2023-2024 Annual Report
Board of Directors
A collection of passionate volunteers who provide leadership, strategic governance, and are active fundraisers for the Nebraska FFA Foundation.
Matt Dolch, President
Katherine Byrne, Secretary
Glenn Baumert, Treasurer
Cary Becker
Mark Fahleson
Spencer Hartman
Teresa Ibach
Brady Jenschke
John Langemeier
Jerry Lentfer
Laura Linden
James Nygren
Kyle Perry
Ron Preston, Vice President
Alli Raymond
Jeremy Wilhelm
Linne Vavrina
Jeff Moore, Ex-officio, Nebraska FFA Association
Representative
Richard Douglass, Ex-officio, Nebraska FFA Alumni and
Supporters Representative
Heath Ahrens, Ex-officio, Nebraska Agriculture
Educators Association
Representative
Stacey Agnew, Ex-offcio, Executive Director
2023-24 Sustainable Funding Team
This volunteer team is dedicated to the implementation of the Nebraska FFA Foundation’s sustainable funding model to increase individual engagement and giving to support the mission of the Nebraska FFA Foundation.
Stacey Agnew
RanDee Barger
Glenn Baumert
Katherine Byrne
Matt Dolch
Kyla Habrock
Spencer Hartman
Jerry Lentfer
Ashley McCarter
Morgan Ochsner
Alli Raymond
Nebraska FFA Foundation Staff
Stacey Agnew, Executive Director
Victoria Broders, Program Manager
Kyla Habrock, Development Manager
Jessica Rudolph
Ed Woeppel
Jennifer Wood
Ashley McCarter, Development Coordinator
Makenna Kirchhoff, Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Dear Friends,
As we present our annual report, we embrace the theme of “unwritten”—the untold stories and potential that lie ahead for Nebraska’s agricultural education and FFA community. It’s the members, programs, and teachers who are crafting their future, and we at the Nebraska FFA Foundation are committed to nurturing that vision through our financial support. We aim to honor the individuals, groups, and companies who are cultivating the resources that allow our mission to flourish.
Our mission is to invest in agricultural education and FFA for nearly 12,000 Nebraska FFA members and their advisors by growing leaders, building communities, and creating career connections.
In our journey to cultivate future leaders, the Nebraska FFA Foundation remains dedicated to empowering teachers through professional development funding—an investment in the unwritten chapters of their careers. By enhancing their skills and knowledge, we help shape the future of agricultural education. Our support extends to the Nebraska Agricultural Education Association’s (NAEA) Beginning Teacher Program, a vital resource for first and second-year educators as they navigate these formative years. Join us in hearing from Tony Rasmussen, the Wayne FFA Advisor, who guides these new teachers as they embark on their promising paths.
In our mission to build communities, the Nebraska FFA Foundation Grant Program plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between available resources and the quality programming that shapes futures. Your support has enabled success for agriculture education programs. We’ve highlighted Thayer Central’s School-Based Enterprise and Mead’s updated welding shop. Discover how our our work is helping to craft these inspiring stories and pave the way for new possibilities.
In creating career connections, Nebraska FFA members are writing their own stories through hands-on experiences with their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE). Discover how McCool Junction FFA member Alex Morner’s corn-picking journey evolved into a thriving enterprise, with the help of the Nebraska FFA Foundation Grant. Together, we can continue to support more FFA members as they explore the unwritten possibilities of starting their own agricultural businesses, helping them turn their aspirations into reality.
We are dedicated to the day when the unwritten potential of agricultural education students, teachers, and programs is fully realized, ensuring that Nebraska FFA and local chapters have the resources they need to thrive. It’s our responsibility to lay the groundwork for the leaders of tomorrow—those who will become the workforce and advocates for agriculture. Your support is crucial in this endeavor.
We invite you to continue exploring the stories that illustrate how your contributions are making a meaningful impact. Thank you for your commitment to the future of agricultural education and FFA members.
Sincerely,
Matt Dolch
Stacey Agnew BOARD PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mentorship Matters.
