Minnesota student FFA officers visit annual Ag Bowl and promote agricultural education | News, Sports, Jobs

Photo by Samantha Davis: Freshman running back Kevin McGee of the SMSU football team runs with kids during a free football youth clinic at the annual Ag Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Mattke Field. Below: Kids participate in the bull riding activity at Ag Bowl.

MARSHALL — The 18th annual Ag Bowl presented by Ralco brought in vendors, a petting zoo, mechanical bull riding, hayrides and a handful of activities to promote agricultural, environmental science and food industry education at the Schwan Regional Event Center at Southwest Minnesota State University’s Mattke Field Saturday afternoon.

Proceeds brought in by Ag Bowl go toward funding scholarships and programming for students who pursue careers in an agricultural field. A free football clinic was held to start the activities, held for younger kids by the SMSU football team before they kicked off their season opener against Minot State that evening.

President of SMSU’s Agriculture Club Madison Douvier set up a station that held kid activities like washable tattoos and coloring.

“I’m excited just to visit with people and share about our programs and what we have,” Douvier said. “It’s a good way to support agriculture and [it’s] a fun experience. I think it brings a lot of people out in the community.”

Douvier is in her second year in the club, and stepped up as President this school year. Ag Club sponsors activities and lectures, and partners with agricultural businesses throughout the area to provide experience and education to agriculture students at the university.

“This is my second time [at Ag Bowl], and last year I helped out with the Ag Club too,” Douvier said. “It’s probably one of the better environments for a football game, I think. It brings a lot of people out.”

Agriculture and business recruitment outreach coordinator Sarah Lee also participated in Ag Bowl, to give out information on a variety of SMSU’s initiatives.

“I’m just kind of representing our programs and opportunities to people coming through who are looking to study agriculture, explain what we have to offer, as well as some of our business and culinology programs as well,” Lee said. “Or, even just learning about what we’re doing for those that might not be looking for something [in agriculture], but are curious about what we do.”

As the petting zoo opened and the inflatable courses blew up, two student Minnesota Future Farmers of America [FFA] officers came by for a visit to help engage with interested community members.

“In Minnesota, there’s 16,000 Minnesota FFA members, and then 40,000 agriculture education students,” treasurer Cole Sundeen said. “We’re kind of the face of all those students. So, our role is to help promote agriculture and agricultural education to the public, whether that’s from legislation or just coming out to events like this.”

The FFA Association is led by six state officers and the President, Lauren Stoel, in eight regions throughout the state. The student officers work with the board of directors to overall advance awareness and educational opportunities to promote food, fiber and natural resources and also engage in leadership training for career success, and spread this knowledge through workshops and visits.

“We’re all over, putting on the miles,” Sundeen said. “We’ll go to FFA chapters, like go to different schools and put on workshops about professionalism and help students about that, or what FFA is.”

Stoel also was in attendance with Sundeen.

“[We travel] everywhere in this state,” Stoel said. “[People] either request us to come places or we just go visit with chapters, visit with businesses, a little bit of everything.”

Stoel currently attends South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., and Sundeed goes to Ridgewater College in Willmar. They both joined FFA in seventh grade, and continued to move up in the organization.

“Everyone takes a different path,” Stoel said. “I went to Murray County Central. I was in the chapter … Then my advisor was like, ‘You should be a chapter officer,.’ Start at your school level, then I became a regional officer, and then applied to be a state officer.”

Sundeen went to Rockford High School, west of the Twin Cities, and had a similar journey to where he is now.

“I started in seventh grade, was a chapter officer, then progressed to a regional officer, and then advanced to a state officer,” Sundeen said.

Both Sundeen and Stoel said those interested in joining FFA can contact their local school and ask to get involved in their local or alumni chapter.

“I just love connecting with people and getting to talk to them,” Steol said. “In doing that, you get to tell them all about FFA and agriculture.”

At the end of the day, promoting proper agricultural awareness is the sole goal of the various organizations and those involved in FFA.

“I love just promoting FFA and not only FFA, but agriculture education,” Sundeen said. “I just want people to get involved in agriculture, and that’s more important to me than people getting involved in FFA. You’re spreading the word of agriculture and how your food can be farmed.”

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