The week of the FFA state convention was one of the most challenging of Ally Rietcheck’s life.

But by the end of the week, her hard work paid off when she was chosen as the first Eudora student to become a state officer.

Even though she was about to graduate, she set a goal to run for a state officer position.

“I am so excited and honored for this next year in my life not only to represent Kansas FFA on the national level, but also represent Eudora,” Rietcheck said. “I am eager to engage with the next generations of leaders in this role.”

FFA adviser Kylie Deay, who started in January, said Rietcheck shared her ambitions the first day she met her.

“She’s put months and months of work into this,” Deay said. “I’ve only known her for a short amount of time, but the progress that I’ve seen from the first day I met her to her becoming a state officer is just amazing.”

The interview process for state officer positions began before the state convention. Rietcheck participated in a group interview with a nomination committee across multiple days. She was one of six selected to be an officer out of 13 candidates.

“If you’re not challenged, you aren’t changing,” she said. “I am so excited to work with my five other teammates as we come all across the state, have experienced similar experiences but also different ones.”

Rietcheck’s supervised agriculture experience centered around maintenance of and showing market lambs, as well as presenting about agriculture to elementary schoolers about corn. She also completed 25 hours of community service presenting about agriculture to her local farm bureau as well as setting up for events at the high school.

“FFA has taught me a lot. It’s shaped me into the person I am today,” Rietcheck said. “Competing at the state level is a very honorable thing. It’s pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.”

Rietcheck will serve in the sentinel position for the next year collaborating with the other officers to lead and promote Kansas FFA. The state sentinel welcomes guests and maintains order during meetings. She will attend Kansas State University to study agriculture and leadership.

She wasn’t alone in her success. Rising senior Cooper Burling won the proficiency award for his agriculture sales entrepreneurship project.

Burling won his award for helping operate his family’s feed business. Although the business started out small, now people from all over the state purchase feed from Burling and his family, he said. 

The proficiency award is given to one student per category whose work shows they have skills for future careers in agriculture.

“It was really cool. It was rewarding,” Burling said. “You put in all this work, you get congratulations. It felt good.”

He will go on to compete at the national level in agriculture sales entrepreneurship. His next goal is to earn a proficiency award in welding, he said.

Burling, Rietcheck, Pete Neis, Kynlee Dressler, Mia Dixon and Kyleigh Heikes earned their state degrees. This is the highest degree Kansas FFA awards for students’ supervised agriculture experience projects. The state degree recognizes students’ dedication to their education in agriculture.

Beyond the awards won at the state convention, Deay has seen growth in her students besides agriculture skills.

“This is a really good program for them to be involved in,” Deay said. “Not only working on the farm or selling cattle feed. It builds those leadership skills.”

Deay will take students to the national convention in Indianapolis in the fall.

“I’m super excited for them,” she said. “I’m excited to take some of them to nationals representing not only Kansas, but also Eudora.”

FFA proficiency award finalists are announced in the fall.

Reach reporter Maya Smith at [email protected].