Addison Green Russell, Lakeside; Ruby GosmelOsthoff, Smith Center; Marisa Wasinger, Hays; Ella Neher, Hays; Madison Johnson, Phillipsburg; Emma Karst, Russell
SOUTH CENTRAL
Kaitlynn Bina, Centre; Jase Beltz, Canton-Galva; Garrett Lanning, Fairfield; Braedan Stutzman, Inman; Jackson McCurry, Andale; Addison Bina, Centre
Education Instructor Matthew Anguanio works with a student using land surveying equipment.
by Jory Ratzlaff, State FFA President
It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of our year as State Officers. Spring is a wonderfully busy stretch of the year, with many happenings to be part of. We’ve spent this season attending final chapter events, banquets, helping organize State CDEs, and preparing for the 97th Kansas FFA State Convention.
Yet, even so close to the end of the school year, there are still so many opportunities to pursue. Whether you’re one year into FFA, soon to be graduated, or an avid supporter, the end of the year is only the beginning for another bountiful year of events. And it all starts with State Convention in Manhattan, Kansas.
The town will be filled with blue jackets, with the chance to engage with others, experience exciting activities, be a part of old
traditions, and grow new skills as leaders and advocates for agriculture. Spring is a season of renewal, with many new beginnings to explore, and we’re encouraging you all to “seek, innovate, and grow” in all areas of agriculture and FFA! See you soon to celebrate this year at the 97th Kansas FFA State Convention!
Together the Kansas and National FFA Foundations award over $200,000 to senior and college age Kansas FFA members every year to further their educational efforts.
This edition of the Kansas FFA Future Farmer is underwritten by Frontier Farm Credit made possible by their Working Here Fund. Learn more about Frontier Farm Credit at www.frontierfarmcredit.com
May 27th through the 30th, over 2,800 Kansas FFA members, advisors and guests will gather in Manhattan for the 97th Kansas FFA Convention. Hear from your 2024-2025 State Officer Team about the many opportunities for members to seek out during the event.
Jory
“The McDonald’s Blue & Gold Conclave is an opportunity to share about the innovative ideas we’ve researched, learn about works of others, and connect with people from across the state of Kansas over a shared love for learning, agriculture, and FFA.”
Hayley
“The Proficiency Award Luncheon is a time to celebrate members who are finalists in their award areas. These students have gone above and beyond in their Supervised Agricultural Experiences. It is great for members to mingle with sponsors and enjoy a meal together.”
Quinn Mason
“Every year during State Convention, members have the opportunity to take part in a service project. This aspect of convention really highlights the work FFA does. We are here to serve and advocate for agriculture. This project allows members to make an impact in the local community.”
“The Opportunity Fair is one of my favorite parts of State Convention because of the unlimited networking opportunities. You never know who you’ll run into at the Opportunity Fair, whether that is family friends, peers that have worked with your family, or another FFA member.”
“The Delegate Experience is a time of celebration, deliberation, and action for members selected by their chapters leading up to State Convention! Delegates play an integral role in the state officer candidate and committee topic debate process. These are inspiring tasks!”
“General Sessions at State Convention are where the energy’s high, the music’s loud, and the inspiration is even louder. From speakers who make us laugh and think, to moments that make us sit up a little straighter in our blue jackets, these sessions remind us why we’re here.”
Natalee
STORY FOR THE AGES A Comeback
by Amy Hadachek
Re-birth of Chanute FFA energizes student interest and offers affiliated membership after extended absense from the community.
This is an inspirational story of how Chanute, Kansas built and propelled a robust FFA program; providing free membership for every student and offering myriad intriguing programs; while impressively growing food for their school. It’s especially staggering because, although it was one of the first 11 chapters chartered in 1929, it went dormant for several decades. Teachers left and weren’t replaced.
However, an ardently supportive Chanute community; passionate about rebuilding the FFA chapter, generously contributed money and energy to help FFA and Agricultural Education soar at Chanute in all three aspects of ag education; Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE,) FFA and in the classroom.
“It has a lot to do with showing kids – the available classes. Once they found their path, enrollment grew in classes which include four different ag pathways: plant systems pathway, animal systems pathway, power/structural/ and technical systems pathway, and diversified agricultural pathway for kids who want a variety of plant science, animal science and shop,” said
Caitlyn LaHaye; Agricultural Educator and FFA co-advisor along with Zach Callaghan.
“ It has a lot to do with showing kids – the available classes. Once they found their path, enrollment grew in classes, ” - Caitlyn LaHaye
After its re-birth seven years ago, Chanute FFA’s enrollment increased and needed two teachers. Enthusiasm from the administration and community made a huge difference.
“Chanute has been hungry for a chapter for years. Caitlyn brought the chapter back in fall 2018 and was by herself until 2023. I got here last year,” said Zach Callaghan. “We’re able to offer a lot more classes and enroll more students.”
Known as an affiliated chapter, any Chanute student who is enrolled in agriuculture education
Chanute High School Animal Science Learning Center Campaign kick off: May 2024.
classes becomes an FFA member at no cost to them or their families
“This means every student enrolled in an ag class automatically becomes an FFA member each fall. Several sponsors in the community see so much value in ag education, that they pay for it every year,” Callaghan said.
The community is rural but the chapter also has students who live in-town, and agriculture is flourishing in many directions at Chanute.
Chanute is the first chapter to grow leafy greens inside a huge shipping container; thanks to Leafy Green Farms in Pittsburg, Kansas which launched this initiative in southeast Kansas communities. They trained students how to grow leafy greens vertically, hydroponically inside a shipping container, and now Chanute FFA grows spinach, romaine, swiss chard, red fire, basil, mint and herbs. The lettuce goes back into their school and some people purchase the greens weekly. The leafy greens are also sold at the farmers market.
