Vieselmeyer’s election to officer team highlights state FFA

    As Alex Vieselmeyer finished out his senior year, he was focused on the goal of becoming a state FFA officer and spending his first post-high school year serving in that capacity. As of last week’s state convention, his goal was realized, and already he’s hard at work as a member of the officer team.
    Vieselmeyer has been involved in agriculture virtually his entire life. Even as a young adult, he’s already acutely aware that the work “never ends” when a family is in the business of farming and ranching. For years, he’s been a member of the Better Beef Makers 4-H Club, and it served as a precursor to much of his FFA involvement. This past year, he led as president of both the Holyoke High School FFA chapter and his 4-H club.
    His decision to run for an FFA office on the state level was influenced by his older brother Austin’s experience doing the same three years ago. Vieselmeyer saw how much his brother enjoyed serving and becoming friends with fellow officers. It went beyond that, though. Vieselmeyer and his parents, Brent and Tina, had the opportunity to host other state officers who were conducting chapter visits or working at conferences in the area.
    “Interactions I had with them really helped inspire me to do more for the FFA,” he said.
    At last week’s convention, Vieselmeyer showed just how seriously he’s taken that task. Running for a position on the state officer team meant going through four rounds: a one-on-one interview, speaking about ag issues with an industry professional, giving an extemporaneous speech on a given topic, and a personal round in which nominating committee members had the chance to ask candidates questions.
    There were 23 members vying for officer positions, and Vieselmeyer was one of just 10 to be elected. For the next year, he will serve as sentinel alongside the nine other officers that he already considers to be a “big second family.”
    On top of all that, Vieselmeyer competed at the state convention as well. In prepared public speaking, he represented Holyoke and District 16, earning silver honors for his talk on ag tariffs. He also received his state FFA degree while there, helped run leadership development events, and had the opportunity to work with Colorado FFA Foundation director Don Thorne.
    State officers will be kept busy all year long. Starting next week, they will work at an American Seed Trade Association conference in Denver, which will be followed by an officer training in Fort Collins. In July, they will attend the Greeley Stampede, and in August, they will be working at the Colorado State Fair.
    During the school year, officers will travel across the state for chapter visits and district leadership conferences. Drawing on his own vast experience as an FFA member, Vieselmeyer will mentor younger members. Throughout his four years, he’s been treasurer, secretary and president on the chapter level. He’s done livestock judging, creed speaking, prepared speaking, extemporaneous speaking and parliamentary procedure.
    In his supervised agricultural experience on beef production, he raised his own herd of registered Angus, which more than doubled in size over his high school career.
    Clearly he has much to offer upcoming members, but Vieslemeyer is quick to point out that he didn’t do it on his own. “My FFA experience wouldn’t be where it is today without the help of my adviser, Mrs. Shauna Strecker,” he said. “She’s absolutely done a terrific job.”
    Having received much from the people who invested in his FFA experience, Vieselmeyer anticipates paying it forward to younger members who will, in turn, strengthen their chapters, communities and state.
    Though his officer duties will certainly be substantial, Vieselmeyer intends to work with his family when he can and hold a fall heifer sale with his brother for a third year. He also intends to apply for his American FFA degree, and when he’s done, he plans to attend Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, where he will study agribusiness and compete on the speech team.
    
Holyoke chapter attends state convention
    A total of 11 Holyoke FFA members attended the June 4-6 Colorado State FFA Convention at CSU-Pueblo. Joining Vieselmeyer and led by Strecker, they were Tristen Roll, Theron Roll, Tuff Sigler, Baylor Struckmeyer, Lauren Bergner, Brenna Sullivan, Josie Schlachter, Shyanne Conde, Emali Torres and Janessa Lutze.
    While there, Tristen Roll was recognized for winning the proficiency award in diversified crop production placement, and Vieselmeyer received his silver honors for prepared public speaking.
    There to receive their state FFA degrees were Sullivan, Vieselmeyer, Trent Huffman and Mauro Morales. Kaylee Camblin, Emma Roll, Colby Purkeypile and Corben McCallum were also recognized for earning state degrees.
    Sessions rounded out the convention, and Holyoke FFA members heard from keynote speaker Timothy Alexander and toured EVRAZ steel mill and Milberger Farms.