The first year of teaching for an agricultural educator can be hectic, and is often overwhelming. Not only do first-year agriculture teachers have to create class content for the first time, build relationships with their new students and coworkers, and learn the policies specific to their new schools, but they also have to navigate advising an FFA chapter and all of the duties that come with that position. Fortunately, in Nebraska, a Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association (NAEA) program supported by the Nebraska FFA Foundation exists to help ease their transition into the classroom.
The NAEA Beginning Teacher Program seeks to assist first-year agriculture teachers as they maneuver through their inaugural year. Through the Beginning Teacher Program, first-year agriculture teachers are matched with a mentor in their FFA district who provides year-round support as they transition into their new roles. This mentor also helps the new teacher set expectations for the school year and aids them in understanding the specifics of FFA in their district. Additionally, first-year teachers attend a monthly Zoom meeting where upcoming deadlines and events are discussed. Twice a year, the first-year teachers gather in-person for collaborative
professional development sessions.
Toni Rasmussen is the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor for Wayne High School, and she participated in the Beginning Teacher Program during the 2017-18 school year. In her first year of teaching, Rasmussen vividly remembers an instance when she needed help from her mentor, Kevin Anderson. She recalls how relieved she felt in that moment and how it helped her to realize she wasn’t alone. Those small moments of assistance from a mentor can make a huge difference to a first-year teacher.
Rasmussen now serves as the Mentor Coordinator for the Beginning Teacher Program. She believes that the support and community developed through the various components of the program can truly make a difference in motivating first-year teachers to persevere. The work that Rasmussen and other leaders in the Beginning Teacher Program are doing is crucial to ensuring that Nebraska agriculture teachers feel supported and that students across Nebraska continue having access to agricultural education. The Nebraska FFA Foundation is proud to support programs like this to continue our mission of growing the leaders who make agriculture education and FFA possible.
in 2023-24 there were 248 FFA advisors and agriculture educators in Nebraska, these leaders are directly impacted by your generosity!
Career Readiness in FFA
The Mead Agricultural Education program is one of many FFA chapters in Nebraska that is dedicated to giving students career readiness opportunities. They are accomplishing this by offering their FFA members high-quality, hands-on experiences in their new welding laboratory.
Two years ago, the Mead FFA Chapter received a Nebraska FFA Foundation Grant. The support from this program helped give their welding laboratory a much-needed facelift. Previous to the update, the welding booths students used were 50 years old. These booths were functional but weren’t preparing students for contests or work outside of the classroom as they were severely outdated. There were a total of five welding stations, each with a different welding technique. In order for students to learn each type of weld, they had to rotate through the stations. This took up extra time during the classes. The air filtration system in the shop was also at the end of its life and was leading to increasing safety concerns.
All of this changed with the purchase and installation of six new welding booths. Now, students can take personal charge of their learning through individualized growth and improvement of their welding skills, says the Mead FFA advisor, Cole Blomendahl. The new booths are linked to a gas manifold system and have four types of welds to choose from Oxy-Acetylene, Arc, Metal Inert Gas (MIG), and Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG).
Overall, Mead FFA has become better equipped to let students learn at their own
pace and to guide them to agriculturerelated career paths. The updated welding laboratory is more safe and efficient giving students an up-to-date experience. It is allowing students to gain experience that could help them in future careers.
in 2023-24 there were 214 FFA chapters in Nebraska, these communities are directly impacted by your generosity!
When Life Gives You Corn, Feed The Squirrels
On the Morner family farm, a new corn variety unexpectedly dropped their ears right before harvest. Alex Morner, with the help of his brother, gathered the fallen ears, curious if the lost crop would be worth something. They connected with the owner of a bird seed store in a nearby town who agreed to buy the corn to sell as squirrel corn. This experience sparked Morner’s interest and laid the foundation for his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project.
From the McCool Junction FFA Chapter, Morner turned this unexpected opportunity into a successful business. In 2023, Morner knew it was time to scale his operation. With the help of a Nebraska FFA Foundation SAE Grant, he purchased a corn picker, going all in on producing for the local bird seed store.
