Introducing your 2023-2024 Indiana FFA State Officer Team!

Kelby Roberts - State President

Hello, Indiana FFA! I am Kelby Roberts, absolutely ecstatic to be serving as your 2023-2024 Indiana FFA State President! My love for agriculture started in my home community of Rush County, Indiana in District 9 and has only expanded in my time as a member of the Rushville FFA Chapter. Growing up surrounded by Hereford cattle, I planted my roots in the livestock industry but quickly found a passion for all aspects of agriculture, specifically advocacy, and look forward to furthering this passion in my year of service! I'm a lover of authentic Navajo jewelry, competitive livestock, quality time with family and friends, and "Texas Country" music. I cannot wait for the year ahead and to meet you all, very soon! 

Maddie Denton - State Secretary

Hello Indiana FFA! My name is Maddie Denton, proudly serving as your 2023-2024 Indiana FFA State Secretary! I hail from the Blue River Valley FFA Chapter in the “oh so fine, District 9.” I live around 2 hours from the FFA Leadership Center in a small town called Mooreland, which holds only 200 people. I came into FFA as an 8th grader with no agricultural background, but through FFA I was able to develop my passion for agriculture! I love lemons, people, hot chocolate, and anything related to the beach! I also love that I have been given the opportunity to meet each and every single one of you! See you all soon!!

Conner Keeslar - State Northern Region Vice President

Hello Indiana FFA! My name is Conner Keeslar and I am currently serving as the 2023-2024 Indiana FFA Northern Region Vice President. Proudly growing up in LaGrange, Indiana, I hail from the Prairie Heights FFA Chapter located in District 3. Having a family farm, I’ve grown up showing 4-H animals. Surprisingly, I am a first generation FFA member. I absolutely love to be outside and love to constantly be working. I am excited to serve Indiana FFA!

Blaine Wagner - State Southern Region Vice President

Hello Indiana FFA!  My name is Blaine Wagner and I am excited to serve as your 2023-2024 Indiana FFA Southern Region Vice President! I proudly represent the North Decatur FFA chapter in District 12.  I am from Saint Paul, Indiana. From my grandparents’ cattle ranch in Wyoming to my other grandparents’ hog and grain farm in Ohio to landscapers to an apple orchard my family is rooted in agriculture.  Personally, I come from a small hobby farm with two pygmy goats (who think they are dogs), four pigs (who try to swim in my creek), three chickens (only one attacks my sister), three rambunctious dogs, and two spoiled cats.  With a mom and aunt who are both ag teachers and pretty much every aunt, uncle, grandparent, and cousin having been an FFA member, it is safe to say FFA runs deep in my family. I have loved attending FFA activities for as long as I can remember!  If I'm not at an FFA event, I enjoy spending my weekends doing agility with my border collies, Molly and Moose. Dog agility combines my love of animals with my competitive spirit. I can't wait to play some Putt-Putt with you at State Fair, ring some cowbells with you at SOAR, and have some fun with you during chapter visits! 

Caden Sixberry - State Treasurer

I’m Caden Sixberry, and I am blessed with the privilege to serve Indiana FFA as the 2023-2024 State Treasurer. I have grown up in rural Montgomery County, Indiana, in District 4. I am proud to say that I am from the Southmont FFA Chapter. I grew up on a small homestead, and this is what sparked my interest for agriculture. Throughout my time in FFA, I eventually learned that it takes people from all backgrounds to make the agricultural industry thrive. Some of the events I competed in were Soils, Crops, Parliamentary procedures, Floriculture, and several different LDE’s. Outside of FFA, I enjoy going to the gym with my friends, playing cards, and making new friends. A fun fact about me is that I can always go for a nice glass of sweet tea, and peach tea is my all time favorite! I am really looking forward to this year where I will have the chance to meet so many of you, and be inspired by your stories! Let’s go Indiana FFA!!!

