Tarkio FFA member Quin Staten was recognized for having received the Chapter, Area, and State Star in Agribusiness Awards, the State Turfgrass Management Award, the State FFA Degree, a National FFA Grant, FFA honor cords, and the David Joesting Memorial Scholarship.

 

This year’s Greenhand Degree recipients were (at top), from left to right, Josh Schlueter, Michael Vance, Emma Navin, Keely Bredensteiner, Gracie Walker, Nadine Henning, and Gabbie Hogue. Not pictured are Bentlee Gladman, Caleb Smith, Colton Rightsell, and Fisher Smelts. Keely Bredensteiner, above, was named this year’s Star Greenhand.

 

This year’s Chapter Degree recipients were, from left to right, Taya Windham, Macy Stepp, Kaiden Nelson, Luke Gebhards, Jayden Scott, and Ben Rolf. Not pictured are Treyton Brown and Jax Peregrine.

 

This year’s Scholarship Award recipients were, from left to right, Luke Gebhards, Brody Wennihan, Quin Staten, and Nadine Henning.

 

The Tarkio FFA members who participated in Area, District, or State FFA contests include, from left to right: front row – Ben Rolf, Finn Hurst, Brody Wennihan, Kaiden Nelson, Quin Staten, Nadine Henning, Gracie Walker, and Gabbie Hogue; and back row – Taya Windham, Macy Stepp, Emma Navin, Keely Bredensteiner, Delainee White, Jaeka Wiley, Rainy Nordhausen, and Bailey Wennihan.

 

FCCLA’s High Points honorees included, from left to right: Highest – Star Hankins; Second Highest – Brody Wennihan; and Third Highest – Bailey Wennihan.

 

State FCCLA STAR Events participants included Brody Wennihan, Star Hankins, and Jina Harbit (not pictured). Savanna Lindsay, at right, was a State FCCLA STAR Events assistant. Star also qualified for National STAR Events.

 

Brody Wennihan was recognized for having been a Regional FCCLA Officer this year – Vice President of Devotion. He’s pictured with FCCLA Advisor Dara Spears.

 

Regional FCCLA STAR Events participants included Brody Wennihan, Star Hankins, and Taya Windham. Not pictured is Jina Harbit.

 

Brilee Slemp was recognized for being a Regional FCCLA STAR Events assistant. FCCLA President Brody Wennihan presented her with a certificate.

 

Tarkio High School students receiving an FBLA Certificate of Membership include, from left to right: front row – Gavyn Irvine, Ben Rolf, Leila Brooks, Makenna Caudill, Grace Caudill, and Azlynn Wiley; and back row – Rainy Nordhausen, Brilee Slemp, Bresayda Jimenez, Jaeka Wiley, Star Hankins, Savanna Lindsay, Macy Stepp, and Isaac Vette.

 

FBLA members who competed and placed in the FBLA contests were, from left to right, Isaac Vette, Star Hankins, Leila Brooks, Makenna Caudill, and Grace Caudill.

 

Incoming officers of the Tarkio High School FBLA Chapter are, from left to right, Grace Caudill, Macy Stepp, Star Hankins, Savanna Lindsay, Ben Rolf, and Leila Brooks.

 

The Tarkio High School Chapters of FCCLA, FFA, and FBLA honored their members during an awards banquet held Wednesday evening, May 6, 2026, in the THS Auditorium.

FCCLA

Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Advisor Dara Spears honored this year’s members for their individual and group achievements. Brody Wennihan was recognized as having served as a Regional FCCLA officer this year – Vice President of Devotion. Several members also represented the chapter at STAR Events. Taya Windham, Jina Harbit, Star Hankins, and Brody Wennihan competed in Regionals, with Brilee Slemp volunteering her time to help things run smoothly for contest organizers. At State, Star, Jina, and Brody competed once again, with Savanna Lindsay volunteering her time. Star qualified for Nationals and will be competing this summer. Mrs. Spears also recognized members who had the most points for participating in chapter events, regional/state/national competitions, and volunteering their time at these events or in the community. The Tarkio FCCLA Chapter as a whole completed 718 hours of volunteer work. Recognized for having the highest points were: Third Highest – Bailey Wennihan; Second Highest – Brody Wennihan; and Highest – Star Hankins (who had over 300 hours of volunteer work). Members were also presented letters or bars: First year letter recipients – Annalise Martin, Braelyn Webber, Brilee Slemp, Leila Brooks, Makenna Caudill, Nadine Henning, and Teagan Taylor; Second year letter recipients – Danika Agnew, Delainee White, Savanna Lindsay, Macy Stepp, Star Hankins, Taya Windham, Azlynn Wiley, Olivia Schaefer, Velicity Hegstrom, and Dezzy Kimpston; Third year letter recipients – Bailey Wennihan, Brody Wennihan, Finn Hurst, and Grace Caudill; and Fourth year letter recipients – Isaac Vette and Jina Harbit. Isaac also received FCCLA honor cords. Mrs. Spears also recognized Velicity Hegstrom for representing the chapter at a state capitol visit this year. Xabrina Klinger and Teahen Hannah earned Certificates of Membership.