Now, the corn picker is hooked up to a John Deere 3020 tractor for harvest where they use gravity wagons to catch the corn as it’s picked. Once harvested, Morner enters the processing stage where it is bagged and placed into storage, ready to be delivered when inventory at the store runs low. Morner finds the work enjoyable and nostalgic, as harvesting his crop brings back happy memories of working on this equipment with his grandpa, who helped him adjust the settings on the corn picker the first time they used it.
For Morner, supplying for a local business has been a major success allowing him to focus on production rather than individual sales.
Selling squirrel chow one bag at a time was too time-consuming, so having a reliable buyer made the business more efficient and sustainable. Looking to the future, Morner hopes to land more distributors as returning customers to expand his operation further.
Morner credits his involvement in FFA as the biggest impact to his development. He is grateful for the support he’s received along the way, and expresses appreciation to the Nebraska FFA Foundation for awarding him the grant, which was essential for the growth of his business.
Morner’s story shows how the Nebraska FFA Foundation SAE Grant can help students turn a simple idea into a successful business. His journey inspires other young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and make a difference in their communities.
in 2023-24 there were 11,489 FFA members in Nebraska, these students are directly impacted by your generosity!
Programming Expenses
2023-24 Financial Impact
$4.1M Total Net Assets
$427K
$7,348.65 average dollars invested per FFA chapter
$16K in grants awarded to 12 students’ supervised agricultural experience projects
$1.8M $1.6M Expenses Revenue dollars raised through the I Believe in the Future of Ag Campaign Business and Industry Visits completed by State Officers
260 FFA Jackets donated through the Blue Jackets. Bright Futures. program
42
$89K in grants awarded to 27 agricultural education classsrooms meals packaged during the Living To Serve Event
80K
Scan the QR code to view the complete audited 2023-24 financial statement
Valued Partnerships
Thank You For Supporting Nebraska’s Youth
The following sponsors help to support state officer development, Chapter Officer Leadership Training, Ignite conference, Pathways to Careers, Launch!, chapter visits, agriscience fair, Ag Issues Academy, Middle School Academy, State FFA Degrees, Living to Serve community service event, Nebraska FFA Foundation donor events, awards, local chapter grants, I Believe in the Future of Ag, agricultural education teacher programming and state fair awards.
Sponsors
Sponsors
I Believe in the Future of Ag Forum during the 2024 Nebraska State FFA Convention
Sponsors $25,000 - $34,999
Bronze Sponsors $15,000 - $24,999
3 Star Sponsors $10,000-$14,999
True Blue Society
Your multiple year gift of at least $1,000 per year supports the Nebraska FFA Foundation’s investment in agricultural education and FFA for nearly 12,000 FFA members and their advisors.
Gift of the Rising Sun$50,000
Shane and Kelli Belohrad
Dan and Patricia Kreitman
Gift of the Plow - $25,000
Frank J. Fleecs
Ron and Lisa Preston
Jeremy and Irene Wilhelm
Jerry and Naomi Warner
Gift of Corn - $5,000
Brian and Stacey Agnew
Andrew and Alix Ambriz
Britt and Jolene Anderson
Lance and Krystal Atwater
Glenn and Lynn Baumert
Cary and Barb Becker
Vernon and Shelly Benes
John H. Bergmeyer
Anthony and Lisa Brass
Gerald and Beverly Clausen
Richard L. Cockerill
Tony and Andrea Collins
Heidi Cuca
Rick and the late Carol
Damkroger
Doug and Mary Derscheid
Matthew and Dana Dolch
Nathan and Tonia Dorn
Tom and Helen Feller
Larry and Fay Gossen
Mat and Kyla Habrock
Matthew and Lori Hannan
Spencer and Morgan
Hartman
Clinton and Jody Hoffman
Alec and Meredith Ibach
Greg and Teresa Ibach
Blaine and Brady Jenschke
Aaron and Kori Jensen
Drew and Lyndsay Jensen
Judson and Kaye Jesske
Richard and Sharon Katt
Kris Kavan and Linne
Vavrina
Scott and Tara Keetle
Gary and Diane Kubicek and Family
Jason and Carey Kubik
John and Lisa Langemeier
Laura Linden
Jerry and Tess Lentfer
Neal and Marcy Lewis
Wayne and Lori Luebbe
