Aug. 15, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Jaclyn Clark, director of events and education, at 816-383-5100 or jclark@angus.org
PHOTOS: Available upon request at prphotos@angus.org
Angus Juniors Rise Up in Phoenix
NJAA members travel to Arizona to experience Southwest agriculture.
National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members recently traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., for the Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) conference. Angus juniors from 29 states, as well as two from Canada, attended this year’s event Aug. 4-7 to participate in the annual leadership experience sponsored by the Angus Foundation.
“LEAD is an opportunity for our junior members to step away from the showring and socialize with their peers from around the U.S.,” says National Junior Angus Board (NJAB) Chair Macy Perry, Prather, Calif. “It gives juniors a chance to build relationships that will last a lifetime.”
The LEAD conference is hosted for youth ages 14-21 years old, and this year’s theme was “Rise Up in Phoenix.” While traveling in the Southwest, participants spent two days focused on agriculture, visiting Agritopia, an urban agriculture center, Queen Creek Olive Mill, Arid Zone Trees, Pinal Feeding Co. and Danzeisen Dairy.
Agritopia near Gilbert, Ariz., is an urban farm where locals have the opportunity to grow their own crops. It also markets its produce locally and operates a restaurant, where ingredients come fresh from the farm. Manager Katie Critchley says they hope to implement an education program within schools and the community to share where food comes from, as well.
A few miles down the road in Maricopa, Ariz., sits Pinal Feeding Co., which feeds nearly 150,000 head of Holstein cattle.
“It was really eye-opening to see a feedlot of that size,” says Brody Fitzgerald, LEAD participant from West Grove, Pa. “Back home in Pennsylvania, we don’t have anything like that. It’s great to experience and see different aspects of the industry.”
An hour drive across the valley, juniors had the opportunity to tour a 2,200 head dairy. Danzeisen Dairy is family owned, where they also bottle and market their milk products. With staples such as non-fat, whole and two-percent milk, Danzeisen also offers chocolate, coffee, root beer, strawberry and orange flavors that have organizations like the Saint Louis Cardinals clamoring for more.
“It’s good for the juniors to have the opportunity to see dairies and feedlots on a large scale,” Perry says. “A lot of these juniors come from the Midwest or East Coast where they don’t see these on a daily basis or at all.”
The LEAD conference is coordinated by the NJAB, who led team-building activities, leadership workshops and encouraged participants to step outside their comfort zones and meet new friends. Attendees also attended seminars on careers in agriculture, presented by industry professionals in meat science, genetics and marketing.
Juniors enjoyed a presentation by Patrick Perez, a motivational speaker who encouraged juniors to always strive to reach their goals and not give up when life gets hard. Through personal stories and his love for dancing, he inspired the juniors to know they can and will succeed if they try hard enough.
“We want [juniors] to love this experience,” Perry says. “We put on these conferences for them. We want them to come here and meet new people and then go home and be like, ‘Hey, Mom and Dad, I just had the best week ever.’”
For more information on the LEAD conference, visit www.angus.org. A complete list of participants follows.
— Written by JD Rosman, Angus Media
ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 25,000 members across the United States and Canada. It provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on the power of Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association’s programs and services, visit www.angus.org.
