Sterling High School FFA members detail trip to National FFA Convention
- Media Logic Radio
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
By Callie Jones | cjones@prairiemountainmedia.com | Sterling Journal-Advocate
PUBLISHED: November 4, 2025 at 12:09 PM MST
Five Sterling High School FFA members just returned from an exciting and motivating trip to the National FFA Convention, in Indianapolis. Three of the students, freshmen Zaylee Croissant, Graison Bell and Bode Basgall, spoke to the RE-1 Valley School Board on Monday about their experience.
On the first day of the trip, those three along with freshman Willow Martinez and senior Dyllan Dysart joined a bus filled with FFA members from 11 chapters in northeastern Colorado. On the drive to Indianapolis the group toured the Case IH Plant.
“It was probably one of our favorite tours of the trip. We got to see probably one of the coolest assembly lines work in country. We learned a lot of great facts, like from the first step of making a Case combine it takes them one week to put the final details on,” Bell said.
On day two of the trip, the students toured the Animal Science Department at Iowa State University and Hummel Livestock and Select Exotics, where they got to see Savannah cats, an Eland antelope, rhea birds and show goats.
Day three was the opening day of the National Convention. Sterling FFA members attended the first general session and visited Adrenaline Family Adventure Park, where they got rid of some of their energy playing volleyball and jumping on trampolines.
On Day four, the students toured the Conner Prairie Living History Museum, attended the FFA Career Expo, where students explored various agriculture colleges and businesses from around the country, and ended the day at a rodeo.
“It was my first rodeo, it was very fun,” Bell said.
The following day, the FFA members toured Chip Ganassi Racing, headed back to the convention for more time at the expo and the fifth general session, enjoyed dinner at Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão and ended the day cheering on the Pacers.
“They had an entire garage of all of their winning cars and it was very impressive, they won the Indianapolis 500 a couple of times. Literally, when we walked in they had hundreds of trophies just everywhere, it’s very impressive,” Bell said about Chip Ganassi Racing.
Basgall called Fogo de Chão “the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, it was the best restaurant ever.”
On the final day in Indianapolis, the students cheered on Sterling FFA alumnus Sarah Maker, who received her American Degree, a prestigious honor that less than 1% of FFA members earn, and attended the closing session of the convention. They then got back on the bus for the long ride home.
Bell said that he and his fellow FFA members that went on the trip are all trying to be as active in the organization as possible and take advantage of as many opportunities as they can. They have set big goals for the future including trying to become a state FFA officer and earning their American Degrees.