Barrie and Ann Luers
Pete McClymont
John and Mary McHargue
Dan Morgan
Bob and Betsy Nelson
Lee and Brenda Nelson
Brad and Pam Nygren
Keith and Doris Olsen
Kirk and Tracy Olson
Kyle and Catherine Perry
Randy Robeson, In honor of Buddy Robeson
Mike Roeber
Jeff and Brenda Rudolph
Brian and Paula Schellpeper
Rod Schroeder, In Honor of Don Tyser
Gordon and Pat Smith
Chad and Leah Trausch
Bob and Lana Urban
Jack H. and Janice Welch
Brad and Wendy Wilkins
Tom and Jennifer Wood
Donelle and Matt Wolters
Holly Wittstruck Memorial
Derek and Amanda Wright
Korey and Tammy Young
Blue & Gold Society
Your long-term planned gift can help meet various needs, including the support for new FFA chapters and new programming at both the state and local levels. Planned gifts can be through named funds, endowed funds, bequests, life insurance and annuity beneficiary designations, other financial account designations, charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts.
Brian and Stacey Agnew
Glenn G. and Lynn R. Baumert
Frank J. Fleecs
Kurt and Sarah Heideman
Richard and Lanelle Herink
Judson and Kaye Jesske
Richard and Sharon Katt
Jerry and Teresa Lentfer Family
Jack and Nancy Nemec
Diana Yearsley
Estate and Succession Planning
By: Spencer Hartman, Attorney at Rembolt Ludtke and Nebraska FFA Foundation Board Member
Families in agriculture often face unique challenges as they transition ownership and management of their operations. Who is interested in taking over? How will assets be valued and divided? Is it possible to include charitable beneficiaries in addition to family members?
Succession planning is an opportunity to work through these questions and put documents in place, specifying how assets will be managed and transferred to your beneficiaries. If you do not have an estate plan upon your death, your assets will pass according to the state’s “intestacy laws.” When considering your succession plan, we find the following questions and considerations provide a useful starting point:
Can you include a charitable beneficiary while maintaining the right to operate and maintain control of your family enterprise? Which assets make the most sense to gift to a charity and what is the most tax efficient means of doing so? One or more children may have contributed to the “sweat equity” of a family operation while others may no longer be involved. Should they share equally in your estate? Do you need life insurance to replace income or as a means of “equalizing” heirs who may not be receiving business assets?
Under current law, a 40% federal estate tax applies if more than $13,610,000 (the “exemption amount”) of assets are passed by lifetime gift or upon death to a person other than a spouse or charitable organization.
Unless Congress takes action, this exemption amount will be reduced to around $7,000,000 at the end of 2025. Importantly, there is no tax imposed on gifts over the exemption amount to charities.
Currently, you can give up to $18,000 to any person in a calendar year and it will not count against your exemption amount. While gifts over $18,000 reduce your exemption amount, it can be advantageous to gift appreciating assets so that the value of future appreciation is excluded from your estate. The trade-off is that gifted assets, such as land, do not receive a basis step-up. If gifted to a charity, this is not an issue. However, in the event of a lifetime gift to a child, the child will receive the parent’s basis in the property.
There are many other strategies available to engage in estate and gift tax planning, such as the use of charitable remainder trusts, donor-advised funds, and irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), just to name a few, but such strategies are case-specific and must be closely discussed with your professional advisors.
Each person’s estate plan should be tailored to meet their needs and desires. The key to effective planning is to start the conversation early, involve the relevant parties, and seek professional advice. If you would like to consider including the Nebraska FFA Foundation in your estate planning objectives, we have an experienced team that can review your situation and discuss planning options available to you.
