Dillon Sheiss an Indiana Star Farmer
Published: Friday, July 10, 2020
Dillon Sheiss, a 2020 graduate of Columbia City High School, became one of this year's Stars Over Indiana at the virtual FFA State Convention held last month.
Sheiss was named Indiana's Star Farmer, one of four stu-dents who were so honored. The others won in the areas of agriscience, agribusiness and ag placement. The State Star Awards represent the best among hundreds of Hoosier FFA Degree recipients.
Finalists for the award have mastered skills in production, finance and management. The state finalists were selected based on the quality of each member's program, and achievements reported on applications submitted for their Hoosier FFA Degree.
The son of Donnie and Kelley Sheiss of Larwill, Sheiss began his FFA career while in middle school.
Sheiss built an impressive FFA resume through his six years of participation. He served as a chapter ambassa-dor, participated in many community service events, mentored younger members and has been successful in career and leadership development events.
He was named Columbia City FFA's star greenhand, outstanding sophomore and outstanding junior. A natural-born speaker, Sheiss succeeded at the state level in public and extem-poraneous speaking events.
He has also competed in the novice chapter meeting contest, state agriscience, meat judging, ag sales, the leadership ambassador event as well as his true passion, livestock evaluation.
Sheiss has been on four, state-winning livestock teams and competed in his first National Livestock Evaluation Contest as an eighth grader, when he earned All-American status at NAILE.
Sheiss has since been the high-scoring individual in two state and in two national contests and has competed in five National Livestock Evaluation con-tests.
With a keen eye for livestock and a passion for agriculture, Sheiss invested these skills into his Super-vised Ag Experience. Dillon's SAE includes owning and operating a business where he has 40 head of club calf cows, 30 show pig sows and 100 exhibition show chickens. He also grows over an acre of specialty pumpkins and gourds.
Sheiss is involved in all aspects of his project including making the breeding decisions with high quality genetics, selecting seeds for his pumpkins and gourds, and other management decisions necessary to keep his enter-prise afloat.
Sheiss plans to attend Black Hawk East College in Galva, Ill. this fall on a Livestock Evaluation Scholarship.
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