Carson Rudd - State Reporter

Hey Indiana FFA, I am Carson Rudd currently serving as your 2023-2024 Indiana FFA State Reporter! I proudly call Flora, Indiana home, and I hail from the Carroll @ Flora FFA Chapter in District 5. Although I grew up in a rural setting, I did not have any farming or agriculture connections prior to my time in FFA, but through participating in FFA for the past 6 years, I have been able to grow a love and passion for all things agriculture! Outside of FFA you might be able to find me on the tennis courts, spending quality time with my friends and family, or laying by the pool... yes that's right this redhead loves tanning! I am ecstatic to get to know the almost 14,000 members of Indiana FFA, and I hope to see you all very soon!

Tanner Weakley - State Sentinel

What’s up, Indiana FFA? My name is Tanner Weakley hailing from the Western Boone FFA chapter in District 4. I am proudly serving as your 2023-2024 Indiana FFA State Sentinel! Growing up in Lebanon, Indiana I didn’t know much about agriculture or FFA until I joined my 8th grade year. I enjoy showing sheep and spending time with friends! I’m a very outgoing individual and a HUGE Oklahoma State University fan! I’m super excited to meet all of you and serve Indiana FFA! I’ll see you around!

                                                                                                - 2023-2024 Indiana FFA State Officer Team

Rooted In Love

For the final time, your 2022-2023 Indiana FFA State Officers: 

The greatest yet most challenging year of my life. But I was able to spend it with my six teammates and nearly 14,000 members who all showed me who I really am. From across the state, I was welcomed as a friend and allowed me to be myself not just another State Officer. I learned over the course of traveling the state how to truly be genuine, authentic and make lasting memories with everyone! All I have to say is Thank You. Thank you for the open arms. Thank you for the endless support and good luck wishes. Thank you for the kind words on a bad day. Thank you for encouraging me that I can always do more. Thank you for being each of you and getting to know me. Thank you for everything INFFA. Remember to throw the Big Talk out the window and find out what kind of leader you really are.

Proud to have served,
Seth Ariens
2022-2023 State President

Rooted, as I progressed through this year, I always wondered what my time as a State Officer would be like. While it had it’s bumps in the road the one thing that never changed was the members passion. Every time I had an interaction with a member all of the passion, energy, and love for this organization lit a spark that continued to push me. I am so proud that throughout this year you all have encouraged me and pushed me to stay ROOTED to who I was before State Office and now as I leave. Just remember as you progress in life's journey let your curiosity drive you.

Ever grateful,

Tobias Sturgell

2022-2023 State Secretary

What a year! I can’t believe how fast time has gone, but doesn’t the saying go “Time flys when you’re having fun.”? Thank you all for one of the most exciting, thrilling, and most impactful years of my life. I will be forever grateful for each of you that I had the opportunity of meeting. Never forget that this is the moment you were created for, so shine your light and share it proudly. Each of you have been the truest examples of allowing your purpose to shine through all that you do. You each have taught me more than I could have imagined & reminded me to appreciate my roots.  Thank you for the year of a lifetime.

With love,

Mary Jones

2022-2023 State Northern Region Vice President

All I can say is thank you. Every single person who shared a handshake, smile, or laugh with me has made my heart smile. You all had faith in me, allowing me to grow much farther than I ever imagined. I also have faith in all of you, to continue to succeed, celebrate, and grow. Remember to be positive, expand your comfort zone, and choose people who allow you to thrive. Here's to much more growth :)

Rooted in so much love,

Jenna Kelsay

2022-2023 State Southern Region Vice President

Three hundred seventy-one days. From Jun 16th, 2022, to Jun 22nd, 2023, I wore an association jacket. While I wore it with pride and joy, I knew what was beneath the jacket was who I wanted to be, and who I wanted to be was me. Through meeting all of you this year, I stayed rooted in myself and wanted to show all 13,980 members of Indiana FFA that your goals can be reached, while staying true to yourself. It doesn't take a person to wear this jacket, it takes a leader. Become your own kind of leader and leave this world better than how you found it. The gift of life is short, so make the most of everyday, so we can have a better tomorrow. Find your passions, search for adventure, and stay rooted to who you are. 