2016 LEAD Participants
Arkansas
Katlyn Tunstill, Fayetteville
Will Pohlmann, Prairie Grove
Nicholas Pohlman, Prairie Grove
California
Kathryn Coleman, Modesto
Tyler Coleman, Modesto
Dawson Dal Porto, Brentwood
Rex Roseman, Rocklin
Morgan Spiro, Hanford
Mason Tarr, Sanger
Emily Piland, Rescue
Macy Perry, Prather
Colorado
Alex Vieselmeyer, Amherst
David Smith, Boulder
Georgia
Greyson Fernandez, Pine Mountain
Haley Throne, Lexington
Florida
Josie Chandler, Polk City
Iowa
Haley Greiman, Perry
Olivia Johnson, Prole
Tim Mardesen, Oxford
Illinois
Andrew Livingston, Nokomis
Keegan Cassady, Normal
Lindsey Decker, Philo
Morgan Hutchins, Charleston
Austin Mussman, Grant Park
Eric Schafer, Owaneco
Gabrielle Lemenager, Clifton
Indiana
Maddi Butler, Vincennes
Brooke Langley, Walton
Krisha Retherford, Indianapolis
Kansas
Alexandria Cozzitorto, Lawrence
Grady Dickerson, Paradise
Megan Green, Leavenworth
Mia Hastings, Wamego
Cale Hinrichsen, Westmoreland
Eva Hinrichsen, Westmoreland
Clay Pelton, Paradise
Sarah Pelton, Paradise
Channing Schneider, Wamego
Evan Woodbury, Quenemo
Morgan Woodbury, Quenemo
Kentucky
Logan Boyd, May’s Lick
Paula Boyd, May’s Lick
Corbin Cowles, Rockfield
Caroline Cowles, Rockfield
Catherine Cowles, Rockfield
Josh Jasper, Nicholasville
Destiny McCauley, Cynthiana
Jonathan McGinnis, Shelbyville
Pamela Dockery, Shelbyville
Bradshaw Smoot, Campbellsville
Abigal Smoot, Campbellsville
Louisiana
Katelyn Corsentino, Denham Springs
Andrew Graves, Abita Springs
Faith Guice, Downsville
Michigan
Brady Zellmer, Nashville
Missouri
Conrad Behlmann, Saint Paul
Genesis Brannon, Ellsinore
Joshua Brannon, Ellsinore
Brittany Eagleburger, Buffalo
Lauren Gilbert, Oldfield
Caitlin Hoak, Hamilton
Chris Kahlenbeck, Union
Seth Kurtz, Clarksdale
Chase Monte, Mexico
Carrie Otte, Saint Mary
Elizabeth Otte, Saint Mary
Tommy Otte, Saint Mary
Lauren Parks, Brookfield
Jera Pipkin, Republic
Jacob Heimsoth, Cameron
Linsey Rogers, Conway
Montana
Jordyn Wagner, Billings
Maryland
Michael Cropp, Damascus
North Carolina
Taylor Glover, Pikeville
Caleb Heath, La Grange
Brenda Vinson, La Grange
C. Russell Vinson, La Grange
Justin Wood, Willow Spring
North Dakota
Sara Hatlewick, Jamestown
Madison Sundsbak, Des Lacs
Nebraska
Aliesha Dethlefs, North Platte
Kyra Meyer, Blue Hill
Savannah Schafer, Nehawka
Reagan Skow, Palisade
Michaela Clowser, Milford
New York
Jayne Bannister, Kent
Katharine Wesche, Shortsville
Ohio
Kinsey Crowe, West Alexandria
Lydia Dance, Hillsboro
McKayla Reins, Seaman
Lauren Grimes, Hillsboro
Oklahoma
Ryan Callahan, Edmond
Alisa Friesen, Arnett
Madelyn Gerken, Cashion
Sydnee Gerken, Cashion
Victoria Gerken, Cashion
Cash Langford, Okmulgee
Hudson Myers, Edmond
Jackson Ray, Holdenville
Braden Henricks, Anadarko
Oregon
Madison Cox, Eagle Point
Mariam Horton, Christmas Valley
Nicholas Sheridan, Yamhill
Pennsylvania
Bryce Fitzgerald, West Grove
Brody Fitzgerald, West Grove
Claudia Hissong, Greencastle
Eric Shoop, Dalmatia
Brent Stufflet, Lenhartsville
South Dakota
Tyler Bush, Britton
Ty Mogck, Olivet
Shally Rogen, Brandon
Amber Schiffbauer, Tonica
Madison Styles, Bentford
Alex Rogen, Brandon
Tennessee
Peyton Pruett, Bradford
Texas
Georgia Blackwell, Venus
Dylan Denny, Lubbock
Cooper Free, Salado
Kaydee Free, Salado
Stuart Lastovica, Salado
Emma Nowotny, New Braunfels
Meredith Nowotny, New Braunfels
Rylie Philipello, Bryan
Lexi Stevenson, Bedford
Emily Stovall, Corsicana
Lorie Stovall, Corsicana
Tyler Tasker, College Station
Derek Wolf, Windthorst
Vivian Wolf, Windthorst
Virginia
Linda Alexander, Berryville
Mark Alexander, Berryville
Morgan Alexander, Berryville
Lauren Beasley, Bluemont
Callie Eastin, Gretna
Catie Hope, Berryville.
Gina Hope, Berryville
Washington
Cassandra Garcia, Renton
Kelsey Vejraska, Omak
West Virginia
Reese Tuckwiller, Lewisburg
Canada
Raina Syrnyk, Manitoba
Kayla Scott, Ontario
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