The gold standard

January 6, 2025 | Kriss Nelson

The National FFA Organization's mission is to help students by developing their potential for “premier leadership, personal growth and career success.”

The organization's mission resonates with Ryan Wicklein, an 18-year-old senior at Southeast Valley High School and member of the Central Plains FFA chapter in Gowrie.

A Supervised Agricultural Experience

During his freshman year of high school, Wicklein became more active in his family's farm. The fourth generation on the farm, Wicklein invested 1,360 hours into his family's soybean operation.

“I learned responsibility, crop care, decision-making, adaptability and flexibility while stepping outside of my comfort zone and recognized skills that I needed to improve on," says Wicklein.

He gained experience planting, crop scouting and harvesting the crop while learning valuable skills in operating machinery and working with others on the farm, including his father and their agronomist.

Throughout this time, Wicklein diligently worked to keep detailed records. His hard work was rewarded when he was named the 2024 state proficiency winner in fiber and oil crop production for his supervised agricultural experience (SAE). This award, sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), recognizes FFA members who have developed specialized skills in fiber and oil crop production through their SAE programs.

“Through his SAE project, it is easy to see that Ryan is passionate about the soybean industry. His ability to keep records and make management decisions based on previous outcomes made him a strong candidate for this award,” says Mickayla Jordan, ISA marketing coordinator. “Ryan also showed how the skills he gained through participating in FFA crop scouting, soil evaluation and agronomy career development events could improve his farming operation.”

“It was a tremendous accomplishment,” says Wicklein, who was recognized with the award at the Iowa FFA Convention. “I love being a part of the ag scene and FFA and helping underclassmen be a part of FFA, telling them what proficiencies and opportunities they have available to them.”

Central Plains FFA Advisor Johanna Kunert assisted Wicklein in applying for the award.

“We spent so many hours on this award application,” she says. “Throughout the process, I got to know Ryan, and he was obviously super deserving with all the hard work he did on the farm.”

Wicklein doesn't take the help he received from Kunert and his fellow FFA members for granted.

“If you surround yourself with good people like Miss Kunert and other students, it makes the work much easier,” he says. “There is a lot of knowledge that flows through our chapter.”

Striving to be a positive influence

Before graduating and heading to college to study agronomy, Wicklein has kept active throughout his FFA career, taking part in a variety of contests, including crop scouting, soil science judging and serving as his chapter's historian.

“I am building skills to use toward my future,” he says. “All the competitions and the college classes I am taking now are helping me work toward becoming an agronomist. I have an internship with Brevant this summer. I am working to build that resume and do all I can do to become the best I can in the field.”

Whatever the activity, Wicklein is aware his peers are watching.

“I always make sure I am doing my work with good ethics, making sure they can look up to me and hopefully become better by learning from me,” he says.

In 2025, Wicklein is expanding his horizons by learning more about corn production. He is also looking forward to earning his Iowa FFA degree, the highest award the state can bestow upon its members.

“Ryan has an incredible work ethic whether it is with FFA, sports, or high school studies and is already on the right track with college classes,” says Kunert. “He is a role model for the younger students who look up to him. I know he will be successful in whatever he does.”

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