Donor Spotlight
Rich and Sharon Katt
For Rich and Sharon Katt, investing in the future of Nebraska’s agricultural and educational communities has always been more than just a responsibility - it’s been a lifelong passion. With decades of involvement in FFA, Career and Technical Education, and community leadership, the Katt’s have chosen to extend their impact even further through a planned gift to the Nebraska FFA Foundation.
Rich’s journey with FFA began during his high school years, then as a Vocational Agriculture Educator/FFA Advisor and later as the Nebraska State FFA Advisor, “I spent eighteen years with Nebraska FFA and working with eighteen different state officer teams,” Rich reflected. “Those were some of the most fun times in my life, but more importantly, they were some of the most formative for both me and my students.” Sharon, deeply involved in family and consumer sciences, feels the same about her own personal growth and development, citing how both FFA and FHA (Future Homemakers of America) were integral to shaping their perspectives on leadership and service.
The Katts have seen firsthand the true power of FFA. Rich’s work has helped countless students develop the skills, confidence, and leadership abilities needed to succeed not only in agriculture but in all facets of life. “It’s not just about the technical skills,” Rich said. “It’s about helping students grow into wellrounded individuals who can contribute to their communities.”
Their planned gift will support Nebraska FFA’s mission of cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders, ensuring that future leaders will continue to have the resources they need to thrive. Rich and Sharon believe that this investment will keep the traditions of leadership, service,
and personal development alive for years to come. “We have to think about the future,” Sharon said. “We’ve had a great life, and it’s important that we support the next generation so that they can continue leading and making a difference.”
By making a planned gift, the Katts are ensuring that their legacy of support for Nebraska’s youth will live on. They encourage others to think about the long-term impact they can have by supporting programs like FFA.
Rich and Sharon’s generosity and foresight will help ensure that Nebraska FFA continues to inspire and prepare the leaders of tomorrow - leaders who will carry on the values of hard work, dedication, and community service that the Katts have advocated for throughout their lives.
Thank you to Rich and Sharon Katt for their incredible commitment to Nebraska FFA and the future of Nebraska’s agricultural leaders. Through their planned gift to the Nebraska FFA Foundation, they are planting the seeds of success for generations to come.
Leave your lasting legacy with a planned gift like Rich and Sharon Katt, the Nebraska FFA Foundation can guide you through the process. Scan the QR code to learn more
Individual Supporters
This group of individuals supported the Nebraska FFA Foundation general fund, state convention, state fair, Blue Jackets. Bright Futures. program and Nebraska FFA Association programming.
$1,000 or more
Richard Cockerill
Chase & Sarah Crawford
Craig & Emily Davidson
Mark & Sarah Fahleson
Kendell Henderson
Stacie Higgins
Linda Hoke
Blake & Holly Johnson
Grady & Emily Johnson
Philip & Shirley Johnson
John & Amey Jutten
Kent & Aundria Kirchhoff
Dustin Ladenburger
Robert & Leanne Maxwell
Kevin & Julie Ochsner
Dee Rudolph
Betty & Duane Starr
Weston & Shelby Svoboda
John & Ashley Thom
The Leroy Thom, Jean
Thom, & T L Foundation Inc.
