Preview: Indiana State FFA Convention

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The 2025 Indiana FFA State Convention will be held June 16-19 at Purdue University.

Indiana’s more than 14,000 members are invited to attend the event, which includes leadership workshops, banquets and trade shows.

Outstanding members will be recognized, including winners of the Supervised Agricultural Experiences, top teams and individuals in the state Career Development Events, the four Stars over Indiana and Hoosier FFA Degree recipients.

Ethan Wolheter, president of Indiana FFA, shared a preview with AgriNews.

Q: What are you most excited about for this year’s Indiana FFA State Convention?

A: I am so excited to see all the FFA members from across the state come together in fellowship and celebration of all the amazing things they have accomplished.

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek of the theme and how it will be reflected throughout the event?

A: The theme for the 96th Indiana FFA State Convention is “Illuminate.” Throughout the convention we will be able to illuminate different outstanding members across our state and recognize their accomplishments.

Q: What’s something different about this year’s convention compared to previous years?

A: A new opportunity coming to State Convention this year is the introduction of The Barnyard. This inaugural hype squad, made up of more than 30 passionate FFA members, will be at each session here to rally members and amplify the excitement across all six sessions.

Whether it’s chanting for each position during opening ceremonies, fueling the crowd with cheers, or bringing next-level enthusiasm, The Barnyard will be the heart of convention pride. We are extremely excited to introduce this to the 96th Indiana FFA State Convention.

Q: What advice would you give first-time attendees?

A: The advice I would give to a first-time attendee would be to be a part of every experience possible. Attend all the workshops, sessions and events possible that you can. You will gain wonderful memories and experiences from these events.

State Convention is also an incredible opportunity to meet new people and members from different schools all across our state. The relationships you build during this week could last a lifetime.

Q: What’s your favorite memory from a past state convention?

A: One of my favorite memories from the Indiana FFA State Convention in the past has to be attending all of the six General Sessions that take place Tuesday through Thursday and being able to listen to the incredible speeches and celebrate the award winners that take place during them.

Q: What has planning the convention been like from your perspective as a state officer?

A: Planning for the 96th Indiana FFA State Convention has been an exciting and collaborative experience.

From planning exciting sessions and activities for members to preparing to recognize some incredible supporters of Indiana FFA, we have been committed to make this year’s State Convention an engaging and inspiring experience for all who attend.

Q: What do you hope attendees take away from this year’s convention?

A: Our hope is that every person who attends State Convention this year will walk away feeling inspired and with amazing memories of their time at the Indiana FFA State Convention.

Q: How can members continue the momentum from convention throughout the rest of the year?

A: Members should use the experiences they have and the accomplishments they earn to both energize and encourage them as they head into their next year of FFA.

State Convention can be a great time for members to increase their passion for agriculture and involvement in FFA.

My personal experiences as a member attending State Convention always fueled my desire to be an active participant in FFA.

Q: Reflecting on your time as a state officer, what has this experience meant to you?

A: The experience of being an Indiana FFA state officer has been unforgettable to say the least. I have not only been able to connect with numerous professionals and advocates for agriculture in different businesses and our government, but more importantly I have been able to connect with the amazing FFA members across our state.

My time spent with members of the Indiana FFA and building relationships with so many of them has been the most rewarding part of this year.

Serving as an Indiana FFA state officer is an incredible experience that has helped me grow as a person and leader for the future.