Lennox Sundstrom FFA excels at State Convention

More than 2,000 FFA members, advisors and guests gathered April 20–22 at South Dakota State University’s First Bank & Trust Arena for the 2026 South Dakota State FFA Convention, and the Lennox Sundstrom FFA chapter made its presence known with award recognition and leadership at the state level.

Centered around this year’s theme, “Step Up,” the convention highlighted student achievement, leadership development and personal growth. The message encouraged members to take initiative and embrace new opportunities—something Lennox Sundstrom students demonstrated throughout the three-day event.

The chapter saw success in Career Development Events, led by a standout individual performance from Bode Sweeter, who placed seventh in the highly competitive Meats Judging contest. As a team, Lennox Sundstrom finished fourth overall in the event.

Multiple Lennox Sundstrom teams qualified to compete at the state level, including Meats (Bode Sweeter, Jovie Wirt, Ryan Luden, Kade Sweeter), Ag Mechanics (Gavin Moser, Jack Wildeboer, Peter Hagena, Grayson Zwart), Milk Quality (Addie Meier, Olivia Johnson, Kenzie Wichers), Natural Resources (Emmitt Odland, Gavin Schoeberl, Hailey Forrest, Madelyn Lund), Veterinary Science (Emersen Lee, Ameyla Meier, Olivia Niederbaumer, Harper Lee), and Floriculture (Willow Booker, Emerson Wirt, Jocelyn Wood). Individual state qualifiers included Abbie Wildeboer in Horse Evaluation and Anna Bonine in Livestock Evaluation. 

Individually, Emerson Wirt placed 15th in Floriculture, while Emersen Lee earned a 13th-place finish in Veterinary Science.

One of the highest honors awarded at the convention, the State FFA Degree, was presented to four Lennox Sundstrom members: Amelya Meier, Adah Perry, Kenna Schilling and Jovie Wirt. 

The degree recognizes years of dedication to Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs, leadership development and community involvement, and is the highest honor the South Dakota FFA Association can bestow upon its members.

Lennox Sundstrom FFA Advisor Kasey Trocke was also recognized at the state level, receiving her honorary State FFA Degree.

In addition to degree recognition, Lennox Sundstrom also earned top placement in the Agricultural Proficiency Awards. Skyler Plucker captured first place in Dairy Production – Placement. Proficiency award winners advance to national competition later this year.

The chapter’s impact extended beyond competition, with strong representation in state leadership. Tyler Strasser served as South Dakota FFA State President, while Skyler Plucker held the role of State Sentinel. Both are graduates of Lennox High School and played key roles in leading the convention. 

Strasser, a Lennox native, has been deeply involved in agriculture through his family and FFA experiences, participating in numerous events and serving in multiple leadership roles, including chapter president. Plucker, who grew up on his family’s dairy farm, has also been an active leader within the chapter and district, combining hands-on agricultural experience with FFA involvement.

Also at the convention, South Dakota FFA recognized individuals and organizations for their outstanding support of agricultural education. 

Distinguished Service Awards were presented to those who have made significant contributions to FFA and agricultural education across the state. These recipients have supported members through mentorship, resources, and opportunities that help students succeed Among those receiving the award was Wendy Sweeter and Wirt Farms.