We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
On December 16, Mrs. Mitzi Cecrle's third period Animal Science class played host to two State FFA Officers. Their guests: Morgan Bisel, State Secretary from Corvallis, and Kylee Finn, State Treasurer from Cascade, shared inspiration with Chinook students. The state officers' next stop was Turner Public School, where they visited with members of the Big Flat Chapter of the FFA.
Bisel and Finn are members of the Montana FFA Association's eight- member officer team who, during their year of service, travel across the state to interact with members and promote leadership, personal growth, and career success. They can also be found meeting with stakeholders and agriculture education teachers.
While in Chinook, the pair hosted a workshop about time management at the Chinook High School shop. Once that concluded, Bisel and Finn sectioned the group into teams that had to use marshmallows and spaghetti to build a tower in under five minutes, making it as tall as possible without toppling. Winners of the marshmallow/spaghetti tower were Falyn Cecrle, Zoe Scofield, Jana Snedigar, Wacee Simenson, Evan Powell, and Timothy Kuntz.
The second team-building activity involved a scenario in which groups of three had two minutes to solve a problem involving an over-booked barn for an FFA Chapter's dance/silent auction Two teams tied in this problem-solving scenario: Team #1 consisted of Falyn Cecrle, Zoe Scofield, and Jana Snedigar, while Bella Brown, Charley Nissen, and Macey Liddle made up the second team.
About the officer visit in Turner, Bridget Reed, a member of the Big Flat FFA, exclaimed, "These state officers were great! They are super passionate about FFA, and I feel they successfully connected with our chapter. One of the main topics they discussed was creating a Program of Activities (POA). They helped us plan ways to be more community-minded, develop leadership skills, and cultivate passions for agriculture. Here, with the help of the officers, we brainstormed specific ways our chapter can be stronger and more organized. This activity helped our chapter come up with projects that may benefit our community and share the importance of FFA. After the officers' visit, everyone in our chapter seemed to be inspired and eager to take a larger role in FFA."
Besides Bisel and Finn, other State FFA Officers selected to serve during 2025-26 are Claire Murnin – President from Shepherd, Cole Waldusky – First Vice President from Conrad, Kyona Yeager – Second Vice President from Fairfield, Autumn Benson – Reporter from Corvallis, Weston Sondeno – Sentinel from Big Timber, and Savanna Freitas – Parliamentarian from Fairview. This group was sworn into office at the Montana FFA Association's 95th Annual State Convention in Bozeman on April 5. According to the Montana FFA Association, "These young leaders are bonded together by a single goal: to make a positive impact on the 5,000 plus members of the Montana FFA."
In reflecting on her office, Bisel stated: "I wanted to run specifically for the office of secretary because I am a very Type A person and I love to be organized. I thrive on schedules and to-do lists and have served as a secretary in many other clubs, including 4-H, Student Council, Interact, and in Corvallis FFA. I believe that Secretary fits my personality the best and aligns with my leadership style."
As State Secretary this year, Bisel named making all students feel welcomed in FFA as her biggest goal. "I personally come from a non-agricultural background and originally believed I could not be an FFA member and that I wouldn't fit in. I wish to encourage students from a wide variety of backgrounds to become involved in FFA and feel like a part of this community. My personal goal as a state officer is to have a positive impact in the life of at least one FFA member."
An FFA member for almost four years now, Bisel also shared her vision for the FFA organization, stating that she wants members to feel confident in being themselves as well as feel welcomed in the FFA community. "In my role as a state officer, I can help achieve that vision by encouraging members to step outside of their comfort zones. By fostering genuine connections with members, I can ensure that they realize that state officers are just people, too. We all do embarrassing things, but when we are surrounded by those who support us and choose kindness over everything else, we can be silly together."
Hoping to facilitate that goal through her interactions with members this year, Bisel also offered this suggestion: "My advice to someone considering running for a state office is to enjoy the process; embrace the journey! I learned so much about myself during those couple of days at State Convention. Lean on people around you for support and guidance and don't hesitate to reach out to the state officers with any questions! We love interacting with you!"