Lee & Heidi Thurber
Brian & Heidi Wright
$500-$999
Joyce Badertscher
Tony & Jane Badertscher
Trenton & Ashton Bohling
Victor Bohuslavsky
Amanda Clymer
Leslie Denning
David & Becky Grimes
Kurt & Sarah Heideman
Andrew & Bonnie Jensen
Jason Lee
Lois Linke
Blythe McAfee
Boone McAfee
James & Sarah Mullen
Trevor Spath
Alan Stephens
Dennis & Natalie Toalson
Tom & Debbie Volk
Ray & the Late Jolene Ward
Gene & Rose Wissenburg
Carolyn & the Late Gayle
Wize
$100-$499
Benjamin Trampe
Raymond & Judy Althouse
Keith & Brenda Anderson
Wendy Anderson
Al & Sallie Atkins
Kevin & Denise Atwater
William & Carleen Barger
William & RanDee Barger
Dave & Victoria Barnard
Mike Barrett
Brad & Bonnie Bauer
Dennis & Gail Bazata
Jana Beckman
Lloyd Bell
Jill Bena
Randy Birchem
Philip Bletscher
Brittany Bolte
Janice Bopp
Gary L Bredehoft
Tom & Kelli Brewer
Andrew & Victoria Broders
Josh & Amie Broz
Denise Brozek
Homer Buell
Jacob & Katherine Byrne
Krista Carter
Larry Cerny & Marian Nebe
Gene & Alfretta Claver
Dean Folkers & Jennifer Conway
Lynna Gene Cook
Eric & Megan Dam
Randy & Karen DeBoer
Darin Dubas
Cliff & Mary Ehlers
Vern Ehlers
Tim Esser
Bob & Judy Feller
Ron & Beth Fitzke
Calvin & Rita Fix
Tim & Janet Foss
Scott & Jackie France
Jaclyn Frey
Milt & the late Joann Fricke
Josh & Krystle Friesen
Norm & Shirley Fritz
Kelly Gaeth
Gary & Carmen Godbersen
Kendra Godbersen
John & Ashley Goertzen
Kimberly & the late Lonnie
Goff
Zachary Gray
Dale & Deborah Grosbach
Mark & Kristi Gustafson
Mark Hahn Farms Inc
Richard Hahn
Ryan & Kristen Hassebrook
Kevin Henrichson
Clayton & Jill Hensley
Karl & Margaret Hensley
Richard & Lanelle Herink
Timothy & Jenny Higgins
Michael & Mary Pat Hoag
Stephen Hoff
Matt & Amanda Hoffmann
Marilyn Houdek
Larry & Carol Hudkins
Dennis & Julie Jarecke
Claude & Linda Jensen
Tom Jensen & Nora Turner
Harold Johnson
Jerry & Arlene Johnson
Karlene Johnson
Norma Jones
Neal Kanel
Jon & Jean Katt
Cody Knopp & Krystl Knabe
Kevin & Barb Kock
Spencer & Katie Kock
Jane Krause
Colin & Nicole Kubik
Michaella Kumke
Scott Kurz
Roland Langemeier
Al & Mary Lerch
Rebecca Levene
Neal & Marcy Lewis
Alex Linden
Laura Linden
Dale Linsenmeyer
Bob & Stephanie Liska
Dave & Joan Loseke
Kurt & Kari Loseke
Ken & Mary Madden
Dustin & Tammy Mashino
Martin & Ruth Massengale
Carol McDermitt
Bob & Karen McNeff
Judy Meier
Donald J. Merlo
Tammy Meyer
Joel & Stephanie Miller
Jeff Moore
Sam & Jody Most
Wayne Motycka
Mark Nelson
Abbie Nordhausen
Troy Otte
Mark Otto
Ron & Michelle Papa
James Paschal
Jason & Kylie Penke
Stan & Susan Penke
Richard & Ann Perry
Logan Peters
Kennard & Linda Pohlman
Kent & Jodi Pulfer
Janna Quaring
Gary & Betsy Raymer
Aaron & Alli Raymond
Bruce Reeder
Dave Reese
Jonathan & Abbie Rempel
Daniel R. Ripa
Daniel Roeber
David Rolf
Eva Roubal
Ron Sabatka
John & Barb Scharf
Asha Scheideler
Andrew Schellpeper
Jeff Schellpeper
Robert Sindt
Jon Sonderup
Steward & Kris Spath
Dennis Stara
Brian Stevens
Doug & Jenise Straight
Lynda Suhr
Ryan & Isabelle Talkington
Rick Tank
David & Alyce Tejral
Judy Tejral
Shane & Kelly K Terrell
Ron & Jeanne Tinkham
Bruce & Cheryl Trautman
Justin & Kimberley Troudt
Clint & Stacie Turnbull
Mike & Rebecca Vales
Clint & Samantha
Vandenberg
Rick Vest
Randy & Donna Vlasin
Ronald & Agnes Vollmer
Steve & Jessie Waller
Carol Waters
Brenda Watson
Kalby Wehrbein
Charles Weinstein
Bruce & Jean Wendt
Connie Weston
Marsha Whetham
Bill White
Matthew Wiegand
Ryan & Iris Wiese
Debra & Colton Williams
Dayle E. Williamson
Susan & the late Jim
Willman
Laura Wisnieski
Leon & Susan Wissmann
Ed & Lisa Woeppel
Dan & Cindi Wolfe
Austin Woltemath
Robert Wright
Garry & Sharon Young
Dale & Linda Zoerb
Kurt Kechely Memorial Endowment
Agricultural education weaves together classroom instruction, leadership development through participation in FFA, and Supervised Agricultural Experiences for students. This powerful combination inspires young minds and cultivates the spirit of entrepreneurship for generations to come.
