Approximately 7,000 FFA students celebrate agriculture at state leadership conference.

Charles City FFA has been honored as the state’s top chapter, recognized with the 2025 Supreme National Chapter Award. The FFA students participated in the 97th annual Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference last week in Ames.

The award recognizes the efforts of FFA chapters in providing service to their communities—such as educating elementary students about farm safety, growing vegetables for local food pantries or delivering care packages to area farmers during harvest season.

“Winning the overall supreme national chapter award means a lot to myself and our members,” said chapter advisor Bret Spurgin. “It showcases the impact that we have on our community, which is such an essential part of an FFA chapter. It’s nice to be recognized for our efforts in the community.”

The Charles City chapter also has been recognized as a top chapter in the Growing Leaders category for its community involvement. The chapter partners with Project Rise to provide Thanksgiving meals for families in need and works closely with the Northeast Iowa Mobile Food Bank to supply food monthly.

“We hosted 11 chapters from around the area — leading different leadership workshops for our members and other chapters,” Spurgin added. “Our hydroponic vegetable production — members and horticulture students grew and harvested lettuce and other greens for the school lunch program … and our college and career fair — members planned and ran a career fair. There were 44 businesses and colleges present and more than 400 students took part in the event.”

Statewide gathering

Charles City FFA members joined their peers from across Iowa April 13–15 for three days of competition at the state leadership conference. Events included public speaking, conduct of meetings and parliamentary procedure, along with leadership workshops, activities, and band and chorus performances.

Chapter members describe the annual event as a highlight of the FFA experience. Being involved in FFA provides tremendous opportunity, said chapter president Trevor Carolan.

“I have learned how to lead so everyone is on board … how to social network with people,” said Carolan, a senior. “Came out of my shell to become a leader and a grower.”

Sophomore Mayzie Bruening said she’s developed stronger communication skills and enjoys giving back through chapter events such as farm safety day. “Seeing little kids enjoy learning about ag and also being able to work with another school to make this happen, was amazing to see.”

Senior Everett Schmitt was recognized as the state winner in agriculture sales under the Agriculture Proficiency category, and senior Jackson Ruzicka — a Star Award finalist — was honored for his work in ag production. Ruzicka farms 40 acres and has helped his father with cattle and pig chores.


PICTURED ABOVE: Harlan students Sienna Michels, left, and Jaeda Youngkin. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED


Community involvement

Like Charles City, Harlan Community High School has long maintained one of Iowa’s strongest FFA chapters. Chartered in 1941, the chapter includes 58 middle school and 96 high school members who lead a wide variety of community-focused initiatives.

Volunteer activities include adopting a family at Christmas, planting and trimming trees for Arbor Day, distributing trees to local fifth-grade students, teaching ag safety to elementary students, organizing a spaghetti supper and a donkey basketball fundraiser for Shelby County Relay for Life, and overseeing Little Hands on the Farm at the Shelby County Fair.

“The horticulture students are responsible for raising poinsettias in the fall and a variety of flowers and vegetables in the spring that are sold to our community,” said chapter advisor Justine Holloway. “Annually, our chapter conducts fruit sales to raise money for chapter activities.”

Sophomore Jaeda Youngkin said giving back is a top priority for the Harlan chapter. She pointed to the chapter’s tradition of creating holiday wreaths to hang along the football field fence at Merrill Field, next to a local nursing home.

“The residents of Elm Crest love the ability to look and see what the community has done for them,” she said.

Junior Sienna Michels said ag safety day is always popular with students. 

“We … taught 5th graders about how important it is to be safe and to know what you were doing when on a farm around animals,” she explained. “This was a very cool project because we got to be involved with younger kids and teach them about the things that we love.”

Career exploration

In addition to workshops and competitions, students had the opportunity to attend a career fair where agricultural businesses and educational institutions shared information about ag career paths in Iowa.

Career fair exhibitors praised FFA members as some of Iowa’s best and brightest students and welcomed the chance to introduce their organizations to the next generation of ag leaders.

“Top tier students in the state of Iowa,” said Neric Smith, agriculture program director at Indian Hills Community College in Centerville. The school’s two-year ag program includes studies in animal science and agronomy, enrolling between 50 and 60 students each year.

“We have a college farm where we raise a registered Angus cow/calf herd, and then we have a large greenhouse there on campus so we expose the students on the plant side, from turf grass to greenhouse and a traditional row crop farm and precision things within agronomy.

“It’s great to visit with many of the FFA students, hearing their stories and what they’re thinking of (studying).”

Eric Peters, human resources manager for McAninch Corporation in Des Moines, said the event offered a great opportunity to explain the company’s work and apprentice program.

“We do gradient excavation work, so whenever there’s a new housing development, data center, warehouse … we go out there with bulldozers, scrapers and skid loaders to level off the job site,” Peters said. “We also install ground pipe for water, sewer and stormwater. We recruit apprentice, heavy equipment operators.

“A lot of times the kids here have experience running a quadtrac, skid loader, excavator or other equipment on the farm, and that skillset applies directly to what we’re doing as our apprentice operators.”

Support from Farm Bureau

Two years ago, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), one of the title sponsors of the state FFA leadership conference, pledged $1 million to support youth and ag education, underscoring its commitment to the continued growth of one of the nation’s premier youth organizations.

Speaking at the conference on April 14, IFBF President Brent Johnson challenged the 7,000 FFA students in attendance to make a difference in their communities and in agriculture. His message: don’t overlook the little things, be of value to others, and if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Grow your influence—and make an impact.

FFA played a pivotal role in his own development, Johnson said, and helped shape the leader he is today.  “FFA members, be productive, be involved … make an impact and say yes to your journey … it starts right now,” Johnson said.