Oregon FFA CEO Phil Ward congratulates the new crop of state officers for the organization on Sunday, March 24.

REDMOND — The main lights went dark in the First Interstate Bank Center in Redmond and spotlights traced through the crowd clad in blue jackets.

“Sirius” by the Alan Parsons Project — the iconic music used to announce the starting five for Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls — pumped through the sound system, its riff repeating, the anticipation building.

And then a winner was declared to cheers, hugs and a few tears.

The Oregon FFA 2024 state convention wasn’t short on spectacle as delegates voted in a new crop of state officers the morning of Sunday, March 24.

The 2024-25 Oregon FFA state officer team includes: President Dale Nelzen, of Molalla, Vice President Spencer Romans, of Nyssa, Secretary Hunter Bingham, of North Powder, Treasurer Vivian Seaholm, of Tillamook, Reporter Julie Amos,of Camas Valley and Sentinel Taft Rice, of Madras.

A big responsibility

After the intense business session, Oregon FFA CEO Phil Ward congratulated the new faces of the organization in a private meeting.

“Now it’s not about you anymore. It’s about those 16,500 members around the state. … It’s a big responsibility,” Ward said.

The high school seniors expressed sympathy for those who took a risk, put themselves forward and weren’t elected. Winners were chosen from a pool of 10 finalists.

Officers also were somewhat shocked by their good fortune.

“Give me two to four business days and I’ll try to comprehend what happened,” Nelzen quipped.

“I’m so happy for this opportunity,” Romans said.

“I’m thrilled for each of you,” Ward responded.

Nelzen was a late bloomer with FFA. He said he wasn’t sure he wanted to join the organization until the end of his freshman year. He determined he wanted to be an officer last summer and started reaching out to past officers for guidance.

Romans, on the other hand, had known he wanted to be an officer since seventh grade, when he went to the state convention with his older brother. He said he tried to become the best version of himself and get closer to God since he made his goal.

Setbacks, vulnerabilities

Some officers discussed setbacks and vulnerabilities during their candidate speeches.

Rice, for example, spoke about a traumatic leg injury he suffered in sports that pushed him away from athletics and toward FFA.

He said he grew in so many ways, including with his faith. “I thought it happened for a reason,” Taft said.

Officers said it was important to open up, because others can see they’re not alone in their struggles, and fellow FFA members can support them.

“If it makes a difference with one member, it makes a difference,” Nelzen said.

Amos said being elected an officer was surreal, in part because she joined FFA as a sophomore when Camas Valley added its chapter.

Oregon FFA officers will take a gap year and work together, traveling around the state for 265 days of the year to the 120 schools with an FFA chapter.

By being elected, the teens become role models and something akin to celebrities for FFA members throughout Oregon.

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