It's been real, it's been fun, and it's been real fun,

Anthony Taylor 

2022-2023 State Treasurer

Indiana FFA, what an honor it has been to serve you. This past year has been filled with the biggest laughs, lots of sweat, tears, and maybe not blood but definitely a broken tailbone! Thank you to everyone who ever believed in me this past year and welcomed me into your life. The connections that I’ve made during this past year will never be forgotten. Thank you for reminding me that I am enough and that there is no impact too small. Always remember to stay rooted in yourself and in our organization, you never know where that will take you. Indiana FFA, thank you for hearing my thunder!   

Forever grateful, 

Gracie Lee 

2022-2023 State Reporter 

At the start of this year, I had no idea what I would away with. I thought that I would build up connections and I hoped to make an impact, but I never imagined that I could have formed relationships in the magnitude that I did. To the members, thank you for teaching me how to be vulnerable and spread joy. To the advisors, thank you for your wisdom, insight, and support. To staff, thank you for guiding us along the year and wanting us to have the best experience possible. And to my team, thank you for teaching me how to let my walls down tell people I love them. 

I may be done with my position, but I am certainly not done with FFA. Each time I step away, I always come back. So as the saying goes, this isn’t goodbye but see you later. As I round off my year the only advice I have is to show people Jesus and stay ROOTED in your values. This looks different for everyone, and in essence it just means to love people and show people grace no matter who they are. I hope that’s what I was able to accomplish this year. Indiana FFA, I love you.

God bless,

Jaden Maze

2022-2023 State Sentinel

Indiana FFA - you have shaped our lives forever. To serve the members of Indiana FFA has been our pleasure. Thank you for your belief in us! Continue to grow your roots in this organization. Our goal as a team was to show our authentic selves, and we challenge each member to do the same. You all have shown us what it means to lead with a servant's heart. Thank you all for your support, belief, and passion to not only our team, but this entire organization.

Rooted in love, 

2022-2023 Indiana FFA State Officer Team 

Bittersweet Endings

    If I had a dollar for every time I heard all great things come to an end, I'd have an excellent

retirement account set up by now. It was a phrase I hated hearing whenever it came to my last

FFA event or last rugby game. However, this saying has a lot of meaning behind it.

    As I think about the last few days of state office, I wanted to share how my final bittersweet moments are lasting memories and the importance of making the most of them. To start, I need to begin with how High School started. On the first day of high school, my dad told me that high school would be some of my life's best and worst four years. I will have some really good memories and some tough challenges to face. Thinking back on this conversation, he was right. 

    High school was full of exciting moments, but the days of Covid made it challenging at times. We all remember this random time in history that has changed so much about our day-to-day life. Good things came out of this time, but it also put people and families in stressful times. Thankfully this time has mostly passed, and we're back to spending time with people again. Thinking back to the conversation with my dad at the beginning of my freshman year, if we both knew how big of an impact Covid would have on us, I would know how important making the most of my time with people would be.

    My last FFA meeting was a bittersweet end to my days in the Warsaw FFA Jacket. I was uncomfortable knowing if it would be the last time I would wear the jacket. I knew I had the Indiana FFA State Convention coming up and running for state office, but the time I had to spend with my home chapter could have been better. So, I had to make the most of that last FFA meeting with my friends and classmates with whom I enjoyed the previous four years.

    My last Rugby game was another bittersweet moment. I was the team captain for this game, and as a senior, I had to lead the team. I was one of the only players who had ever played the game before our season started, and I had to push players to continue to grow throughout the season. But our last game was different. We spent so much time practicing to perfect our game and grew together as a team. I always gave my everything out on the pitch, getting kicked in the face causing a bloody nose, or breaking my ring finger trying to win a ruck. I always gave every game my all. But in the last game, my teammates followed suit. We all left every practice and every fundamental piece we learned of the game out on the pitch, which made this game a memory.

    Whatever last moment you're going through, FFA meeting, Banquet, or contest, know that all of

the hours you spent with this organization came down to that moment, and you have a choice to

make. Do you make the most of these last moments, or do you let the time fly by so fast you

don't realize it past?

