A pair of La Salle-Peru Township High School students earned praise for their work in agriculture and Future Farmers of America, representing the school beyond its walls.

Ella Crane and Mollie Thomson were recognized with FFA awards by the La Salle-Peru Township High School District 120 Board of Education Wednesday night.

“These are outstanding and awesome achievements,” Board President Greg Sarver said.

Crane competed in the District Creed Speaking Career Development Event and placed first out of 10.

The competition has students in grades 7-9 enrolled in agriculture classes and participating in FFA chapters recite the five-paragraph FFA creed, written by E.M. Tiffany in 1928, from memory, and then respond to questions to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the creed, according to Illinois Agricultural Education.

Previously, Crane had competed in the Sectional Creed Speaking Career Development Event, placing second.

She now advances in the State Creed Speaking Career Development Event, competing in June, as one of the top 10 participants in the state of Illinois.

Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor Riley Hintzsche said that Crane has been working on the creed since January.

Mollie Thomson was elected by her peers to serve as the Section Seven FFA reporter.

She will oversee the 1,400 members from 15 FFA chapters in Section Seven.

Section Seven encompasses La Salle County and some parts of DeKalb and Will counties.

Thomson will help to create a cultural environment for Section Seven FFA members.

“To be elected by her peers from all 15 chapters is really a cool thing,” Hinzsche said. “They believed in her and they recognized her as a leader.”