BROOKINGS – On December 1-2, over 600 South Dakota FFA members met in Box Elder for the State FFA Leadership Development Events (LDEs). Students qualified through district competitions, advancing the top two teams and top three individuals from each of the eight FFA districts in South Dakota.

While waiting for competitive events, students had the opportunity to interact with agriculture industry leaders, including the SD FFA Star Partners, at the Career Expo. FFA members and chapters were recognized for their success in eleven leadership areas at the awards ceremony, and winners in ten of the categories advance to nationals next fall.

In Ag Broadcasting/Journalism, students have 30 minutes to prepare a five-minute agricultural radio newscast and then “air” it.

1st Place: Shyla Tvedt, Deuel
2nd Place: Mia Fitzgerald, Philip
3rd Place: Haydn McGillivary, Watertown Area
4th Place: Ethan Buchmann, Deubrook
5th Place: Reagan Pearson, Tri-Valley
6th Place: Quinn Boer, Deubrook

In Ag Communications, participants work as a team of communication consultants to develop a written media plan, present the plan to a panel of judges, and, as individuals, apply what they have learned during practicums, a quiz and editing exercise. This challenges students to communicate effectively while advocating to consumers about agriculture and telling the FFA story.

1st Place: Beresford FFA Chapter
2nd Place: West Central FFA Chapter
3rd Place: Parker FFA Chapter
4th Place: Harrisburg FFA Chapter

In Ag Issues, a team of 3-7 students discuss the pros and cons of a major agricultural issue facing their area.

1st Place: Howard FFA Chapter
2nd Place: West Central FFA Chapter
3rd Place: McCook Central FFA Chapter
4th Place: Lyman FFA Chapter

Ag Sales team members work together to develop a strategy for selling pre-determined products to specific customer scenarios. Participants also practice their individual sales skills by selling an agricultural product to a customer.

1st Place: McCook Central FFA Chapter
2nd Place: Watertown FFA Chapter
3rd Place: Brookings FFA Chapter
4th Place: West Central FFA Chapter

Ag Sales top individual sellers were also selected from each presentation room. The top individual sellers were:
- Dylan McGregor, McCook Central
- Sam Handberg, West Central
- Braxton Yackley, Selby Area

The Conduct of Chapter Meetings event is designed for high school freshmen to present a mock FFA meeting. In the Gold Medal Division:

1st Place: McCook Central FFA Chapter
2nd Place: Willow Lake FFA Chapter
3rd Place: Montrose FFA Chapter
4th Place: Harrisburg FFA Chapter

Creed Speaking participants recite the FFA Creed and answer questions posed by the judges.

1st Place: Chloe Sime, Faulkton
2nd Place: Kobi Miller, Sturgis
3rd Place: Tessa Burke, Bridgewater-Emery
4th Place: Cooper VanderWal, Sioux Valley
5th Place: Braylon Plucker, Lennox-Sundstrom
6th Place: Rylin Fods, Tri-Valley

Employment Interview Skills challenges FFA members to complete a job application, write a letter of application and resume, participate in an interview, and compose a follow-up letter.

1st Place: Atlee Olson, Belle Fourche
2nd Place: Connor May, Brookings
3rd Place: Karley Luke, Marion
4th Place: Isabella Smithback, Harrisburg
5th Place: Aedan Klawonn, Madison Central
6th Place: Brody Stenger, Sioux Falls CTE Academy

In Extemporaneous Public Speaking, an unrehearsed 4–6-minute speech is written and presented onsite. Each contestant is allowed only 30 minutes to prepare.

1st Place: Laney Andrews, Beresford
2nd Place: Bradyn Small, Langford Area
3rd Place: Colton Stiefvater, McCook Central
4th Place: Skyler Plucker, Lennox Sundstrom
5th Place: Gage Anderson, Lemmon
6th Place: Briella Wettlaufer, Howard

In Marketing Plan, teams of students determine a local community need and create a complete strategy for marketing a new agricultural product or company to fill that need.

Parliamentary Procedure teams, consisting of six members per team, demonstrate an FFA business meeting.

1st Place: Willow Lake FFA Chapter
2nd Place: Belle Fourche FFA Chapter
3rd Place: Harrisburg FFA Chapter
4th Place: Brookings FFA Chapter

The All-State Parliamentary Procedure Team is comprised of the top individual officer from each position in the Parliamentary Procedure CDE.

Chair:
- Kate Williamson, Belle Fourche
Members At-Large:
- Wyatt Lesmeister, Belle Fourche
- Kadee Frankfurth, Willow Lake
- Raif Parmeter, Belle Fourche
- Izzie Smithback, Harrisburg
-  Jazlyn Olson, Belle Fourche

In Prepared Public Speaking, each contestant presents a 6–8-minute agriculture-oriented speech and answers five minutes of related questions.

1st Place: Bennett Gordon, Sturgis
2nd Place: Josie Nold, Brookings
3rd Place: Julia Tinker, Brandon Valley
4th Place: Vivian Johnson, Madison Central
5th Place: Alexis Christensen, Garretson
6th Place: Delaney Zoss, Mitchell

The South Dakota FFA Association is a statewide organization of 6,515 agricultural education students in 112 chapters in every corner of South Dakota. Visit www.sdaged.org for more information.