Erin Padgett’s workplace is always bright, even after dark. That’s because she works with seven of the brightest young leaders Indiana FFA can offer. She believes each one is truly a shining light for FFA and Indiana agriculture.

“They work together well as a team,” Padgett says. “We’re excited to see what they can do during the rest of their term.”

Each member of this year’s state FFA officer team possesses unique talents, Padgett says. Together, they bring out the best in members and advisors. Team members include Seth Ariens, president; Tobias “Toby” Sturgell, secretary; Mary Jones, northern region vice president; Jenna Kelsay, southern region vice president; Anthony Taylor, treasurer; Gracie Lee, reporter; and Jaden Maze, sentinel.

Padgett, a former FFA state officer, left her role as vocational-agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at South Ripley High School to join the Indiana FFA staff earlier this year. She shares duties in mentoring the state officer team with Skylar Clingan, also a former FFA state officer. Both Padgett and Clingan are employed by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Here’s a closer look at each 2022-23 FFA state officer:

Leading the team. Seth Ariens, Roachdale, is equally at home judging dairy cattle or chairing a committee meeting. He participated in livestock, dairy and soils judging as a North Putnam FFA member, and competed on the chapter meeting team and in the ag sales contest.

Ariens’ love for animals led him to a successful career showing dairy cattle and sheep in 4-H. Somehow, he still found time for football, National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His goal is to channel his passion into a career in ag business, beginning with studying ag economics at Purdue University in 2023.

Ariens’ parents are Kevin and Anna Ariens. His FFA advisors were Kate Skirvin and Janna Oxford.

Ready to help others. Talk to Toby Sturgell, Trafalgar, for just a few moments, and you know his desire to help other people is sincere. He has many talents, but perhaps none exceeds his ability to help others feel at ease.

Sturgell helped his Indian Creek FFA soils judging team advance to the national competition in Oklahoma, and also enjoyed chapter meeting and job interview contests. Besides FFA, Sturgell enjoys playing the euphonium and trombone and participating in marching band. He will attend Purdue University, majoring in either ag engineering or ag economics. He is considering later pursuing law school and a career in ag law.

Sturgell grew up with his grandparents, Paul and Sally Sturgell; his older sister, Savannah; and younger sister, Saharah. His FFA advisor was Joe Dunn.

Passion, passion and more passion. It would be a rare moment if you found Mary Jones, Monroe, sitting still. Last May, she competed in the National Land Judging Contest near Oklahoma City one day and in a national contest at the Business Professionals of America in Dallas the next. She competed in dairy judging at the national level multiple times and in the national FFA extemporaneous speaking contest twice. Plus, she set records in golf. And in her spare time, she raised thousands of dollars for a community service project.

Jones earned a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind., and will major in communication, focusing on journalism and/or public media.

Her parents are Mike and Leah Jones. Her advisor at Adams Central FFA was her dad, Mike.

Full speed ahead. Jenna Kelsay, Whiteland, is pursuing her future one step at a time. She hopes it leads her to Purdue University next fall, studying ag economics, on her way to a career in ag policy work. At Whiteland FFA, Kelsay led her team to the nationals in the Milk Quality and Products Contest, earning a gold emblem ranking. Her dairy judging team qualified for World Dairy Expo.

She also was a member of the Student Council, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. Kelsay showed dairy animals and goats during her 10-year 4-H career. She was instrumental working alongside her mom in developing a thriving agritourism business.

She lives with her parents, Joe and Amy Kelsay, and siblings Josie and Jack. Her FFA advisors were Hannah Goeb and Katie Ott.

Pursuing life work. The state officer most certain about career plans is Anthony Taylor, Warsaw. He found welding through FFA. Due to strong performance in a national contest, Taylor has a scholarship waiting at the Kentucky Welding Institute in Flemingsburg, Ky. He hopes to pursue a career as a pipe welder.

Taylor knows all about hard work, developing a lawn care business and becoming a state Star in Agribusiness finalist in 2022. He was on the chapter meeting team, qualifying for state twice, and participated in forestry, extemporaneous speaking and horticulture contests.

His parents are Doris Taylor and Michael Taylor. Siblings include Jason, Austin, Jazmyn and Jaxton. Taylor’s FFA advisor was Jacob Riley.

Born to teach. Gracie Lee, Winchester, dreams about teaching and serving as an FFA advisor. She will pursue her dream next year at Purdue University in ag education. One of her supervised ag experiences was preparing lesson plans and traveling to local schools near Monroe Central High School to read stories to children. Her other SAE activity found her caring for a large garden, marketing produce and working at a local store. Lee participated in the national floriculture contest, and also excelled in forestry, employment skills and the leadership ambassador contest.

She was a 10-year 4-H member, working with rabbits, goats and dairy, and a National Honor Society member.

Lee’s parents are Todd and Michelle Lee. Her FFA advisors were Jim Weiler and Christy Thornburg.

Caring, sharing and doing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaden Maze, Thorntown, co-chaired the Meat and Milk Campaign for Boone County, helping her chapter raise nearly $35,000 for eight food pantries. Plus, she co-founded the Western Boone Bring Change to Mind Mental Health Club. Her speaking efforts, often about mental health, helped her place first in the state and fourth nationally in public speaking.

Maze participated in the soils judging, chapter meeting and ag issues contests. Her SAE led her to working at a local dairy operated by Charlie Carter and family. She is a skilled tennis player and a member of the National Honor Society. She will use a Purdue Trustee Scholarship at Purdue, majoring in ag economics and ag communications, hoping to pursue a career in ag law to represent the rights of future agriculturalists.

Maze is the daughter of Mike and Andrea Maze. Her FFA advisor was Travis Terhaar.