From left: Vice President Savannah Gunton, Treasurer Nicole Bungartz, Secretary Zak Jones, President Jacob Bernal, Sentinel Wayne Fuller and Historian Julia Masser.
Jacob Bernal, son of Robert and Michelle Bernal, of Mesa, was awarded the 2014 DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award, at the Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC) Red Mountain Early College High School’s annual Future Farmers of America (FFA) banquet.
Jacob was honored for leading his FFA chapter this year as president, and also for excellence in academics, leadership and agricultural work experience. He won First Place Individual at the district competition in agricultural mechanics career development. His team also placed seventh at the state competition.
The DEKALB award, sponsored by Monsanto, is AAEC Red Mountain’s highest agricultural honor. Over the past 67 years, more than 168,000 high school seniors nationwide have received the award. Jacob’s name will be displayed on a permanent plaque at the school. Britney Marsh served as his agricultural education instructor and FAA advisor.
The 2013-2014 Retiring Chapter FFA Officer Team, consisting of Jacob Bernal, President; Savannah Gunton, Vice President; Zak Jones, Secretary; Nicole Bungartz, Treasurer; Wayne Fuller, Sentinel; and Julia Masser, Historian, announced the awards. The awards also included AAEC students receiving 33 Career Development Event awards; 12 Supervised Agricultural Experience Excellence awards; and 52 Greenhand degrees to first-year agricultural education students.
The Supervised Agricultural Experience is a practical application of classroom concepts designed to provide real world experiences, and develop skills in agriculturally related career areas conducted outside of class time. Winners were Myranda Bascom, Valentina Gerasimova, Veronica Greer, Samantha Johnson, Abby Heeg-Jones, Amanda Jones, Emma Kramer, Winter Ruljancich, Valentine Sargent, Christian Shook, Hope Torres and Aja Wright.
Career Development Events winners included Jacob Bernal, Nicole Bungartz, Riley Johnson, Payton Bewsey, Elizabeth McCamy, Zak Jones and Owen Greiving competing in Agricultural Mechanics, Aja Wright and Valentina Gerasimova, Creed Speaking; Roxanna Leura, Extemporaneous Public Speaking; Julia Masser, Shandiin Farrell, Tameryn Lowery and Serena Hehnke, Horse Judging; Savannah Gunton, Interview Contest; Kaite Keledjian, Reed Newell, Hope Torres and Samantha Johnson, Livestock Judging; Wayne Fuller and Josh Ferrigno, Marketing; and Jacob Bernal, Arizona FFA Chorus.
The Veterinary Science team consisted of Shannon Prowett, Brycen Lauer, Amber Bent and Hannah Grumbling. Rebecca Holcomb, Aaron Knight, Payton Bewsey and Sydney Nooden competed in the Wildlife CDE.
The Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center, Inc., AAEC Red Mountain public charter school is an early college high school, offering students the opportunity to earn college credits. It is located at 2165 N. Power Road, adjacent to Mesa Community College. For information, call (480) 854-1504, or visit www.aaechighschools.com.