The company helped with the fundraising, secured grants for the farm and continues helping with maintenance and monthly check-ins, LaHaye said. Chanute FFA members grow and harvest lettuce year-round, as a 65 degree temperature is maintained inside the shipping container with 70% to 80% humidity.
Funds have also been raised for Chanute FFA’s $1.4 million animal science learning center; expected to be built by spring 2026. A local farm family donated five acres of land nearby. There will be pens for SAE projects and class labs. Monies were raised through a capital campaign, and an advisory committee visited homes and businesses, and secured grants for it.
Engaging in local communities is recommended for any newly-established chapters. The advisors say they wouldn’t have their new building or their lettuce farm without that support.
“When you’re new, you’re focusing on teaching and getting kids involved, but just taking time to talk to farmers and businesses can really help,” Callaghan said.
“Start projects a little at a time,” LaHaye added. “Opportunities are there for all the kids; we just help them find the passion for things they love the most.”
WHAT IS AGRICULTURE EDUCATION ALL ABOUT?
Agricultural Education strives to inform students about the significance and inner workings of the agriculture industry. The agricultural education experience is based on a three-component school-based model consisting of Classroom/Laboratory, Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), and FFA. Students who experience this model to its fullest are able to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to real-life scenarios and experiences in their own SAE and FFA involvement.
All three components are important in building a strong agricultural education program.
HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM ENGAGING STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THEIR SAES AND IN FFA?
COMMUNICATIONS STORY A Sweet
by Lucas Shivers
A past Iowa FFA member will speak about her unique role in the agriculture industry during the 97th Kansas FFA Convention.
Creating a uniquely specialized marketing agency called Sweet Briar Creative from the ground-up, Alyssa Walsh serves clients all across the country and worldwide thanks to her background in FFA.
“I grew up a generation removed from agriculture in Muscatine, Iowa,” Walsh says. “I was first introduced to FFA through our middle school agricultural program, and I knew early on that I wanted to include an ag class in my high school schedule.”
As part of a mostly urban chapter with more than 90% of members living inside city limits, her first real exposure to the industry was through learning the FFA Creed.
“As a shy student with no agriculture background, my ag teachers instilled in me confidence, enthusiasm and a love for agriculture,” Walsh says. “I credit so much of who I am today to those early memories. I went on to become my chapter’s Creed speaker, advancing through sub-districts, districts, and finally to the state competition.”
From there, her favorite parts of FFA were learning about agriculture and growing her passion for communicating it.
“I had the opportunity to compete on a livestock judging team and an ag sales team throughout high school,” Walsh says. “Although I loved the contests, looking back, my favorite memories are of growing and learning alongside a team of likeminded, hardworking, passionate peers.”
Thanks to the support from her four chapter FFA advisors, she laid the foundation for long-term passion for agriculture.
“It led me to study agricultural communications in college and opened doors to start my own business and serve the industry that I now know
and love,” Walsh says.
Graphic design quickly rose to the top of her program because of her childhood love for style, art and design.
“I became intrigued by videography and its impact on storytelling,” Walsh says. “I loved the emotion videography could capture and felt it was an underutilized tool in the agriculture industry. I am completely self-taught in both graphic design and videography. I like to joke that I attended the ‘University of YouTube.’”
Her determination to learn these skills outside of a traditional classroom setting can be traced back to her time in FFA, where she learned the value of setting goals, working independently and finding creative solutions.
“Today, I own and operate Sweet Briar Creative, where I specialize in graphic design and videography services for the agriculture industry,” Walsh says.
As an entrepreneur, she takes on multiple responsibilities and duties.
“Some days, I’m traveling the country to serve video clients; other days, I’m doing the ‘glamorous’ tasks like organizing receipts and managing administrative work,” Walsh says. “Running a business requires a willingness to do it all.”
To empower others to learn creative skills, she has created several digital courses designed for students of all ages to learn at their own pace. FFA gave her the ability to problem-solve, find solutions and pivot when needed.
“Throughout my time in livestock judging, other CDEs, and showing livestock, things didn’t always go as planned,” Walsh says. “Those moments taught me to adapt, stay positive, and keep moving forward. FFA taught me how to set big goals, work hard to achieve them, and persevere when things don’t go perfectly. Those lessons are truly the foundation of who I am today.”
FFA not only introduced her to an industry that works tirelessly to provide safe, nutritious food for the world, but it also led her to friends, mentors and advisors.
“It’s impossible to quantify the full reach and impact of FFA, but I know without a doubt that I would be in a completely different place today if it weren’t for the guidance of my advisors, the teamwork of my peers, and the heart and organization of the FFA program itself,” Walsh says.
With her husband, Daniel, who they met at Iowa State through animal science classes, have the privilege of starting and growing a cattle company called Regal Cattle.
“As I look toward the future of both Sweet Briar Creative and Regal Cattle, at the heart of it all is a shared mission: to give back,” Walsh says. “Through offering internships at Sweet Briar and mentoring youth through Regal Cattle, I hope to provide even a fraction of the opportunities and encouragement.”
Now living in Manhattan, the Walshs are thrilled to get involved in the local community and support Kansas FFA. Follow the adventures at @SweetBriarCreative or @Regal_Cattle.
HEAR MORE OF ALYSSA’S STORY AND ADVICE DURING SESSION 6 OF THE 97TH KANSAS FFA CONVENTION!
