A 2022 graduate of Schuyler-Industry High School has been named the 2022 Illinois FFA President.
Rachel Hood secured the honor as the Illinois FFA Convention wrapped up in Springfield today in a vote by the more than 5,000 members who attended.
Hood told RFD Today’s Jim Taylor it’s an honor to represent the state and FFA: “My background is growing up on my family’s cattle and grain farm. I grew up on a row-crop operation as well as having cattle. I was very involved with 4H as a kid, which is my background in agricultural leadership. Then, I got into the FFA and blossomed and absolutely fell in love with it. I’m from the Rushville-Industry FFA Chapter. We have not had a lot of success in our past years, and then, this year we really knocked it out of the park. We got a new ag teacher, Ms. Sydney Riden. We have been honored to win a lot of things because we worked really hard. I love my home chapter, and I’m really proud to be from Rushville. I’m really looking forward to meeting all the members of FFA across the state. I love people and connections. I’m so excited to meet everybody and hopefully leave an impact on them. I know they are going to leave an impact on me.”
The 94th annual event hosts students from FFA chapters all across the state for three days to recognize achievements of its members, elect officers, and celebrate agriculture and agriculture education.