BY EMMA HOPKINS-O’BRIEN

Indiana Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Sami DeLey of Shenandoah FFA was electected president of the 2018-2019 Indiana FFA Officer Team on June 21 at the 89th annual Indiana FFA State Convention. All seven new state officers stepped up, enthusiastic and ready to take on their year of service to the state’s more than 12,000 FFA members.

 “I’m excited for the members — for really diving in and getting to know them,” DeLey said. “FFA promotes premier leadership, personal growth, and career success. That’s a big emphasis that I hope to push in this organization, and that’s just something that makes me feel at home in FFA.”

The rest of DeLey’s team includes secretary Brittany Gonzales of Tri-County FFA; North Region Vice President Savannah Bordner of Carroll @ Flora FFA; South Region Vice President Nathan Deatrick of North Harrison FFA; Treasurer Austin Berenda of South Newton FFA; Reporter Chyenne Deno of South Newton FFA and Sentinel Jarrett Bailey of Bellmont FFA.

The 2018-2019 Indiana State FFA Officer slate was elected unanimously in the sixth and final general session of this year’s conference. Individually, the new officers have resolved to defer their college education to spend a year travelling the state with the task of inspiring and leading the organization’s younger members.

After hours of interviews and no shortage of conviction, new officers sprinted to the stage of Purdue’s Elliot Hall of Music at the announcement of their offices. Many, if not all, of the seven young people consider this moment and their service during the year ahead to be one of the greatest honors of their lives. Such is the case of Bordner, who was inspired to apply for a state position back in seventh grade at her first state convention experience.

“I remember listening to the state president at the time giving her final address,” Bordner said. “I remember she said, ‘you may outgrow the jacket, but you’ll never outgrow the experience’. I left that convention feeling more powerful than I had ever felt before, and I went home and told my parents I wanted to be up on that stage too.”

Dietrich has had the goal of making state office since eighth grade when a medical condition ended his dream of playing baseball as a career. In the year to come, he is looking forward to inspiring younger members as he was inspired in finding his path during high school through FFA.

“I never thought I was going to make it to this point,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting new members and impacting the ones that are in FFA, and to show that, no matter what, your goals and dreams will always be there, no matter who you are or where you’re from.”

Berenda, too, has had the goal of holding an FFA state office for quite some time. What he most admires in FFA the organization’s inclusive atmosphere. 

“The purpose of FFA is to develop productive members of society and communities,” he explained. “FFA is no longer just for farmers, we’re also for encompassing diversity, and I think that has given us the ability to develop good people who are ready to go into the work force and make a difference in the world and in the lives of others.”

For the next year, the officer team will be living and working together at the Indiana FFA Leadership Training Center near Trafalgar. This may be the first time the seven of them are living together, but Bordner pointed out that the FFA organization itself has been a home for all of them in one way or another.

“FFA truly is a place for the placeless,” she said. “Going into seventh grade, I didn’t have my place in this world, I didn’t know who I was, and because of FFA I found my place and purpose, and I have my goals and I know what I want to be.”