CHADRON – Nearly 380 FFA students from 20 western Nebraska high schools competed in the District 12 Leadership Contest at Chadron State College Wednesday.

Ashtyn Vivion, Alliance FFA chapter adviser, said the increased attendance is encouraging. She said it has taken time for students to be willing to participate again after virtual state contests in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Categories of competition included Employment Skills, Senior Public Speaking, Junior Public Speaking, Natural Resources, Cooperative Speaking, Ag Demo, Creed Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking, Discovery Speaking, Ag Literacy, Parliamentary Procedure, and Conduct of a Chapter Meeting.

The top three individuals or teams in each category will advance to the state contest in April in Lincoln.

State Qualifiers

Employment Skills

Kaylee Henthorn, 1, Alliance; Jace Lien, 2, Chadron; Macy Brooks, 3, Alliance.

Senior Public Speaking

Jadyn Tidyman, 1, Chadron; Isaac Olsen, 2, Banner County; Dru Weimer, 3, Sidney.

Junior Public Speaking

Mallory Hottell, 1, Kimball; Drew Kaufman, 2, Scottsbluff; Julia Russell, 3, Hay Springs.

Natural Resources

Rebecca Reece, 1, Sioux County; George Schmel, 2, Scottsbluff; Zach Araujo, 3, Bayard.

Cooperative Speaking

Katelyn Shimic, 1, Gering; Jackson Jenkins, 2, Mitchell; Cassiana Gutierrez, 3, Minatare.

Ag Demo (teams)

Sioux County, 1, Kaylee Juhnke and Jaycee Lambert; Gering, 2, Hailey Joekel and Abby Joekel; Gordon Rushville, 3, Brayden Simmons, Austin Child, Maddox Leeper, Jackson Roffers and Lain Tausan.

Creed Speaking

Miranda Betson, 1, Crawford; Autumn Henthorn, 2, Alliance; Carly Norberg, 3, Kimball.

Extemporaneous Speaking

Seth Meyring, 1, Alliance; Justine Wilkinson, 2, Morrill; Morgan Schommer, 3, Chadron.

Discovery Speaking

Ainslee Woltman, 1, Hemingford; Amelia Betson, 2, Crawford; Aivree Bauer, 3, Creek Valley.

Ag Literacy

Giorgetta Vara, 1, Potter-Dix and Tyan Hruby, 2, Hemingford.

Parliamentary Procedure (teams)

Kimball, 1, Grace Anderson, Landon Norberg, Aubrey Culek, Hayden Sours and Mallory Hottell.

Bridgeport, 2, Delaney Pohl, Annabel Sauer, Silvie Holliday, Olivia Corman, Dixon Leisey and Justin Dobrinski.

Gering, 3, Trace Leetch,  Madi Pitts, Lillianna Rahmig, Jacey Cochran, Eve Mosher and Ashlee Swan.

Conduct of Chapter Meeting (teams)

Hay Springs, 1, Reese Varvel, Kya Binger, Tailyn Starke, Aubry Anderson, Alaina Raymer, Eli Scott and Evan Smith. Kimball, 2, Trey Cook, Wyatt Cook, Jax Troth, Paige Frederick, Tradin Hottell, Lane Cook, Clarika Hottell, Carly Norberg and Karsyn Chesley. Potter-Dix, 3, Callen McConnell, Devani Frerichs, Will Dana, Hailae Steele, Alexa Shoemaker and Skyler LaBeau.