(Atlantic) The Atlantic FFA Banquet was held on Sunday, March 30th at Atlantic High School.
There were 195 members and guests in attendance at the event. The banquet began with opening ceremonies led by the 2024–2025 chapter officers. This year’s officers include President Lola Comes, Vice President Lily Johnson, Secretary Lauren Comes, Treasurer Hayden Kleen, Reporter Maddy Anderson, Sentinel Frank Freund, and Student Advisor Joaquin Wailes.
2024–2025 Chapter President Lola Comes said, “The FFA banquet is a reflection of each member’s hard work, incentives, and dedication to the agriculture industry. We spent the evening sharing our accomplishments and enjoying great food with parents, alumni, and current FFA members.”
The opening ceremony was followed by a welcome address delivered by President Lola Comes. Dinner was then served for members and guests, with pulled pork and sides provided by Wiota Steakhouse.
At the conclusion of dinner, two guest speakers addressed the audience. The first was Drew Comes, father of FFA President Lola Comes. Mr. Comes spoke about how FFA is a valuable program and how it can significantly impact your future if you put in the effort.
The second speaker was Atlantic FFA Alumni President Tyler Comes. The alumni chapter hosted a silent auction that raised over $1,300 for future scholarships.
Lauren Comes presented the Secretary’s Report, and Hayden Kleen delivered the Treasurer’s Report.
Following the reports, awards were presented. First were the members recognized for earning 10,000 FFA points during their time in the chapter. These points are earned by participating in chapter activities and events. Those recognized for reaching 10,000 points included Mia Kloewer, Lola Comes, and McKenna Sonntag.
The next award was the Academic Achievement Award, given to members who have been part of the Atlantic FFA chapter for at least three years and maintained a GPA of 3.5 or higher throughout. Recipients included Carter Witzman, Lola Comes, Joci Zarbaono, McKenna Sonntag, and Mia Kloewer.
Next were the Star Awards: Star Greenhand, Star in Ag Placement, and Star in Ag Production.
The Star Greenhand is awarded to a freshman who the chapter officers feel was the most involved during the past year. This year’s recipient was Walter Freund.
The Star in Ag Placement is awarded to a member who has demonstrated excellence in their employment, whether within or outside of agriculture. This award went to Joaquin Wailes.
The Star in Ag Production was awarded to Lola Comes for her dedication to agriculture, FFA, and her work on Comes Farms.
For the 2025–2026 term, the new chapter officers selected two members to receive the Atlantic FFA Leadership Award, which honors those who have shown strong leadership throughout their years in FFA. The recipients were Mia Kloewer and McKenna Sonntag.
The officers also selected the Drew & Kim Comes Family to receive the Honorary Chapter Farmer Award, which is given to individuals or families who have played a significant role in supporting the Atlantic FFA chapter and its activities.
This year, 16 members received the Discovery Degree, which is awarded to members finishing their 8th-grade year who have been involved in FFA for one year.
Those who completed one year of high school agriculture received the Greenhand Degree, awarded to 20 members.
Finally, 17 members received the Chapter FFA Degree, which is given to members who have participated in FFA for at least two years in high school or three years including their 8th-grade year.
The banquet concluded with the installation of the 2025–2026 chapter officers. The newly elected officers are:
President: Lauren Comes
Vice President: Frank Freund
Secretary: Lily Johnson
Treasurer: Hayden Kleen
Reporter: Maddy Anderson
Sentinel: Keston Schmitt
Student Advisor: Claire Schroder
2025–2026 President Lauren Comes said, “We were excited to see yet another great turnout at this year’s FFA banquet. It was amazing to see how well our members have been involved over the last year, and it shows that we will have great improvement in the future. Our officer team did an outstanding job organizing everything for the night, helping the banquet run smoothly. I want to thank all of the seniors for their hard work and dedication to this chapter and wish them all the best in the future!”
