Category: Activities

SkillsUSA students will be selling meat sticks for $1.00 each for this year’s fundraiser.  Below is the link. Please help support these students.

By Kennedy DeBoer

Eighteen students traveled to Syracuse on Wednesday, October 3rd for land judging. At land judging, students go to four different pits and judge the quality and texture of the soil.  Students also used their land capability chart to find the land capability class of each pit. This year Fairbury FFA chapter came home with two ribbons!! Freshman Brigham Scheetz earned a red ribbon in his first year of competing and Senior Delaney Miller received a white ribbon. All in all it was a great learning experience for all of the students that went, and hopefully next year we bring a couple more ribbons home!!

September 19, 2018, Mr. Scott and ten FHS students had the privilege to tour Southwest Community College in Milford for their annual Career Construction Days.  The group consisted of FHS juniors and seniors.   Students had to sign up in advance online and request three areas of study that are offered at the college in Milford.

The day started off with Fairbury students and many other students from area schools all in a big gymnasium for an opening session where they listened to a guest speaker.  They were all given a bag that contained information about the college.  Next they were divided into roughly 28 different groups each containing a tour guide.  There were teachers, students and volunteers there guiding the students from building to building.

Some of the areas of study that FHS students went to were Computer Aided Drafting, Auto body Repair, Construction, Masonry, Electrical and HVAC, Diesel Mechanics, Heavy Equipment Operation and Automotive Service and Maintenance.

It was a nice day and the weather was great.  It was a rewarding visit and many found that the two year programs of study are what they really want today.  Two year programs can land students great jobs.  We even got to see a couple of graduates from last year on campus.  Those students were nice to show us around and answer questions the younger students had.

Sixteen students in Mr. Scott’s Skilled Technical Science class got the opportunity to tour Metal Quest Unlimited in Hebron Nebraska on 9-26-18.

The History of MetalQuest
MetalQuest Unlimited started on Jan. 1, 1996 in a man’s garage with one metal lathe and a vision for the future and a passion for innovation.  The business began with no guarantee of work, and greatly in debt like most start-up companies.

In the first 6 months of operation, MetalQuest added a second machine and added the first employee.  It took about three years to see the investment pay off and the rest is history.  MetalQuest calls Hebron, Nebraska its home now.   MetalQuest believes in hard work, determination and teamwork.  These are still the building blocks of the MetalQuest philosophy.

MetalQuest manufactures precision machined component parts with an emphasis in product line and part family manufacturing.  In other words, they may take a part they buy from one company like a foundry company and turn it into a part that they machine and perform some industrial processes on.

FHS students were divided up into two groups and they got to see technology all over the plant with robots that grind parts, polish parts, measure parts, box parts and even store parts.  The floor even had a wire in the concrete for a robotic forklift to follow to store and retrieve parts.  That robotic lift could not deviate from its path making it safer for employees in the plant.

For all the math teachers at FHS, mathematics is a must with just about all the employees despite what many may think.   The use of Trigonometry and precision measuring is a must.  There were many tools in the factory that have to be used daily to measure close tolerances such as calipers and micrometers.  Students saw the connection between what they are learning at FHS and how that can be use those skills in a job situation.    Blueprint reading was also an important skill.   MetalQuest uses SolidWorks as their main Software program for the development of their drawings.  MetalQuest just ordered a new 3D printer to do part modeling so they can see and hold the parts before they are manufactured.  Just one machine in the factory can cost as much as $600,000 dollars each so production down time is not a good thing.  They try to keep all machines running all the time.  They run two shifts of employees with a $4.00 dollar jump for night shift workers.  Weekend workers can earn time and a half.

Just so you know, MetalQuest to name a few makes hydraulic valves for John Deere, silencer parts for guns, valves for hydraulic control systems and many other parts.

I want to thank Dave Sammartano, the training coordinator at MetalQuest and the rest of the staff for letting us come over and tour the facility.  It was a rewarding time well spent.  The students had a great time.

The Fairbury Bands have had a successful start to the 2018-19 school year. On Saturday, August 4, the junior and senior high bands concluded their summer camp by marching in the Wilber Czech Days parade, where the band placed 1st in the bands division! This past weekend, the band participated in the Yorkfest Parade, winning second place and a trophy. The band will be appearing in the Homecoming Parade Friday, September 14, as well as the Melody Round-Up Parade in Hastings on September 22, and Harvest of Harmony in Grand Island on October 6.

