MONROE - Monroe High School alumnus Logan Wells wouldn't trade his chance to race veggie cars at country fairs, advocate for more agricultural teachers and coordinate leadership conferences as the Wisconsin State FFA president.
Wells, a 2011 MHS graduate, is about midway through his one-year term as the state president of the national organization. Now a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wells said he's honored to have the position and the ability to impact agricultural education.
"I want to be a role model to students," said Wells, a forestry major. "It's crazy to think about how much we travel. Meeting people from different backgrounds and learning their stories is the most rewarding and you know you are making an impact in their life."
The position keeps him busy: He's on the road more than 280 days during the year.
In the summer, he attended several county fairs to promote agriculture and partake in activities like racing small-scale cars made out of vegetables. He coordinated and led about 15 leadership conferences in the fall - a twist for a student who didn't seek out public speaking opportunities.
"Change is how you grow," he said. "It's good to be outside your comfort zone."
Wells went to a National FFA conference in Washington D.C. last summer. There he had the chance to meet Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Ron Kind. During the convention, delegates get the chance to vote on new policies for FFA. One area they planned to tackle was a shortage of ag teachers.
"There are not enough ag teachers for positions we have in the state," Wells said. "We want to help support ag teachers."
Another area the delegates focused on was promoting ag literacy.
"We don't want people to feel illiterate if they don't understand agriculture."
Wells said delegates also looked at ways to make hands-on projects through the FFA's Supervised Agricultural Experience program more applicable to the real world for more students and discussed ways to better market the organization.
For many years, FFA for years was referred to as Future Farmers of America. However, Wells said, only about 2 percent of the 557,000 FFA members will enter a career in food production. It's part of the reason the organization is now referred to as simply as FFA.
"Most of our members are not going into production agriculture," he said. "Not every member wants to be a farmer. It's so we don't have the stereotype that everyone wants to be a farmer."
In the spring, Wells will meet with various businesses statewide to discuss agriculture. When his term is up June 12, Wells, who started his own portable sawmill business while he was a sophomore in high school, will look to get a forestry internship during the summer. After finishing his degree, he plans on a future in the woods product industry or as a teacher in a University of Wisconsin-Extension-type position.
"I love teaching people about forestry and natural resources," Wells said.
Wells, a 2011 MHS graduate, is about midway through his one-year term as the state president of the national organization. Now a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wells said he's honored to have the position and the ability to impact agricultural education.
"I want to be a role model to students," said Wells, a forestry major. "It's crazy to think about how much we travel. Meeting people from different backgrounds and learning their stories is the most rewarding and you know you are making an impact in their life."
The position keeps him busy: He's on the road more than 280 days during the year.
In the summer, he attended several county fairs to promote agriculture and partake in activities like racing small-scale cars made out of vegetables. He coordinated and led about 15 leadership conferences in the fall - a twist for a student who didn't seek out public speaking opportunities.
"Change is how you grow," he said. "It's good to be outside your comfort zone."
Wells went to a National FFA conference in Washington D.C. last summer. There he had the chance to meet Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Ron Kind. During the convention, delegates get the chance to vote on new policies for FFA. One area they planned to tackle was a shortage of ag teachers.
"There are not enough ag teachers for positions we have in the state," Wells said. "We want to help support ag teachers."
Another area the delegates focused on was promoting ag literacy.
"We don't want people to feel illiterate if they don't understand agriculture."
Wells said delegates also looked at ways to make hands-on projects through the FFA's Supervised Agricultural Experience program more applicable to the real world for more students and discussed ways to better market the organization.
For many years, FFA for years was referred to as Future Farmers of America. However, Wells said, only about 2 percent of the 557,000 FFA members will enter a career in food production. It's part of the reason the organization is now referred to as simply as FFA.
"Most of our members are not going into production agriculture," he said. "Not every member wants to be a farmer. It's so we don't have the stereotype that everyone wants to be a farmer."
In the spring, Wells will meet with various businesses statewide to discuss agriculture. When his term is up June 12, Wells, who started his own portable sawmill business while he was a sophomore in high school, will look to get a forestry internship during the summer. After finishing his degree, he plans on a future in the woods product industry or as a teacher in a University of Wisconsin-Extension-type position.
"I love teaching people about forestry and natural resources," Wells said.