Chart Your Course: The 98th Michigan FFA State Convention Recap
The 2025-2026 Michigan FFA State Officer Team opening the first session of the 98th Michigan FFA State Convention. Top row (left to right): State President Brent DeSaegher, State Vice President William Rogers, State Treasurer Andersen Zachar and State Vice President At-Large Lizzie Hartmann. Bottom row (right to left): State Sentinel Carly VanderRoest, State Vice President At-Large Keira Fudge, State Reporter Jessica Peters and State Secretary Caty Janicek.
The 98th Michigan FFA State Convention was a memorable experience for members from across the state. Each year, the convention marks the start of state convention season for the National FFA Organization, bringing together students, advisors and supporters to celebrate leadership, achievement and the future of agriculture.
More than 2,000 attendees gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of Michigan FFA members and the impact they continue to make in their communities. One of the biggest changes this year was the addition of live streamed convention sessions, allowing supporters from across the state to experience the celebration and follow along, even if they could not attend in person.
FFA Members collecting pop tabs for the annual Michigan FFA State Convention service project. Left to right: Ryder Cornett, Annie Bowman, Alison Borowski, Evelyn Harrand and Maleah Roth.
This year’s convention also highlighted the work of the 2025-26 Michigan FFA State Officer Team. The team made history as the first in the association to serve with only eight elected officers. Throughout their year of service, these officers dedicated themselves to leading and inspiring the more than 10,000 members of the Michigan FFA Association. They traveled across the state to encourage leadership growth and strengthen connections within the organization.
The team also brought creativity and energy to the convention experience. Working closely with association staff, they helped create a merchandise line connected to this year’s theme, “Chart Your Course.” Their creativity extended to convention sessions as well, which featured memorable and engaging themes, such as detective mysteries, childhood stories and interactive moments that kept members excited and involved throughout the event.
The 2025-2026 Michigan FFA State Officer Team’s final bow. Left to right: State President Brent DeSaegher, State Vice President William Rogers, State Reporter Jessica Peters, State Sentinel Carly VanderRoest, State Vice President At-Large Keira Fudge, State Secretary Caty Janicek, State Treasurer Andersen Zachar and State Vice President At-Large Lizzie Hartmann.
A special guest also returned home to celebrate the association. Lilly Nyland, the 2025-26 National FFA secretary and a Michigan native, attended the convention and led workshops for members. Through these sessions, Nyland shared her experiences as a national officer and encouraged students to continue growing as leaders. She also spent time connecting with members and offering encouragement to those running for state office.
National FFA Secretary Lilly Nyland facilitating a student workshop at the 98th Michigan FFA State Convention.
Recognizing the accomplishments of members is one of the most meaningful traditions of the convention. Throughout the event, awards were presented to hardworking students across the state. These honors ranged from Michigan FFA proficiency awards, which recognized members’ dedication to their Supervised Agricultural Experiences, to senior members earning the prestigious State FFA Degree.
Another exciting moment came with the election of the 2026-27 Michigan FFA State Officer Team, which will become only the second team in Michigan history to consist of eight officers. Ryder Cornett, an FFA in the USA reporter and the newly elected 2026-27 Michigan FFA state reporter, encouraged members to take full advantage of the opportunities FFA provides, saying members should “take every opportunity that you can. These opportunities will change your life and lead to a great outcome.”
The newly elected 2026-27 Michigan FFA State Officer team. Top row (right to left): State Reporter Ryder Cornett, State Vice President At-Large Danica Bancroft, State Vice President At-Large Rylee Miller, State President Frankie Eddy and State Secretary Sean Dammann. Bottom row (right to left): State Sentinel Annie Bowman, State Treasurer Kamryn Billings and State Vice President Emma Schroeder.
For many members, state convention is the highlight of the entire FFA year. As the 98th Michigan FFA State Convention came to a close, members left Lansing inspired by the achievements celebrated and excited to see what the newly elected state officer team will accomplish during their year of service.
