Smith named state FFA officer

The community of Loyal once again has a young person representing it as an advocate for agriculture education. Parker Smith, who just graduated high school, has been named the 2025-2026 Section Seven Wisconsin FFA officer. He will spend the next year meeting with FFA members in our region and throughout the state, leading workshops and promoting FFA.

“I’m looking forward to connecting with members, growing friendships, and being the officer for the younger me,” Parker said. Parker follows in the footsteps of fellow Loyalite Devani Hinkelmann, who served as a state officer for the 2022-23 school year. Parker was selected on June 11 at the 96th Wisconsin FFAConvention in Madison after an intense vetting process. However, Parker’s journey with FFAbegan as a seventh grader. As he continued in the organization, he became more involved and took on more responsibilities.

“Parker has grown from a regular member into a strong and dependable leader within our FFA chapter. We have been fortunate to have had outstanding role models in the chapter during Parker’s early years, and their influence clearly inspired him to become actively involved. Parker has pursued every leadership opportunity available to him, and his dedication has truly paid off,” wrote his advisor, Stephanie Donnerbauer, in an email.

Some of those opportunities looked like Parker completing a dairy production proficiency application for his work on his family’s dairy farm. He also competed in the farm business management and milk quality and products career development events, as well as the discussion meet and employability skills leadership development events. He has served as a chapter officer for the past three years. This year he was nominated as a Three Star Leader for his work within all areas of the chapter: growing

Please see Smith, page 20 leaders, building community, and strengthening agriculture.

All of those experiences led him to seriously consider continuing his FFA journey through serving as a state officer.

“Last year, I was kind of teeter-tottering on the idea of whether I would do it or not,” said Parker. “I had a couple people tell me they thought I would do a good job with it, but I didn’t act on it yet. Then my senior year, it was kind of a thought, but I wasn’t sure. I talked to some past state officers. Two weeks before the application due date, I was finishing up the state competition for FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) and thought back on all I had done throughout high school. I decided to just go ahead and apply if the application was still open online, because I knew I would regret it if I didn’t.”

Parker went ahead and applied, submitting an extensive application, resume, and letters of recommendation. A week prior to the convention, he was notified of his stand and deliver speech topic. On the Monday of the convention, he went through a series of interviews before a panel of judges including the stand and deliver speech, mock stakeholder meeting, group facilitator interview, and personal interview. After those were scored, the top two candidates from each section (Wisconsin is split into 10 sections) advanced to the delegate round.

Parker found out the Wednesday of the convention that he made it to the delegate round, which involved answering three prepared questions and one impromptu question from the Section Seven delegates. Each chapter within the section has two voting delegates. The delegates voted on who they wanted as their section officer. That score, combined with candidates’ total score from Monday, determined who would become a state officer.

On Wednesday night, a general session was held in Alliant Energy Center, during which the officer team was named. It was an awe-inspiring moment, said Parker.

“We were all standing in a group and swaying back and forth while we waited for our names to be called. It was really exciting and super cool to run up on stage… It felt surreal,” he said.

Parker has yet to find out exactly what his role will be on the 11-member officer team. One of the officers from the previous year always serves as president. The other 10 members include a secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian, reporter, sentinel, and five vice presidents. Those roles will be decided when the group reconvenes for more training. However, Parker knows that on the most basic level, his job will be to serve the members of Wisconsin FFA.

“I will be in charge of running the Fall Leadership Workshop. I’ll also help lead leadership activities for every chapter in our section,” he said.

He will also be part of the Wisconsin Association of FFA Board of Directors, which provides direction to the state organization as a whole.

Donnerbauer was happy to see Parker chosen as a state officer, feeling he was well-qualified for such a position based on his character and capabilities.

“Parker is an incredibly caring and passionate individual. Over the past few years, he has served as a teacher assistant in our elementary school and as a dedicated ‘Big Buddy,’ roles in which he has truly thrived. His genuine compassion and connection with young students are evident in the way elementary children light up when they see him. It’s clear that Parker has a natural gift for working with kids, and the joy they express in his presence is a testament to the positive impact he has on their lives. He shows this same caring nature with our FFA members, consistently encouraging them to get involved and supporting them. Parker takes the time to build meaningful relationships; his positive influence has been felt through our whole chapter.”

Parker looks forward to building relationships with other FFA members through this new role.

“I enjoy communicating, connecting, and talking with people. In middle school and high school, I met so many cool people through leadership conferences and competitions. So I’m excited to continue that,” he said.

Parker’s parents are Adam and Rebekah Smith. Over the next year, he plans to continue working part-time at Vita Plus Feed Mill in Loyal, where he earned his CDL. He is considering starting his own trucking company within the next few years by partnering with an established company to be a semi truck owner-operator.

Parker thanked his advisor and his chapter for supporting him along his journey. He also expressed appreciation to previous state officers Cole Hicken and Jeremiah Ihm, who encouraged him and served as role models. He got to know them his sophomore year while they were on the state officer team along with Hinkemann.

Loyal’s state FFA officers Loyal High School has a long history of state FFA officers, consisting of the following: Parker Smith - 2025-2026 Devani Hinkelmann - 2022-23 Vice President Andrea Bloom - 2005-06 Treasurer Damon Meyer - 1997-98 Parliamentarian David Meyer - 1992-93 Vice President, 1993-94 President Amy Meyer - 1991-92 Vice President, 1992-93 President Bob Meyer - 1972-73 Sentinel Robert Young - 1970-71 Treasurer Donald Olson - 1960-61 Treasurer