FFA members seek votes

Jay County High School FFA members are asking area farmers for help in the FFA Chapter Challenge — a contest sponsored by Monsanto Seeds.
Farmers can visit www.FFAChapterChallenge.com and vote for the local chapter. The top ten chapters in the state will be rewarded monetarily.

Speech winners
Joseph Atienzo and Allison Hernandez were the winners of the Oratorical Speech Contest  at General Shanks Elementary School. Joseph is the son of Sandra Atienzo. Allison is the daughter of Juan Hernandez and Leticia Duenez.
Alternates were Ava Stockton, daughter of Kyle and Melanie Stockton and Reid Claycomb, the son of Chad and Angel Claycomb.
Randi Ferguson and Tristen Harmon were the winners of the Oratorical Speech Contest at Redkey Elementary. Randi is the daughter of Tom and Jane Ferguson. Tristen is the son of Chris and Nicole Harmon.
Alternates were Rhegan Shimp, daughter of Rich and Jodie Shimp, and Matthew Sager, son of Charles and Kristen Sager.

Reading program
Sign up for the bingo themed reading and activity program at Jay County Public Library continues through Feb. 24. Children may pick up a bingo card and rules at the library at 315 N. Ship St. in Portland.
The adult winter reading program continues through February at the library and participants can win gift cards and books.
For more information, call the library at (260) 726-7890.
 
Bee winners
Caleb Webster was the spelling bee champion at Pennville Elementary School. He is the son of Nikki Ninde and Aaron Webster and is a fifth grade student.
Calli Crosby was the alternate. Also a fifth grade student, she is the daughter of Michelle and Scott Penrod and Kent Crosby.
Emalyn Hartzell was the spelling bee champion at Redkey Elementary School. She is the daughter of Matt and Robin Gore and Carl Hartzell and is a fourth grade student.
Kensey Litton was the alternate. A fifth grade student, she is the daughter of Anthony and Lori Litton.
Cooper Jacks was the spelling bee champion at General Shanks Elementary School. He is the son of Troy and Angie Jacks.
The alternate was Kaitlyn Dow, the daughter of  Cory and Marsi Dow.   
Winners will compete  on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Cornerstone Center for the Arts in Muncie.

January students
West Jay Middle School named its Students of the Month for January.
In sixth grade was Andrew Levasseur, the son of Paul Levasseur.
In seventh grade was Kylie Ring, the daughter of Jeremy and Amanda Ring.
In eighth grade was Lance Ferguson, the son of Tom and Jane Ferguson.

Competing
Rachel Osterholt, Portland, will compete in the I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge 2012 hosted by the Grant County Economic Growth Council.
The regional business competition, to be held in Warsaw, will ask students to create a for-profit business solution that helps address the current low college graduate retention rate in east central Indiana.
Osterholt is a student at Huntington University.

New members
Sylvia Morrical and Rob Weaver were chosen as new members of the board of directors of the Jay County Historical Society.
They will serve three year terms.

Dean’s lists
Melissa Rauh was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame. She is the daughter of Lorraine Rauh, Coldwater, Ohio, and Timothy Rauh, Fort Recovery.
Tracy Cline and Kelsey Wood, Portland, were named to the dean’s list and the semester honors list for the fall semester at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne. Patrick Cavanaugh, Portland, was named to the semester honors list.
Casey Backs and Justin Wendel, both of Fort Recovery, were named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at the University of Toledo (Ohio). Backs is a pre-pharmacy major and Wendel is an electrical engineering major.
Kylie Anne Wellman, Bryant, was named to the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation dean’s list for the fall semester at Indiana University.
Brianne Wellman,  Bryant, was named to the College of Arts and Sciences dean’s list for the fall semester at Indiana University.
Jay County residents Kathryn Albers, Tyler Claycomb, Luke McClung and Laura Vogler were named to the dean’s list at  Anderson University for the fall semester.
Nichole Kaiser and Lindsey Schroer, both of Fort Recovery, were named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Kettering (Ohio) College. They are both arts and sciences majors.[[In-content Ad]]