FFA

Advisor Dustin Lambertsen honored this year’s Tarkio members of the National FFA Organization for their individual, group, and chapter achievements. This year’s membership included around 35 to 40 members working hard in preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. This year’s members not only excelled individually and in small groups, but as a whole as well. The chapter received a Missouri Farmers Care Grant, only one of three chapters in the entire state to do so. With the grant, the food science class ground up and packaged meat, as well as purchased other groceries and donated it all to the Tarkio/Westboro/Fairfax, Missouri, Food Pantry. This was one of the many ways the organization was able to give back to the community this year. Mr. Lambertsen recognized this year’s Greenhands. The Greenhand Degree is the first major honor bestowed at the chapter level, designed for ninth grade or older students beginning their FFA journey. Recipients must be enrolled in agricultural education, have a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) plan, know the FFA creed, motto, and mission, and demonstrate knowledge of FFA history, emblem, and code of ethics. This year’s Greenhand Degree recipients were Gracie Walker, Nadine Henning, Gabbie Hogue, Michael Vance, Josh Schlueter, Bentlee Gladman, Colton Rightsell, Emma Navin, Keely Bredensteiner, Caleb Smith, and Fisher Smelts. Keely Bredensteiner was named this year’s Star Greenhand. The Chapter Star Greenhand Award is a prestigious award presented every year to the chapter’s most active first-year member who has plans for a strong SAE and has demonstrated leadership within the FFA. The Chapter Degrees were then presented. The Chapter FFA Degree is the highest degree a local chapter can award, typically earned in a member’s second or third year. It requires holding the Greenhand Degree, completing 180+ hours of ag education, having an active SAE, and earning/investing at least $150 or 45 hours of work. This year’s Chapter Degree recipients were Taya Windham, Macy Stepp, Ben Rolf, Kaiden Nelson, Treyton Brown, Jax Peregrine, Luke Gebhards, and Jayden Scott. Senior Quin Staten was recognized for having earned the Missouri State FFA Degree. The State FFA Degree is the highest degree that the State FFA Association can bestow on a member. This degree is awarded annually at the State FFA Convention to those members who have met the minimum qualifications set forth. Quin was also named the State Star in Agribusiness and the State Turfgrass Management Award winner. Because he was the state winner of the Turfgrass Management Award, he qualifies for the national competition (the top four out of the state winners selected will vie for a chance for the top prize). Quin also received honor cords, was recognized for earning the National FFAGrant worth $5,000, and was presented the David Joesting Memorial Scholarship. This year’s Scholarship Awards were presented to Nadine Henning, Luke Gebhards, Brody Wennihan, and Quin Staten. The chapter’s Area, District, and State contest teams were also recognized. Gabbie Hogue was recognized for competing in Division I Speaking. Other contest participants included: FFA Knowledge Team (placed 49th in the state) – Gracie Walker, Nadine Henning, Keely Bredensteiner, and Emma Navin; Livestock Judging Team – Jax Peregrine, Ben Rolf, Macy Stepp, and Taya Windham; Floriculture Team – Rainy Nordhausen, Bailey Wennihan, Jaeka Wiley, and Delainee White; and Soils Team (placed 25th in the state) – Quin Staten, Brody Wennihan, Kaiden Nelson, and Finn Hurst. This year’s FFA officers were honored and the 2026-27 officers were installed: Bailey Wennihan, president; Brody Wennihan and Finn Hurst, vice-president; Delainee White, treasurer; Taya Winham, secretary; Macy Stepp, reporter; Josh Schlueter, chaplain; Ben Rolf, sentinel; and Danika Agnew, historian. At the end of the FFA presentation, the senior members, including Quin, Jaeka, Rainy, and Bresayda, retired their FFA jackets by giving them to their parents in the crowd (Noah McCoy is also a senior member, but was not present for the banquet).

FBLA

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Advisor Lane Zembles recognized this year’s members. Receiving the Membership Award were: Rainy Nordhausen, Isaac Vette, Macy Stepp, Jina Harbit, Azlynn Wiley, Savanna Lindsay, Star Hankins, Leila Brooks, Makenna Caudill, Grace Caudill, Jaeka Wiley, Bresayda Jimenez, Gavyn Irvine, Ben Rolf, Noah McCoy, Jeremy Bomar, Bella Bywater, and Brilee Slemp. Those earning the Achievement Award for their participation in the District Leadership Conference included: Isaac Vette, Star Hankins, Leila Brooks, Grace Caudill, Makenna Caudill, and Jina Harbit. This year’s FBLA officers were presented a Certificate of Appreciation. They were: Rainy Nordhausen, president; Isaac Vette, vice-president; Star Hankins, secretary; Grace Caudill, treasurer; Macy Stepp, reporter; and Azlynn Wiley and Savanna Lindsay, Student Council representatives. The 2026-27 FBLA officers are: Grace Caudill, president; Macy Stepp, vice-president; Star Hankins, secretary; Savanna Lindsay, treasurer; Ben Rolf, reporter; and Leila Brooks, Student Council representative.