                                                                                        - Anthony Taylor

To Do: LIVE

    For this last blog, I want to talk about something that has been on my heart lately. As the clock ticks by, and the days wind down, the workload gets heavier. If you’ve ever met or worked with me, you know I’m a huge to-do list person. On any given day you can find me making a to-do list for the simplest of things. The things that should just be natural, or that I should know to do. I live by a to-do list. Sometimes it’s not what I want to do, but what others want me to do. Somedays, it is so much that I forget what living actually is. 

To-Do: 

• Laundry

• Write this blog

• Watch Netflix

• Write in my journal

• Answer emails

After watching a TikTok, yes, I know it’s just a TikTok, but I realized that I am quite literally living my life to get things checked off of my to-do list. This has been such an easy thing to do with convention prep. If there is one thing that I’ve learned lately it is that I have to start living for myself. That realization hit me tonight (5/11). Seth, Toby, Jaden, Mary, & I loaded up and went to Franklin for dinner. After eating, we walked through the park downtown and it was completely unplanned. No to-do list, no reservations, no time limit, just living. Just enjoying the time that I was given with my teammates. I am so thankful for this time that I got to spend with them. It immediately helped me find the solution. 

Sometimes you have to close your computer, turn off your phone, or walk away from that desk. Go for a walk, take a ride with the windows down, blare your music, smell the freshly cut grass. LIVE… Live. Sometimes it feels like you’re spinning 800 mph in a circle, and you can’t focus, because you’re focused on what you need to do. But there’s a difference between what you need to do and what other people want you to do. Sure, people are going to depend on you. But you only get one life. We only have one year of State Office. I only have 40 days left with my teammates. 

For this last blog I wanted to get in some quick thank you’s. To my team, thank you for helping me live this past year to the fullest and always being up for an adventure. To staff, thank you for all of your guidance. To my family and friends, thank you for supporting me through this past year. To Indiana FFA & all of the members, I cannot thank you enough for giving me a year full of connections, laughs, adventure, and impact. Always know that each and every one of you are seen and valued. 

For these last 40 days of our year of service, I am going to live my life to the fullest. I will go on that adventure, enjoy every last minute, and live my life to simply live. If there is anything that you get out of this blog, I hope that it is to live for yourself. Do what makes you happy, stay humble, work hard, and be yourself. From now on…

To-Do:

• LIVE! 

                                                                Living to the fullest, 

                                                                 Gracie Lee

                                                              Indiana FFA State Reporter 22-23

Life is a Par-Tee

    When I started playing golf for the first time, I could never have expected just how difficult it really was; the professionals on TV make it look so easy! Through the past few years of effort and dedication, I’ve not only been able to learn more about the game, but a few life hacks along the way. This is a list of the top five life lessons I have picked up from golf!

Number 1: Play the Ball Where it Lies.

Sometimes even the most perfect swings give you bad shots, ones that leave you stuck behind a tree, in the bunker, or in the tall grass. It sometimes seems like it is going to be impossible to make a comeback for par from where you landed. But there is a rule that once your ball lands, you can’t move it to give yourself a better shot; you have to play it from where it lies. Life is kinda the same way; we can’t always pick and choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we play out of them! As one of my teammates often says, ‘Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react.’ A bad shot in golf is the perfect way to put this quote into practice. You can’t control where your ball lands, but you can choose to take the best, safest shot possible and come out on the other side of your obstacle!

Number 2. There is a reason golf carts don't have rearview mirrors.

This is the most important lesson in golf, but it has been the hardest one for me to learn! After I have a bad shot, it normally messes up my game for a few holes, and it’s pretty hard to get back on track. I spend too much time focusing on how bad the last shot was, that I don’t focus on correcting it and giving myself a better shot with the next. It’s always more important to take a breath, reset your mind, and set up for success on the swing that’s coming. You can’t rewind and redo bad shots and can’t look back to the past! I think the designer of golf carts had it right when he didn’t include the mirrors, he knew it wasn’t important to dwell on swings in the past, but instead to focus on what is in front of you! 

Number 3. Follow through matters!

