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NP grad Ariens to serve as state FFA president
Concluding what he described as “an action-packed, stress-filled, anxiety filled week,” Seth Ariens walked away from the Indiana State FFA Convention Thursday with perhaps the biggest honor he could have imagined.
The recent North Putnam graduate will spend the next year as the Indiana FFA state president.
The slate of officers was finalized during the final session of the 2022 convention Thursday afternoon, with all delegates voting in favor of the proposed slate of officers from around the state.
Ariens is happily anticipating what the next 12 months will hold for him and his six fellow officers.
“As far as I can tell, this year is going to look like this week except spread over 365 days,” Ariens said. “It’s going to be trilling. I’m humbled and excited to be going through this experience with my team.”
He went on to praise the nominating committee not so much for putting him in the presidency, but for putting together what he sees as a strong team.
“The Nom Com did a an outstanding job of putting this year’s team together,” Ariens said.
It’s a team that also includes Southern Region Vice President Jenna Kelsay of Whiteland FFA, Northern Region Vice President Mary Jones of Adams Central FFA, Secretary Tobias Sturgell of Indian Creek FFA, Treasurer Anthony Taylor of Warsaw FFA, Reporter Gracie Lee of Monroe Central FFA and Sentinel Jaden Maze of Western Boone FFA.
Ariens said he looked forward to working with this team on “making a difference in Indiana FFA for the members.”
Serving as an officer is not simply some honorific, as these seven recent high school grads are putting their higher education and future careers on hold.
In deferring their first years of college, the team members will instead live together at the Indiana FFA Association office in Trafalgar, traveling around the state as ambassadors, leaders and trainers in the state FFA.
Their year really starts during the Indiana State Fair July 29 through Aug. 21, when they will be at the FFA Pavillion throughout the three-plus-week event.
Ariens will also be a delegate to the October FFA National Convention in Indianapolis.
Ariens’ past experience in FFA should have prepared him. He has been a chapter officer three times — once as president and twice as vice president. He has also been a District VII officer twice, once as reporter and once as vice president. He also served as Section 3 director, which put him on the Indiana Executive Committee.
Ariens even served as middle school president of the North Putnam Chapter.
“I’ve always had a lot of experience with leadership roles,” Ariens said. “They excite me. But especially this one right now. I’m super excited to get started.”
Earlier in the week, Ariens was also honored as the FFA State Star Farmer for his efforts raising sheep, dairy cattle, beef steers and Australian shepherd dogs, as well as managing the North Putnam High School farm.
However, Ariens has not attained these honors on his own. Kate Skirvin, one of the school’s three FFA sponsors noted the internal competition among a strong senior class.
“It’s fair to say that Seth and the rest of his senior class have been extraordinary leaders for our chapter,” Skirvin said. “Their competition among themselves has pushed them to become leaders of our features.”
Another one of those senior leaders, Jayden Simpson, was actually among the 15 applicants who went through the grueling, three-day interview process last Thursday through Saturday.
“This senior class pushing each other and competing among themselves was a big part of their success,” Skirvin said.
Skirvin went on to say that she believes several of the recent North Putnam gradautes, not just Ariens, will go on to be leaders in agriculture as well as government.
Ariens earned high praise across the board from the three North Putnam agriculture teachers and FFA sponsors.
Heather Clingan, who just completed her first year at North Putnam, admires how he relates to younger members.
“Seth does really well with connecting with members and bringing them in,” Clingan said. “He does well with younger members, so that will be interesting to see how that helps the organization moving forward.”
Janna Oxford is excited to see what Ariens will do at Purdue and beyond.
“When Seth attends Purdue University, he’s really going to excel in the program of his choice,” Oxford said. “He’s really going to make a difference in the agricultural community wherever he ends up as far as an ag career.”
As for the “program of his choice,” the son of Kevin and Anna Ariens is currently set to be ag business, looking toward being a sales representative for an agriculture company.
For now, though, that’s on hold for another year.
“I’m kind of overwhelmed with the surrealness of the situation I’m in right now,” Ariens said. “My overarching goal is to give 110 percent at all times for the members to get as much out of the experience as they can and overall connect students with my passion for ag.”