FFA American Degree recipients

Why did you want to obtain your American Degree?

Woitalla: I wanted to earn my American Degree through the FFA organization because it represents years of hard work, dedication and passion for agriculture. Being part of the less than 1% of FFA members to achieve this honor has always been a goal of mine. I wanted to reach the highest level the organization offers and prove to myself that the time, effort and experiences I’ve invested in FFA were worthwhile and recognized. FFA has been a huge part of my life for the past seven years, and earning my American Degree is a way for me to close the chapter of being an active member and step into the next role as an alumnus. It’s the perfect way to finish one chapter and begin another in my agriculture and FFA journey.

Poppler: I wanted to obtain my American Degree because I believe it is a great honor to receive something with such significance. It is the highest honor I can receive in my FFA career. FFA has made such a profound impact in my life during my high school years. I have learned valuable life lessons through the contests I have competed in and the events I have attended. To me, my American Degree symbolizes my growth in leadership and professionalism during my FFA career.

Swanson: I wanted to achieve the American degree to showcase the hard work, dedication and leadership I have achieved through my journey as an FFA member. The American degree is the highest level of honor an FFA member can receive. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.

Glessing: I sought to receive my American Degree because it represents the highest honor FFA can bestow upon its members. Earning this degree is not only a symbol of dedication and hard work but also a reflection of the countless hours my fellow recipients and I have invested in leadership of my FFA chapter, as well as the community service we have provided for the communities of Howard Lake, Waverly and Winsted. For many, including myself, it serves as the final milestone in one’s FFA career. Receiving this degree signifies not just the end of an FFA career but the beginning of a lifelong connection to agriculture and the lessons learned through FFA involvement.

Hauschildt: I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I’m always looking for new challenges and opportunities, and receiving this honor means all my hard work paid off.

What was the most challenging aspect of obtaining your American Degree?

Woitalla: The most challenging part was the long-term commitment it took to complete and document all the financial and experience requirements. Earning the American Degree through FFA takes years of dedication, organization and detailed record keeping. It requires pay stubs, photos, examples of growth and much more. My SAE covered a span of seven years, and I had to maintain documentation for all of that time. Balancing those requirements with my responsibilities on the farm, my involvement in FFA and my education in both high school and college was challenging at times. There were moments when it felt like a lot to manage, but I knew it would be worth it in the end. Looking back now, I’m proud that I stayed consistent and put in the effort it took to reach this goal.

Swanson: The most challenging part was to keep accurate records and keep track of expenses, especially when trying to balance school work, working at the farm and after school activities.

Poppler: The most challenging part was logging my hours from my SAE. I had three different jobs within my SAE that I was balancing. I needed to stay organized.

Glessing: The most challenging aspect of obtaining my American FFA Degree was meeting all of the requirements needed to earn it. It took a lot of time, financial investment, and commitment to reach those requirements. This was a process of years in the making for me, as I started my SAE back in 2018, but after all I put in, I received back in the form of my American Degree which really felt like an honor in recognition of the past 7 years of my FFA career.

Hauschildt: The most challenging part was definitely putting in my hours and my paychecks for each activity of my projects. It was extremely time consuming, especially since I had to make a certain amount to qualify and also had to have a set number of hours.

What was your reaction when you found out you received it, and who did you tell first?

Woitalla: When I found out I would be receiving my American Degree, I was extremely excited and thankful. It felt amazing to see the years of work I have put into FFA allow me to reach my goal of receiving this award. Everything I had worked toward through FFA had finally come full circle. I immediately told my dad and younger sister. They have both supported me through my entire FFA journey, and I could not have achieved this without them.

Poppler: I was very grateful when I found out I received my American Degree. I am grateful for my FFA advisors who have provided me with all of the opportunities I had within FFA. Without them, I would not have had the valuable experiences I did. The first person I told when I found out about receiving my degree was my sister. She received her American Degree last year, so it was a special moment to share with her. She inspired me to apply for mine.

Swanson: I was so excited and knew I had to tell my FFA advisors first because they were a key part in my success as an FFA member, and I showed my thanks for all they have done for me.

Glessing: I was ecstatic when I first found out I was receiving my American Degree. I knew I wanted this from the very beginning as a seventh grader. I had set my sights on earning this honor, and learning I had achieved it was a truly full-circle moment. The first person I told was my mom. As one of my biggest supporters and advisers, sharing the news with her made the moment even more meaningful.

Hauschildt: My reaction was pure excitement. My mom was the first to know. I ran to tell her, jumping in excitement the entire time. I had to repeat myself three times so she could understand me.

What was your Supervised Agricultural Experience?

Woitalla: My SAE was centered around my involvement on my family’s dairy farm. I take part in all areas of our farm, from milking cows and herd management to producing feed for our herd through crop production and field work. Through my SAE, I was able to demonstrate my understanding of both the livestock and crop side of agriculture and my growth in responsibilities within both areas.

