Celebrate

It's time to celebrate some amazing FFA members of past and present, along with some excellent support staff who made a large project happen this week.

Congratulations to the New Richmond FFA Program on receiving a $5,000 donation from ACLIVIA and their business partner, BNA Realty in Hudson! Bill Wanner of BNA Realty in Hudson, and Rodney Balvitsch, Alcivia COO, stopped by to donate $5,000 to the New Richmond FFA Program! We are so grateful for their support of our FFA chapter! Thank you Alcivia and BNA Realty!

The core causes that ALCIVIA supports are the members, communities, and organizations that seek to promote a positive image of the agricultural industry, youth leadership development, and agricultural education, including the FFA.

Our Agriscience Instructor, Rachel Sauvola, was able to give Mr. Wanner and Mr. Balvitsch a tour of all the inspiring projects happening in our agriculture department as well as our SOAR Farm!

It is with great pride that the School District of New Richmond announces a wonderful accomplishment. Rose Gillis, an NRHS graduate who is studying to be a future agriscience instructor and FFA advisor herself, has earned the American FFA Degree. This is the highest honor bestowed upon a member of the organization after YEARS of hard work and dedication. Less than one percent of the 945,000+ FFA members ever achieve this status, and she has been approved for this amazing achievement. In 1988, Gillis' teacher, Rachel Sauvola, also achieved this accomplishment and commends Gillis on reaching this esteemed level. In order to reach this level, Gillis has to first earn her Discovery, Greenhand, Chapter, and State FFA Degrees. Congratulations, Rose Gillis, on this honor that truly exemplifies your commitment to agriculture. Setting goals and working hard every day to reach them is how you have earned the American FFA Degree. The School District of New Richmond is very proud!

The School District of New Richmond is honored to announce that Abby Sauvola made it into the National FFA Chorus. She will be at the National FFA Convention from Saturday, October 28, through Sunday, November 5. Sauvola will meet the other FFA members from across the country, get her music, practice, and then perform every day on the national stage where over 70,000 FFA members gather in Indianapolis, Indiana. Performances will be held during the sessions, shows, and concerts throughout the convention. There are only 50 members chosen out of hundreds of applications! This would not have been possible without the extra efforts made by Jodi Mealey, helping to get the audition sent in. Mealey also assisted back in February with Sauvola's audition to the State FFA Honors Chorus. Sauvola had a tremendous time performing and singing two solo pieces during the State FFA Convention and Wisconsin State Fair as a result of her being chosen to be in our State Chorus. This was her second year singing at the state level. She was one of 72 students selected out of over 21,000 members in Wisconsin. Congratulations, Abby Sauvola, on a grand accomplishment!

The School District of New Richmond is excited to announce that Rain Taylor has received a National nomination for the National FFA Talent Competition after placing fifth at the State FFA Convention. With the help of Jodi Mealey, Taylor submitted her audition for National FFA Talent and was able to perform at State. Although Taylor was not selected to compete in Nationals this year, we are thrilled with her accomplishments and hope to see her performing again soon! Congratulations, Rain Taylor, on this amazing accomplishment!

The School District of New Richmond is honored to announce the recent accomplishments of our Agriscience Instructor, Rachel Sauvola. In June of 2023, Sauvola was named the Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators Teacher Mentor of the Year! Sauvola was selected by agriculture teacher peers to receive this esteemed recognition. Sauvola enjoys impacting teachers across the state and country in all stages of their educational journeys and looks forward to continuing her growth as well. 

Sauvola also had the opportunity to teach agriculture teachers from around Wisconsin at the Ag Inquiry Institute in Oshkosh, WI. She was able to do this through her role as a Mentor Facilitator for the National Association of Agricultural Educators. 

Sauvola was also nominated and chosen to receive the Honorary American FFA Degree, the highest honor bestowed upon the organization for non-student members. This honor recognizes individuals who have provided exceptional service on a national level to agriculture, agricultural education, and FFA. Individuals selected have served their community and have supported the agriculture industry. Four people from Wisconsin were selected this year to receive their degree at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana in early November.  

“All of our recent successes are an incredible start to year 25 and nothing I would have ever imagined happening,” says Sauvola. “It's proof that when students and teachers like me begin their agricultural journey in the 6th grade, starting to set goals for themselves, anything is possible. I am blessed to be in New Richmond, a community that supports agricultural education!”

Congratulations, Rachel Sauvola, on your many accomplishments, and we are excited to see what you will achieve next!