BROOKINGS — The South Dakota FFA Association will host the 97th Annual South Dakota State FFA Convention on April 3-5 at the Dacotah Bank Center and South Dakota State University’s campus.

The convention, with the theme of “Never Settle,” will be led by the state FFA officers include President Maya Howard, Miller; Vice President Raul Berrones Pedraza, Milbank; Secretary Ethan Hendricks, Rapid City; Treasurer Bailey Weegar, Viborg-Hurley; and Reporter Hailey Kizer, Howard. The state FFA Convention is like the “state championship” of FFA, that highlights the successes of South Dakota’s FFA members.

Throughout the three-day convention, over 2,000 FFA members, advisers and guests will:

• Participate in a Career Carnival with exhibits from 55 ag industry leaders and colleges
• Package 55,000 meals for a Meals of Hope, which will be provided to Feeding South Dakota
• Attend leadership workshops hosted by First Dakota National Bank, the Agtegra Innovations Center, South Dakota Agriculture & Rural Leadership, South Dakota Beef Industry Council, Field Reveal, USDA Risk Management, Farm Credit Services of America, National FFA officer Jack Lingenfelter, National FFA Alumni, Ag Ed Ambassadors, and Caleb Weiland, former FFA member.
• Showcase agricultural skills by competing in hands-on career development events in agricultural business management, agricultural technology and mechanical systems, agronomy, dairy cattle evaluation, floriculture, food science and technology, horse evaluation, livestock evaluation, meats evaluation and technology, milk quality and products, natural resources, nursery/landscape, range plant identification and veterinary science.

Four award sessions — Thursday evening, Friday afternoon and evening, and Saturday morning — will include:

• Bestowing the State FFA Degree on 324 members, the highest degree of members in South Dakota FFA
• Recognizing outstanding FFA members for their Supervised Agriculture Experience projects in the STARS Pageant (Star Greenhand, Star in Agriscience, Star in Agribusiness, Star in Agricultural Placement, and Star Farmer) and proficiency awards
• Awarding scholarships to graduating seniors and postsecondary students studying agriculture
• Hearing inspiring messages from state FFA officers, National FFA Southern Region Vice President Jack Lingenfelter of Georgia, and keynote speaker Melvin Adams
• Commending members for their success in agricultural career development events, as they advance to national competition in Indianapolis this fall
• Honoring supporters with the Honorary State FFA Degree and Distinguished Service awards
• Thanking past state FFA officers and the FFA Foundation board
• Celebrate the South Dakota FFA Family of the Year, the Mary and late Myron Williams family, from Wall.
• Recognizing FFA chapters that have demonstrated outstanding involvement in building leaders, growing communities and strengthening agriculture with the National Chapter award
• Installing the 2025-26 state FFA officers and ambassadors

All award sessions will be broadcast live. Watch anywhere NewsCenter1 TV is found. For a full list, go here. Watch online at sdaged.org, or Newscenter1.tv.