REDMOND, Ore. — The final morning of the 95th annual Oregon FFA State Convention was a pulse-pounding affair as delegates gathered to elect a new slate of officers.

The process combines formal voting procedures with stadium rock concert theatrics — before each winner is announced, the house lights go dark, energetic music plays and colorful stage lights dart over the crowd, with hundreds of spectators clapping in unison.

When it was finished, six officers were chosen from a pool of 10 candidates to lead Oregon FFA for 2023-24.

This year’s team includes President Jael Cruikshank, of Bend; Vice President Kylie Temple, of Hermiston; Secretary Ryan Mizee, of Tillamook; Treasurer Camille Peters, of Elkton; Reporter Alicia Venegas, of Lost River; and Sentinel Mary Thiel, of Joseph.

It was the culmination of the four-day convention March 16-19 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center in Redmond, which drew an estimated 2,500 students from across Oregon to compete in FFA events and attend leadership-building workshops.

For the next year, the officers will travel thousands of miles visiting with all 11,000-plus FFA members and 109 local chapters across the state.

“Something that we all talked about as candidates a lot is that we want to connect with the members,” Thiel said. “Connection is super important. We want to make sure members feel that they are loved, and that they are served.”

The idea of connection was a recurring theme as officers discussed their own high school and FFA careers, and goals for the coming year.

Venegas said she was inspired to run for state office while attending last summer’s Southern Oregon FFA District leadership camp.

“We were all sitting around the campfire,” Venegas said. “Everybody was singing, dancing and telling stories. There was so much love. My heart was overwhelmed with joy. I knew then that I wanted to do whatever I could to continue to impact the lives of our (organization’s) members.”

Cruikshank is following the steps of her older brother, Josiah, who served as Oregon FFA state president in 2019-20, and National FFA western region vice president in 2021-22.

But Cruikshank said she has come to learn that success isn’t solely defined by titles and accolades.

“Through my FFA years, I’ve learned what success really means,” she said. “It’s not about a banner or an office, but it’s how you impact the people around you and how you treat them. Even if you have all the awards and achievements in the state, that doesn’t make you a successful person.”

Mizee described himself as a person driven by his passions. He said he wants to help his fellow members find their own purpose in life.

“You should take every opportunity that comes your way,” he said. “FFA is an amazing place to fail, because when you do fail, it’s OK.”

No matter what a person’s interests or skills may be, FFA is a place for everyone, Peters said.

“Whether you were raised on a farm your entire life, or you’ve never seen a cow before, you have a place and we’re here for you,” she said.

As FFA officers, Temple said the team has a unique opportunity to be a light in many students’ lives.

“The feeling that I’m feeling right now is just a sense of pride, but not necessarily for personal accomplishments,” Temple said. “But just because I know this is an amazing team and we have the opportunity to represent some amazing members.”