Honoring an extraordinary individual, Kurt Kechely, a beloved business and community leader, the Ron and Lisa Preston family, alongside Kechely’s close business partners and friends, have come together with the Nebraska FFA Foundation to establish the Kurt Kechely Memorial Endowment. This endowment will memorialize his unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation of agricultural leaders through supervised agricultural experiences and school-based enterprises for the Norris and Lyons-Decatur FFA chapters
This memorial is rooted in the belief that education and entrepreneurship go hand in hand, reflecting Kechely’s deep commitment to his community and his determination to help others find their path. Lisa Preston recalls, “Kurt Kechely
had a very strong passion and desire to help individuals reach their full potential in both their personal and professional lives.” His belief in self-investment was not merely a notion; it was a guiding principle that brought about life-changing opportunities. Ron Preston echoed her sentiments, remembering how even as a young man, Kurt was a force of nature, filled with an entrepreneurial spirit. He dedicated himself not just to transforming his own life, but also to lifting those around him, sharing his knowledge and igniting the flames of ambition in countless others.
Stacey Agnew, the executive director of the Nebraska FFA Foundation, expresses the foundation’s appreciation in establishing this endowment in Kechely’s memory. “He exemplified many qualities we hope for FFA members to gain, such as an entrepreneurial spirit and investing in communities,” she underscores the values that will continue to guide aspiring agricultural leaders.
This endowment ensures that Kurt Kechely’s legacy lives on—lighting the way for those who dare to dream and strive for greatness.
Food Technology in the Classroom
The Thayer Central FFA Chapter’s school-based enterprise, TC Freeze, is giving students hands-on experience in entrepreneurship. The chapter participated in Launch!, a Nebraska FFA program coordinated by the UNL Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program with the goal of teaching Nebraska FFA students the ins and outs of starting their own business. At the Launch! Quick Pitch, Thayer Central Students pitched their business and were awarded funding from the Nebraska FFA Foundation to purchase a freeze dryer.
With the freeze dryer in place, TC Freeze has been steadily growing. The profits from their sales have been invested to expand their inventory and improve storage methods, allowing them to better organize and seal their products. Though managing the business during the school day is difficult due to the students being in different class periods, TC Freeze shines during home games and school events, where they make most of their sales.
This experience has opened students’ eyes to the reality of running a business. They’ve discovered that starting a company requires a lot of time and effort, particularly when dealing with food processing. Rachel
Eickman, Thayer Central FFA Advisor shares “Not all candy freezes at the same rate, which has been a learning curve but students have become better time managers and budgeters as a result. Despite the challenges, they love the product and are passionate about selling it.“
For Eickman, TC Freeze has been one of her proudest accomplishments as a teacher. The students have an ownership mindset when it comes to the business, making their own decisions and running operations with little need for intervention. While Eickman occasionally steps in to offer guidance and a helping hand, her students are motivated to achieve their goals and take full responsibility of the work it takes to get there. This is TC Freeze’s second year of opperation. Eickman shares, “the business is set to grow, and there’s plenty of enthusiasm for what’s ahead.”
TC Freeze has not only taught students about the work behind a startup, but also helped them build essential skills like perseverance, teamwork, and creative-problem solving. The Thayer Central FFA chapter is excited to see how TC Freeze continues to grow, and impact students in the upcoming years!
