Ram Write-Up - Maple Valley Community Schools

First State Bank
representatives show
students the importance
of saving money
By Aaron Bechen
“A penny saved is a penny earned.” This
is a slogan commonly quoted and that’s what
Angie Shrank and Tammy Flaningan from
First State Bank in Mapleton came to prove
to MVAO High School students.
With all the concern of social security being
dissolved in future years, they showed
kids what the outcome could be in the future--if
they started saving now.
On April 29th, Tammy Flanigan and Angie
Shrunk came to the high school and went to
several classes. They showed how significant
a person’s later years and retirement
could be if they started putting money away
today.
They discussed a number of accounts that
money could be placed in for a number of
years to gain interest and grow without doing
a thing to it. “Let your money work for
you,” stated Tammy. Other options to make
By Jesse Nielsen
This month’s heap has one big advantage,
it’s for sale! Yes it’s none other than Jared
Hagemann’s 1985 Ford Ranger. Powered by
the still carbureted 2.3 four cylinder motor,
this little truck will run forever.
The Ranger is mostly in good order but
has its problems. The blinkers don’t blink
but they stay on. The dash is duck taped together
because it was so cracked up (with
camouflage tape). The door panels are loose
and the passenger door won’t open from the
inside. The radio is gone, the plastic piece
that surrounds the temperature controls is
broken, and the exhaust is currently gone.
The problems he has already fixed are putting
new sheet metal on the floor because it
had a hole, replacing the stock bench seat
money that were presented to the classes
were stocks and bonds.
Students were shown that stocks and
bonds were investments that would return
dividends, but they take more money to get
started and there could be a risk of losing
money.
Tammy and Angie brought to the students
attention if they put $2000 dollars into savings
every year after they start working, by
the time they were 50 or 60 years of age, the
amount of money would be enormous.
They explained that if a person were to
practice some of the things they presented,
and if social security were to dissolve, there
would be nothing to worry about because we
would have enough money to retire.
People would be able to live the kind of
lifestyle they wanted to have after retirement.
They wouldn’t have to worry about working
the rest of their lives to support themselves.
Page 4, The Ram Write-Up, Maple Valey Anthon-Oto Schools
FFA holds annual banquet,
auction, petting zoo
By Jesse Nielsen
The FFA held
its awards banquet
on April
25th. The money
was given out for
awards and
prizes. Students
were given
awards for all of
their hard work.
“ It was a pretty
fun time. Lots of
awards were
given out. It was
good to be acknowledged
for all of the hard work,”said Senior
Craig Riesberg who won $175 through a
combination of awards.
The awards vary in type. There are leadership,
proficiency, star, senior, and adult
awards. There were five adults recognized
for different things in the community. All of
the cash prizes were donation but the awards
were from the FFA account. This year they
saved money by making the plaques themselves.
The FFA barbeque was held on May 16th.
The barbeque is held annually to thank all of
the FFA members for their hard work and to
thank the teachers for letting the students out
of class. In previous years it was held outside
Mr. Miller’s old shop. This year it was
held outside the new shop by the greenhouse.
The food was cooked by Mr. Berkenpas
and Mrs. Benson. It was served by the FFA
Heap of the month
members. After
they served, they
got to eat.
There were
hamburgers and
pork chops for
the main course.
There were also
two kinds of
chips and pork
and beans as
sides. Tang was
served to wash it
all down.
The FFA Slave
Auction was held
May 13th. The auction is held to raise money
for the FFA account. This account is used for
various things, including the banquet, the
awards, the lazer engraver, etc. One of the
most important things it is used for is trips.
“I want all students to be able to participate
in all events, regardless of their financial situation.
That way, we have the money beforehand
and are not in a rush to get it,” said Mr.
Benson.
The auction is held every two years and
FFA members are auctioned off to do work
for a preset amount of time. Students do not
have to be present to be sold and can be sold
in groups or individually. The shifts are two,
four, six, or eight hours long. Students have
been sold for up to $200 In the past. All
togeather the FFA made about $2000! This
year the highest was $125. This goal was hit
by Jeff Bruning, Korey Rotnicke, and Kelsey
Rotnicke.
with Grand Am seats, and replacing the wheel
bearing. He also had new tires put on it.
The funniest time in the Ranger was when
it was raining and he ran out of gas. Jared had
to get out in his socks and push it to Sinclair.
The dumbest time in the Ranger was when
the exhaust started to drag so Jared tied it up
with a shoe string because he was close to his
destination. After that, it broke off by the muffler
but the shoe string held and dragged the
rest of the way there.
Jared’s future plans are to sell the Ranger
to buy a college vehicle. Before he decided to
sell it, he was thinking of having a hood scoop
put on.
He’s had some good times and some bad
times with the Ranger but Jared can say he
will never forget it.