Poppler: My SAE was working on my family’s dairy farm as a relief AI technician at GENEX Cooperative and managing my FFA chapter’s Community-Supported Agriculture garden. On my family’s dairy farm, I was responsible for calf chores and assisting with field work. I merged hay and ran the grain cart during harvest. My duties as a manager of the CSA garden included guiding the workers, putting together and delivering baskets of fresh produce, and planting and harvesting produce.

Swanson: My SAE was in dairy production working at my uncle’s dairy farm.

Glessing: I first got involved in my SAE by buying one dairy heifer, and she now has had seven calves. Four of them are still a part of my herd today. I first got interested and motivated in my SAE because agriculture is in my blood. My dad’s parents were dairy farmers, and my mom’s parents were also dairy farmers. Some other aspects that motivated me to start my SAE are being involved in FFA and keeping better records. I also have a passion for showing dairy cattle. My SAE is working on my family’s dairy farm, Glessing Family Farm, and owning two dairy beef steers and fifteen head of dairy cattle. My SAE includes taking care of my animals by feeding them, making sure they have fresh bedding and making sure they have a clean pen by scraping and hauling the manure. I have thoroughly enjoyed operating equipment and working on the farm and would not trade the life I have lived for anything because of the knowledge I have gained.

Hauschildt: I actually had six different SAE projects, including working at Irish Ridge Dairy LLC; job shadowing a veterinarian; raising chickens, horses and dogs; and even working on a deer farm. My projects were very animal based.

What are your future plans?

Woitalla: My future goal is to continue farming alongside my dad and uncle on our family’s dairy farm, representing the third generation on our operation. I want to build on what they have already started by improving efficiency, bringing in new ideas and continuing to produce quality milk. Agriculture, especially dairy, has always been my passion, and I’m proud to carry on our family’s legacy.

Poppler: I am currently studying dairy production at South Dakota State University. I hope to attend grad school to pursue a career in dairy nutrition or dairy genetics. My main goal is to continue to be involved within the dairy industry.

Swanson: I am a sophomore attending the University of Minnesota, studying agriculture and food business management with the goal to work in the agricultural community helping farmers achieve their goals.

Glessing: My current goals for the future include graduating from SDSU with a major in precision ag and minors in dairy industry and agronomy. Upon graduation from college, I will be joining my father back on the family farm. I am looking forward to forming a partnership with him and my brother. There are several areas I would like to improve on the family farm. Implementation of GPS technology to maximize efficiency in the field would be a first improvement. The second improvement would be on the dairy side of the farming operation I hope to change the facilities so we can optimize the latest innovations in technology to maximize animal comfort, production levels, reproductive health and, most importantly, overall efficiency. In addition to operating the dairy farm, we also sell Channel Seed. I plan to expand this business in the future to diversify the farm. Serving a larger area of farmers will enable Glessing Seeds to have an increased inventory of seed selection to better serve our customers. Many innovations have been made in recent years regarding yield potential and drought resistant traits in seed which I will utilize in the future.

Hauschildt: After graduation in May from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, I plan to start working in cattle genetics and reproduction.

Tell us about your family’s farm.

Woitalla: My family’s farm, Woitalla Dairy LLC, is owned and operated by my dad and uncle, Keith and Kurt Woitalla. We currently milk 130 Holsteins in a double-8 parallel parlor. On our farm, we manage and produce all of our own feed through our crops and land. With the dairy, crop production, equipment and business aspects combined, there’s always something to keep us busy throughout the year. Growing up on the farm shaped my appreciation for agriculture and developed the passion for dairy I still hold today.

Poppler: My family’s dairy farm is located in Waverly, Minnesota. We milk around 500 registered Holsteins and raise our own replacement heifers. We raise corn, alfalfa and soybeans.

Swanson: I grew up on my family’s fifth-generation dairy farm, where we milk 90 registered Holsteins in a tiestall barn. In 2016, my sisters and I started our own herd, 3 Sisters Dairy. When I am not at college, I enjoy spending time with my family and working on the farm.

Glessing: I was born and raised on a fifth-generation dairy farm located in Waverly, Minnesota, where we milk 80 grade and registered Holsteins and operate 850 acres of cropland consisting of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and oats. The family farm is owned and operated by my father, Dan Glessing. I have taken a major role in the operation of the farm by doing just about every task possible. Some of the day-to-day tasks include milking, mixing TMR, scraping and bedding pens, and hauling manure. Some of my seasonal tasks include but are definitely not limited to hauling loads of forage, cutting and raking hay, baling, planting crops, doing cultivation and deep tillage, driving grain trucks and operating the grain cart. I will only continue to expand my horizons on and off the farm and continue to gain knowledge through my experiences post-college.

Hauschildt: My family’s farm is a hobby farm with horses, chickens, dogs and cats. However, we used to have goats, beef cows and ducks as well. Alongside my parents and younger sister, we have quite a collection of pets. A lot of my projects were on the animals at home. I also work on a dairy farm called Irish Ridge Dairy LLC. They have about 130 head of Holsteins and Jerseys that I help milk when I’m home from college. Thanks to the Sexton family, I was also honored to be a Princess Kay finalist this year.