The 90th Nebraska State FFA Convention was held April 4th-6th in Lincoln, Nebraska. This year, the Fairbury FFA had 28 members attended the state convention. We had several members qualify for state CDEs at our district competition back in March.

The Ag Sales team was made up of all sophomores including Devin Wanamaker, Dalton Petersen, John Kerwood, and Kennedy DeBoer. None of them earned a ribbon, but it was a great learning experience! The next contest was Agriscience which is a freshman or first year contest. It was made up of Riley Wood, Taylor Gustafson, Harlie Blas, and Sarah Engelman. Riley Wood and Taylor Gustafson both earned red ribbons. The agronomy team did extremely well this year! The team was made up of senior Ashley Griffee and juniors Michaela Buchli, Tori Likens, and Delaney Miller.  Griffee placed 2nd overall and earned a purple ribbon while Buchli earned a blue. The Natural Resources team was made up of seniors Jake Maschmann, Brock Barton, junior Trevin Arnold, and sophomore Dalton Petersen. Maschmann earned a blue ribbon while Barton earned a white. The next contest was floriculture. This team was made up of seniors Jordan Ruhnke, Shavara Kroeker, Paige Livingston, and freshman Brooklen Bear. Ruhnke earned a red ribbon in this contest. Junior livestock judging also went to state this year! To be in the junior division, you must either be a freshman or sophomore. The team was made up of freshmen Shelby Klaumann, Sarah Engelman, and Konnor Hasselbring. While none of them earned a ribbon, they all learned a lot about livestock judging! The Meats & Technology team was made up of juniors Jared Engelman, Kane Hasselbring, Colton Starck, and sophomore Taylor Runge. The final contest was Welding. This team was made up of sophomore John Kerwood and seniors Jesse Graves and Brock Barton. Taylor Runge was also part of the 2017-2018 Nebraska State Chorus. He had to audition back in December and was talented enough to be selected.  Fairbury Jr/Sr High School Principal Mr. Nicholas Kroon received the Cornerstone Award. This is awarded to school leaders who have a school wide vision for Career and Technical Education and support Career Education Programs within their school.  The Fairbury FFA Chapter also had four seniors earn their state degrees including Brock Barton, Jesse Graves, Miranda Heidemann, and Paige Livingston! It was a great year and an amazing experience!

This year’s Jefferson County Agribusiness Banquet held on Friday, March 16, at Fairbury Junior-Senior High School was successful. The Jefferson County Agribusiness Banquet is an annual event organized by the Jefferson County FFA Alumni to give an opportunity for agriculturalists and business people to meet for an evening including a meal, awards and entertainment. The FFA is very involved – setting up for the banquet, serving the drinks, and cleaning up afterwards.

“The Fairbury FFA is proud to be a part of this annual event,” said Thomas Dux, Fairbury FFA Advisor. “It’s great experience and exposure for our chapter, and an enjoyable evening.”

This year’s banquet served about 325 guests, and had 35 local businesses serve as table sponsors and additional businesses as speaker sponsors.

The event is not designed to be a fund-raiser, but rather is a community service of the FFA Alumni. The ticket price assists with expenses.

“We are pleased to see this long-time tradition in Jefferson County,” said Lana Likens, Fairbury FFA Alumni secretary. “We are very appreciative of all of the work of our local FFA chapter to make it possible, as well as of the area businesses who serve as table sponsors and speaker sponsors.

The evening included Fairbury Public Schools Superintendent Steven Grizzle providing information on the Farm 2 School program, which provides locally raised beef and pork for the Fairbury School lunch program. He also honored donors to the program so far, and accepted a donation from the Fairbury FFA Alumni.

The Fairbury FFA Alumni Scholarship of $500 was presented to Ashley Griffey, who will be attending Southeast Community College-Milford.

Entertainment was provided by Dave Thorell, member of the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Thorell retired from dedicated service to rural listeners in 2016 after 42 years of service on KRVN in Lexington. Thorell speaks of agriculture and rural Nebraska with authenticity and humor.

The meal was catered by Ricky’s of Hanover, Kan.