Michael MacDonald
Herald Editor
Nearly 100 students from across Midland, Saginaw and Gratiot counties gathered at Breckenridge High School last Wednesday for the Michigan Future Farmers of America District Leadership Development Events (LDE) contest, a regional qualifier designed to test communication and skills.
FFA members competed in a range of individual and team events including extemporaneous speaking, demonstrations, job interviews, creed recitation and chapter meeting simulations.
This year’s district LDE drew chapters from Ashley, Alma, Breckenridge, St. Louis, Ithaca, St. Charles, Chesaning and Coleman.
Hosting duties rotate annually, and for the 2026 contest cycle, Breckenridge FFA took the lead. Advisor Angela Stephens, now in her third year, said she felt ready to organize the event, volunteered to host, and coordinated with the State FFA office.
She also worked closely with school administrators to ensure enough classrooms would be available, as Breckenridge also hosted a boys basketball game and a wrestling tournament the same evening.
“We used about 20 rooms within the school, including the cafeteria,” Stephens said. “It took a lot of people to host this event. Each school is responsible for bringing judges, timekeepers and other support to make it run smoothly.”
In addition to their own FFA students competing, several classmates helped with logistics, and the Breckenridge Sports Booster Club opened the concession stand to provide snacks. Stephens also acknowledged the custodial staff, who adjusted their schedules.
“I would like to give a shout out to our custodial staff that had to delay their normal routine because of everything that was happening in the school that night,” she said.
According to Stephens, paperwork for districts is shipped directly to the host advisor from the State FFA office. After each category concludes, judges score and rank participants, with tallies reviewed in a designated room. Awards are then announced.
This year’s event had a special guest: State FFA President Brent DeSaegher, an Ithaca alumnus, returned to his home region to announce winners.
Qualifying students/teams, listed below, now advance to the Regional Contest, scheduled for Feb. 11 at Delta College.
Ashley FFA
Jason Gibson – Extemporaneous Public Speaking.
Eli Whitford – Greenhand Public Speaking.
Breckenridge FFA
Samantha Haworth – Extemporaneous Public Speaking.
Addison MacLaren – Creed Speaking.
Jacob Herkner – Prepared Public Speaking.
Gerreck McKenzie – Job Interview.
Ag Issues Team: Sienna Frye, Andrew House, Weston Short, Emma Young, Kacie Cartwright.
Demonstration Team: Maezee Humm, Kora Krenz, Brinley Humm.
Ithaca FFA
Evan Wood – Greenhand Public Speaking.
Gabbie Ortiz – Job Interview.
Clare Reisterer – Junior High Public Speaking.
Ag Issues Team: Pazlee Donovan, Kenny Daniels, Thad Whitmore, Tanner Lamey, Ben Munro.
Jr. High Conduct of Meeting Team 1: Molly Lake, Ellison Merchant, Reese Skinner, Lewis McDonald, Gibson Weburg, Aidan Jorae, Matilda Bowen.
Jr. High Conduct of Meeting Team 2: Bryce Wood, Ella Little, Brinley Stee, Alivia Barancik, Aiden Longabach, Macee Whitmore, Ashlynn Skeith.
Parliamentary Procedure Team: Viola Donovan, Samantha Taylor, Saige Zimmerman, Becket Foglesong, Kymber Austin, Cody Daniels
.
St. Louis FFA
Dottie Biehl – Junior High Public Speaking.