Members of the 2017-18 Peebles FFA Officer Team – Front row, from left. Whitney Bauman, Co-Reporter; Baylie Clough, co-Sentinel; Lexington Shively, Co-Secretary; Sarah Laxton, Co-Student Advisor, and Alyssa Young, Co-Student Advisor; Back row, from left, Jessica Newkirk, President; Carlie Cluxton, Co-Secretary; Blake Smalley, Co-Treasurer; Kalub Smith, Co-Sentinel; Owen Behr, Co-Vice President; Logan Evans, Co-Reporter; Victoria Arnold, Co-Treasurer; and Jerilyn Garrett, Co-Vice President.


By Whitney Bauman, Peebles FFA Reporter – 

The 2017-18 Peebles FFA Chapter Officers were installed during the chapter banquet held Tuesday, May 16 at Peebles High School. Senior Jessica Newkirk will lead as chapter President. Newkirk is the daughter of Daniel Newkirk and Susan Priest of Belfast. Serving as Co-Vice Presidents will be senior Owen Behr and junior Jerilyn Garrett. Behr is the son of Kevin and Kathy Behr of Peebles while Garrett is the daughter of Jerry and Kris Garrett of Peebles.
Co-Secretaries will be sophomores Carlie Cluxton and Lexington Shiveley. Cluxton is the daughter of Nathan and Sherry Cluxton of Peebles and Shiveley is the daughter of Amanda and Christopher Shively of Peebles. Blake Smalley, a senior, and Victoria Arnold, a junior, will serve as Co-Treasurers. Smalley is the son of Amanda and Richard Smalley of Peebles, Arnold is the daughter of Melissa McCoy and Steve Arnold. Whitney Bauman and Logan Evans will serve as Co-Reporters. Bauman is a junior and the daughter of Kent and Joy Bauman of Otway. Evans, a sophomore, is the son of Tonya and Mike Evans of Peebles.
Kalub Smith and Baylie Clough will be Co-Sentinels. Smith, a senior, is the son of Robert and Monica Music of Peebles, and Clough is the daughter of Alan and Mindy Clough of Peebles. Sophomores Sarah Laxton and Alyssa Young will serve in the role of Co-Student Advisors. Laxton is the daughter of Howard and Robin Havens of Peebles, and Young is the daughter of Adam and Chris Shoemaker of Peebles.
The officers will provide leadership to the 80+ member student organization, with oversight provided by agri-science education instructor and FFA advisor, Rebecca Minton. Minton says the student leaders will be responsible for running meetings, keeping records, and generally directing the work of the organization. The officers will work with student committees to plan and conduct all events for the chapter, including management of the school garden, fundraising to pay for travel to FFA conventions and competitions, and several community service and agriculture awareness activities.
“Each year, we always seem to have a great group of officers to lead our chapter, and this year is no exception,” said Minton.
Newkirk is excited to take over the reins from out-going president and recent graduate, Jordan Crum.
“The officers this past year worked hard toward earning the chapter recognition as an Ohio Gold Emblem Chapter, ranking in the top 30 chapters in the state,” Newkirk said. “I hope our officer team will continue to work toward that goal of being a state and nationally recognized FFA Chapter.”