Sheldon Collin competes with the Montrose FFA Horse Evaluation Career Development Event team at the state level.
The National FFA Organization is composed of associations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Whether it’s forestry, ranching or fishing, each state thrives in a different sector of agriculture. Due to the organization’s rapid growth, it underwent a name change in 1988 to reflect the different opportunities it offers.
The Colorado FFA Association is no different when it comes to catering to the needs of each member. From the Western Slope to the bustling city of Denver and the Eastern Plains, the Rocky Mountain State is home to an incredibly diverse landscape. This is reflected in each chapter’s unique agricultural education program, which has helped create a strong association. Each member has a different story, but the same passion.
MEET THE MEMBERS
State Officer Sheldon Collin
Sheldon Collin is currently serving as the 2024-25 Colorado FFA vice president and hails from the Montrose FFA Chapter, located in the Western Slope. Being in a unique chapter with a rich history inspired him to pursue a spot on the state officer team.
“My home chapter, which is one of the oldest in the state, has upheld meaningful traditions for generations — from our FFA pack trip in the mountains surrounding my hometown to our dedicated efforts to maintain strong community involvement,” Collin says. “The rich history of my chapter and the inspiring individuals who came before me motivated me to seize opportunities, strive for success and ultimately run for a state office. I’m grateful for the unique experience I had in my chapter and admire the diversity in our association that gives each student their own unique experience as well.”
Collin smiles with the Montrose FFA Chapter at the Colorado FFA state convention.
As a state officer, Collin has received the opportunity to see Colorado FFA in its entirety through chapter visits. This is one of many major efforts done by the state association to ensure each member has the opportunity to interact with the state team.
“We are committed to providing every chapter with a chapter visit — an opportunity many other states do not offer,” Collin adds. “Additionally, we facilitate a variety of leadership conferences throughout the state, giving members valuable opportunities to come together as leaders.” He believes these efforts are crucial to ensuring student success across the state.
District Officer Aimee Shults
Located in the northwestern region of Colorado, Aimee Shults is currently serving as a district officer and is a member of the Meeker FFA Chapter. Shults’ chapter offers various opportunities to its members.
“Our chapter has the ability to provide a petting zoo for visiting schools at the Meeker Classic sheepdog trials, and our chapter members also get to participate in raising countries’ flags during the finals on Sunday morning,” she says. “We’re also very unique because we elect junior officers each fall, which encourages and invites freshman to get involved without completely throwing them in the water with officer duties. Being involved in the sheepdog trials and being a junior officer got me involved in FFA and started my love of being a leader as well as educating the general public about something I have a passion for: agriculture!”
Aimee Shults and her teammate, Emily Rossi, lead a workshop at their annual District Leadership Conference.
Shults also says FFA helped her develop as a person and public speaker, adding, “I’ve always been able to talk to pretty much anybody, but FFA has really grown my vocabulary and professionalism while speaking. I’ve also been able to get rid of the nervous, ‘ums’ and ‘likes’ by having assurance that I know what I’m talking about or how much I have practiced the [FFA] Creed or my speech. Having this practice through the last four years has let me be able to jump into any conversation with anyone, whether that be an eager freshman asking about FFA or someone who catches me wearing the blue corduroy.”
Shults believes moments like this have allowed her to demonstrate her leadership and advocate for the organization.
Chapter Officer Adilene Cabañas Saucedo
Adilene Cabañas Saucedo is a member of the Westminster FFA Chapter, one of only five programs considered to be in the Denver Metro Area. This provided her with a unique experience compared to the rest of the state.
“Our chapter reflects the needs of our urban community by providing hands-on experiences in sustainable landscaping, animal care and greenhouse management,” she says. “Our plant science students dedicate themselves to growing plants for our annual plant sale, which not only funds our chapter, but also promotes agricultural literacy within our community. We unite students from a range of backgrounds, which strengthens our chapter and demonstrates how agriculture can connect with all communities, not just rural ones. Being part of one of the few urban FFA chapters in Colorado has significantly impacted my journey. It has shown me agriculture extends far beyond farming, encompassing fields such as veterinary medicine and urban green spaces.”
Adilene Cabañas Saucedo smiles in her FFA Official Dress.
The Westminster FFA Chapter strives to educate its surrounding community through a variety of events.
“By hosting events like our plant sale and showcasing different career pathways, we’ve demonstrated the importance of agriculture in everyday life,” Saucedo adds. “These programs help bridge the gap between what we learn in the classroom and real-world applications, while also encouraging students to explore careers in agriculture. I’ve seen how these outreach efforts can inspire younger students to take an interest in agriculture and get involved in FFA. Our programs spark curiosity and show the wide range of opportunities within the agricultural field.”
Past State Officer and Alumnus Lane Stevens
Lane Stevens is from the Highland FFA Chapter in northern Colorado. He previously served as a 2023-24 state executive committee member. His time as a state officer allowed him to learn about what agriculture looks like across the state.
“My year of service gave me the opportunity to travel and meet members from all over the state, which helped me get an understanding as well as see firsthand how diverse agriculture is within Colorado,” Stevens says. “It also gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how much goes into running the Colorado FFA Association and how much effort the state staff put toward putting member experiences first. These experiences, opportunities and conversations helped shape and give a strong foundation to my vision and goals for the future as well as my career.”
Lane Stevens with his home chapter, Highland FFA, after receiving his American FFA Degree at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo.
Agricultural education impacted Stevens long before he became a state officer.
“When I joined FFA my freshman year, I heard about all the opportunities available to me, but wasn’t very interested in anything except for being in the shop,” Stevens says. “It wasn’t until I attended my first chapter meeting and started learning about the FFA Creed that I truly began to find my passion for FFA and became an involved member.”
He believes his decision to join instilled a lifelong passion for agriculture and leadership and shaped him into the person he is today.
District Officer Faye Lyons
Faye Lyons is currently serving as a district officer and is a part of the Fort Morgan FFA Chapter located on the Eastern Plains. Becoming a district officer was a turning point in her journey as an FFA member.
“District interviews were definitely an important event in my FFA journey because it was when I had the opportunity to go from member to district officer,” Lyons says. “During my position as a district officer, I decided I wanted to become an ag teacher because being around my district advisor and the other chapter advisors showed me I still wanted to be part of this even after I graduate.”
Faye Lyons with her 2024-25 Colorado FFA District XIV officer team.
FFA and agricultural education have helped Lyons make the decision to major in agricultural education in college.
“Being involved helped my leadership skills grow beyond what they were a few years ago,” Lyons adds. “I’m really happy I decided to join an agriculture class my freshman year because I wouldn’t be close to the leader I am today or have the confidence to run for district office without it. My chapter advisors, Greg Ditter and Danica Farnik, have encouraged me to run for office and pursue a career in agriculture, and I’m really grateful for them. I want to be able to be that kind of person for someone else, so I decided to pursue a career in agriculture education.”
Whether it be alumni, state officers, district officers, chapter officers or members, each one has a story that’s invaluable to the state association.
