The new National FFA president is from Franklin, Illinois. Thaddeus Bergschneider, the former Illinois FFA President, was named the national president over the weekend in Indianapolis at the National FFA Convention. He was one of 33 finalists on the last day vying for a spot on the executive board.
Bergschneider says that his father was the one that urged him years ago to be in the FFA: “I told my dad that I didn’t want to join FFA at first. I’m from a farm. I have six siblings. My oldest brother Luke – he likes machinery and hands-on farm work a little bit more than I do. I saw him and I saw myself. I’m a little bit more of a bookworm. I like writing. I like all these different things. I didn’t know if FFA was where I should spend my time. My dad told me to try it anyway. He made me go to ag sales for the first time. Then, I pulled his purplish jacket out of the closet. That is the first FFA jacket that I ever wore. That was the jacket that I wore when it was announced that I was elected. That’s been my journey – my dad motivating me and telling me that there is a passion and a place here for everyone in FFA. That continued when my ag teachers, Mr. Nelson and Ms. Kane when they continued to care for me, and to shape my passion, and to push me forward.”
Bergschneider is currently majoring in Finance in Agribusiness at the University of Illinois.