Emotions were running very high Thursday as the Indiana FFA state convention came to a close and one officer team made room for the brand new team. The new state officers are Brittany Young, President; Skylar Clingan, Secretary; Lindsey O’Hara, Northern Region VP; Jacob Mueller, Southern Region VP; Kathleen Jacobs, Treasurer; Dakota Westphal, Reporter; and Derek Berkshire, Sentinel.
For Young the tears flowed from the moment her team was first introduced until the HAT interview.
“Ever since my freshman and sophomore year I thought about running for state office and then just the fact that it’s actually happening after all those years I’ve dreamed about it and what a great opportunity it is.”
She is from the Hope FFA Chapter and attends Hauser High School in Bartholomew County. The Young family raises angus cattle and an agricultural education major at Purdue is in her future. But for the next year it’s all about spending time with a brand new group of friends.
“This group is amazing. I literally could not any more blessed to be on such an amazing team. We have gotten to know each other over this whole process of the interviews and everything that we’ve gone through. We’ve all gotten really close and it’s really cool to see how close we’re becoming and we’re not even in the state officer house yet.”
The team already has its sights set on impacting the Hoosier state.
“Just for us to make a huge impact on Indiana, to bring members in, make an impact, and make it known that we’re all here for the same exact reason, to be advocates for Indiana FFA, that agricultural industry, and ag education.”