On Nov. 21, 2025, the Hallettsville FFA took 42 students in 13 teams to Blinn College in Brenham Texas for a chance to compete in the state competition. One student, senior Jake Ressler, will compete at state at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Jake explains his journey throughout FFA and all his opportunities as the Area XI FFA President
“FFA has allowed me to make some great friends and connections and I know there is no organization or team that will build connections with other people and prepare you for the real world the way that FFA can,” Ressler said. “If you want to be in FFA, go all in. Don’t be a half-hearted member and push yourself to do more than just show up to meetings. Get involved early and don’t say no. Every great FFA story starts with “My Ag teacher forced me” so join FFA and trust the process.”
Jake’s father Heath Ressler was right there through his experience as Mr. Ressler is one of three Hallettsville FFA Advisors.
“FFA members have the opportunity to build numerous skills that will provide value throughout their lives. Positive character traits like self confidence, trustworthiness, and time management can be applied to any aspect of a member’s life moving forward. Skills like leadership, responsibility, dedication, and the ability to work within a team will also prove to provide positive benefits for members both personally, professionally, and in the homes and communities for years to come.” H. Ressler said. “FFA provides opportunities for a wide variety of students to work together for common goals in our team settings. Members learn that their work ethic and attitude are the only limits to what they can accomplish in this organization and in other areas of their life.”
Hallettsville FFA has two more Advisors, one of them being Christie Michalcik. Mrs. Michalcik is the floral one and two and small animal equine.
“I think personally, FFA teaches skills they can take to their career, such as time management, developing studying skills, evaluating problems and breaking them down, and coming up with solutions,” Michalicik said. “Winning makes students want to strive for more success.”
Mrs. Michalcik coaches Hallettsville FFA’s public relations. This senior level team has an unusually skilled freshman, Heidi Grahmann. Most freshmen are put on the Greenhand team for their first year, but Heidi was moved up, per her skills. Heidi talks about her pre-game activities and how she got into FFA.
“I have to practice before the competition, and look over scripts and questions,” Grahmann said. “I was in Jr. FFA and show animals. My brother talked so highly and LDEs caught my interest.”
The Third FFA Advisor, Mallory Haas, is the principal of AG teachers. She teaches all the greenhand FFA members and gets them into FFA. She shows them the basics of FFA as well as teaching them about LDEs and CDEs.
“FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students because it prepares them for real world experiences that they can use no matter which career path they may choose. Between our different LDE, CDE and Speaking contests, students are learning about how to make proper consumer decisions that they may need in the grocery store, how to get prepared for interviews and presentations as well as how to work together as a team to solve difficult tasks,” Haas said. “My students are always willing to do whatever it takes to be successful even if they have to wake up for a 4 a.m. leave time to attend a contest or stay late to make presentations to community groups in the evening. We become a close knit family in the FFA where we are able to go through the highs and lows together and learn from the mistakes and failures that we may face.”
One member in Ms. Haas’ blank team, senior Jesse Whitley explains how she got into FFA, as well as her time in FFA.
“The fear of not doing good will only hold you back,” Whitley said. “FFA makes me happy to come to school, I have a group of people who support me.”
LDEs are over for the fall, but in the spring the FFA will participate in CDEs. LDEs are leadership development events focusing on skills and personalities while Career Developments events are focused on future careers in and out of Agriculture.