Your swing technique is the most important part of your game! It’s divided into three main parts; the back swing, impact, and follow through. Most people think that impact is the most critical, but even scientific studies have shown that the follow through is actually what makes the shot! If you fail to follow through and stop your swing early, your clubface is closed off giving you quite a nasty hook. If you follow through too quickly and lose control, leaving your club face open, you’re sure to get a far slice right. But if you control your swing speed and follow through completely, you are sure to get a square and straight drive down the fairway. Like in golf, follow through in life is critical to your success! Whether it is follow through in your work to complete tasks well, follow through with relationships to maintain connections, or follow through on your goals to ensure your success, the way you finish your swing is what really counts!

Number 4: Keep your head down, keep your eye on your own ball. 

My swing coach, Ryan Straight, has spent a lot of years as a PGA Golf Professional and knows the game of golf like the back of his hand. The thing he loves to remind me of most is to keep my head down, if something is wrong in my swing, that’s often the first thing he tells me to try fixing. It seems like a simple answer to come from someone who knows how even the slightest motions can affect your shot, but he is almost always right! I sometimes get excited and lift my head too early to see where my ball lands, messing up the rest of my swing…or maybe I see someone beside me making a great shot and I lift my head to watch their ball instead of mine. In golf, it is so easy to lift your head to watch someone else’s shot and allow it to wreck your confidence. If you see someone else have a good shot right before you, it’s easy to feel the sudden pressure to impress them back! But in life too, I have found it pretty easy to catch myself in comparison; to my teammates, family, friends, or even someone on social media. I often compare my progress to theirs, my goals to theirs, and my accomplishments to theirs. One minute we may be proud of the big trophy we are carrying, but seeing someone else’s can instantly make us feel like ours is a little “too small”. By keeping your head down and your eye on your ‘own ball’, you aren’t worried about what others are doing & it keeps you from getting caught up in comparing yourself to others!

Number 5: Relax.

I included this one, just for my dad. As my golf coach he came up with lots of quick quotes to tell me that would remind me of things to fix in my swing. “Relax” meant two things; I had to stop swinging so hard and let the club do the work, and to also just chill out! I would often allow myself to get worried or worked up about the little things like one bad shot or even the attitude of the girls I may have been paired with, but he wanted to make sure I stopped worrying and focused on the shot I had next. While I can say it drove me absolutely crazy to hear the word “relax”, and it's now become a running joke between my parents and I, it's fun to now look back and laugh at how right he really was! Learning to relax and not let the little things bother us is something I am guilty of not doing enough, but I always find that when I do, I find myself being happier and more productive in what I’m doing!

    Golf can be one of the most frustrating yet rewarding sports to play. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities it has given, allowing me to tee myself up for success! (I have been having a blast getting my golf puns up to par!) Life is a part-tee, and applying these life tips will help you up your game and allow you to enjoy the life you live!

                                                                                Find me on the fairway!

                                                                                         Mary Jones

                                                                                         State Northern Region Vice President

Why Not Travel?

    Before State Office, I used to hate having to drive places and especially longer drives, but through my year as a State Officer, I really have gained an appreciation for driving. Not having to move too far away from my hometown of Trafalgar to a radically new environment at the center in Trafalgar I have always been eager to get out of this bubble the entire year. 

    The first big trip as a state officer was when we went to State Officer Summit in D.C. This was a fantastic experience for me. While being in the car for 8+ hours isn’t the most enjoyable experience, what I was able to experience on the other side of that trip was superb. 

    The next bit of decent traveling I got to experience was chapter visits and district kickoffs. I got to travel through Section 2 and Section 3. While Section 3 wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for me I got to cross into Ohio as well as traveling into Illinois. Getting to travel basically across the Wabash in Eastern Indiana in Adams County all the way across to Montgomery County and everything in between, I got to see parts of the state I never thought or knew much about. Those two weeks have been some of my favorite times as a state officer, I got to travel and see how different each area of the state is but also facilitate and get to know members from all over.

    Our state staff likes to take us on retreats to either get a lot of work done or to relax and have good team bonding experiences. Our fall retreat took place in St. Louis, Missouri. Now I had been to St. Louis before but we got to do a chapter visit in a Missouri school which was amazing.

