCD essay contest winners and teachers included Averee Troyer, left, Mary Smith, Memphis Jones, Madison Pearce-Laferty, Jennifer Hopkins, Andi Schuch, Lauren Mosher, Elizabeth Sommers, Ohlen Troyer, and Lexy Starner and Charlotte Baird.
In any contest, there are winners, and there are all of the other participants.
Fortunately each year during the essay contest for all of Holmes County’s fifth-graders, everyone wins because of the experience of attending a working farm and gaining some keen insight on why agriculture remains such a huge part of Holmes County’s vibrant makeup.
While all of the fifth-graders wrote essays, there were two chosen by teachers from each classroom that were submitted as finalists, and a committee pored over those entries to whittle it down to the final three winners, a task that is never easy.
Those three winners were honored as part of the Holmes Soil & Water Conservation District’s 70th annual meeting at the Carlisle Inn in Walnut Creek.
The fifth-grade students participated in the annual Holmes SWCD-sponsored Tom Graham Fifth Grade Conservation Farm Tour. This year’s tour paid a visit to the Wachtel family’s Spring Walk Farm, where West Holmes and Hiland High School FFA students lent a hand to the SWCD by presenting a farm-safety seminar that included a poster contest.
First place in the informative category of the essay contest was Ohlen Troyer, the son of Jonathon and Nichole Troyer. His teacher is Mrs. Sommers at Walnut Creek Elementary. Second was Memphis Jones at Killbuck Elementary. Her parents are Dustin and Tammy Jones, and her teacher is Mrs. Smith. Third was Lexy Starner at Killbuck Elementary. Her teacher is Mrs. Baird, and her parents are Robbie and Molly Starner.
In the narrative essay category, first place went to Averee Troyer, who attends Killbuck Elementary. Her mother is Courtney Holt, and her teacher is Mrs. Smith. Second is Madison Pearce-Laferty of Lakeville Elementary, and her teacher is Mrs. Hopkins. Madison’s mother is Jennifer Mosher. Third in this category was Andi Schuch, daughter of Jason and Erika Schuch. She attends Lakeville Elementary, and her teacher is Mrs. Mosher.
There also was an FFA Farm Safety poster contest, which included three categories. First place in the digital contest was Austin Brenneman of Lakeville Elementary. His teacher is Mrs. Hopkins, and his parents are Doug and Sheila Barnes.
In the traditional category, West Holmes, first place was Tierra Berger of Killbuck Elementary. Her parents are Casey Berger and Timothy Keyser, and her teacher is Mrs. Smith. Second was Alex Pringle of Mrs. Hopkins’ Lakeville Elementary class, whose parents are Dennis and Virginia Pringle. Third was Madison Pearce-Laferty, who placed in both the essay and poster contests.
Joel Miller of Chestnut Ridge took first place in the East Holmes traditional category. His teacher is Mrs. Olinger, and his parents are Jonas and Ruth Miller. Second was Hannah Kline of Winesburg, daughter of Aaron and Lisa Kline. Her teacher is Mrs. Miller. Third was Miah Miller of Berlin Elementary, whose teacher is Mrs. Immel and parents are Toby and Joni Miller.
West Holmes FFA teacher Jaime Chenevey was honored as the Friend of Conservation, and Wood said once they realized she had never been honored before, the entire selection committee was flabbergasted.
“We all just kind of assumed Jaime had won this before,” Wood said. “She has done such an amazing job with so many kids over the years, and in turn the kids at West Holmes have been so helpful to us. Jaime’s 4-H programs are always amazing, and her work with a number of area agricultural projects has been excellent.”
Chenevey has been employed by West Holmes High School for 17 years, and throughout that time she has always put the youth first, whether it was serving through the Holmes County Junior Fair Board, through her FFA class, with the SWCD or wherever she put in her time and energy.
“I was definitely surprised to be honored,” Chenevey said. “Anytime an organization chooses you for this high of an award, it is truly an honor. But for me, what I do has always been about doing what is best for the kids. I feel that I am always willing to do anything I can do to help if an organization is benefiting our kids.”
In addition to the winning contest entries, the SWCD board recognized Valley Acres Farm as the Conservation Farm Award recipient, and Errick Flinner was elected to the board of supervisors and will start serving a three-year term beginning in January 2018.
Call Holmes SWCD at 330-674-SWCD for more information about conservation programs.