    My next adventures on the road were Business and Industry Visits. These were all over the board we got to travel all the way south to Mt. Vernon to CountryMark and all the way up to Plymouth to Homestead Dairy. Getting to travel many routes on 465 around Indy may not have been the most interesting experiences but getting to the outer extremities of our state and seeing just how big the impact of agriculture in Indiana is to the economy and even help guide me down the path of what I would (really would not) like to do in the future. 

    Moving into January we got some surprise traveling experiences going up near Chicago in Michigan City for our keynote retreat. Getting to be off Lake Michigan is the closest thing you will get to the ocean in Indiana. We also got to go to the Ft. Wayne farm show later that month. But our next and quite largest single traveling experience of the year was FFA Week. This was a complete blast. When I saw I was assigned District 3 and 6 I was really excited because no offense to the rest of the state but I’ve gotten to see you plenty growing up but I had never been north of Ft. Wayne into Noble, LaGrange, Steuben, etc. Counties. It was so fun getting to bounce from Amish country in Adams County to completely different Amish country in LaGrange and Elkhart counties. I even got to go skiing in Michigan.This was definitely one of my highlights of the year traveling into almost completely new territory for myself.

    In March I had the unique and amazing opportunity to attend the Oregon State Convention. Getting to travel out west to a completely new state I’ve never been was incredible. Viewing how their state operates differently than what I’m used to and living in a new culture for a couple days. It was fantastic getting to visit with my State Officer friends from Oregon as well as fellow Visiting State Officers from Ohio, Idaho, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia.

    I’ll now remark about April and May together with all of our banquets. At first, I was really hesitant about banquets. I knew I would enjoy traveling and reconnecting with members I have gotten to know throughout this year, but I really wasn’t feeling too hot about giving the actual keynote. As I have gotten to travel bouncing from North to South, East to West I have gotten quite familiar with the seat of my car. Once the winter hit the times were really drabby and boring but now with the leaves coming in and all the flowers growing it has been so beautiful getting to see the state. Also, in May I was able to Travel to Ohio for their State Convention and while Ohio might not be super far away it is still so cool to see how their state works different to ours and be in a new culture for a couple days. When traveling back from Ohio I had a banquet, and I was able to cross through Kentucky to get to that banquet in southern Indiana. 

    Throughout this year I am so grateful for the travel experience I have had. I’ve gotten to visit each one of our surrounding states, travel into almost every corner of our state, and most of all get to visit and meet the members of Indiana FFA in their home environment. The world has been made much smaller now that wherever I go in Indiana I know someone from that area.

Big Talk Doesn’t Make a Big Man

    Humility is one of the most important aspects of being a leader. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a State Officer is to know when to admit I’m wrong as well as know when to hold to my ground. Being humble truly takes courage to be able to knowingly admit your mistakes and take ownership for those. When you decide to talk big talk you are undoubtedly taking a risk that your words will be backed up by the end result. When the results aren’t in your favor, all that big talk will shrink you quicker than you can spit out another comment. 

As leaders we all have a job, that job being the way we lead. Some lead through words, action, service to others or through networking. Leaders must know their job and be proficient at it to be an effective leader, then be able to learn multiple jobs to take them to the next level. When it comes to leading through our actions our results can do the big talking. When we lead through our words there is a line to walk here, quite possible but has the possibility of hurting us if it's the only job we know how to do.  

“Banners are won at home”, a phrase I’m sure all livestock showmen have heard in their career. This is so unbelievably true in many places of our lives. The work we do at home allows us to be confident in the results we will get with our work. Leaving us with no temptation to let ourselves get a big head or talk things up as a defense tactic. I know I’ve been guilty of putting on a false front to make myself feel better about the fact I haven’t put in all the work I know I should’ve. Agreed, it’s fun to let out some friendly smack talk but I’ve seen Big Talk make a small person. 

Remember to let your actions do the speaking, put the work in for the results you want and that Big Talk Doesn't Make a Big Man.

-Seth Ariens Indiana FFA State President