For Claire Woeppel, FFA was never a question of if she could join the organization– it was more of what she would do within it. FFA has deep roots into her family history, as her grandfather and father both wore the blue jacket.
Woeppel’s oldest brother was one of the first members of the newly founded Chambers FFA chapter in northeast Nebraska in 2012. She remembers her older brother’s jacket ceremony and knew from then on that she wanted to serve within FFA.
Her dream of serving as a National FFA Officer began during the Chapter Officer Leadership Training (CULT) between her freshman and sophomore year of high school. At the time, her chapter had requested David Lopez, the FFA Western Region vice president to fill in for the advisor position during the Opening Ceremonies Competition.
“At this point my goal of wanting to serve on the National FFA Officer team was a dream,” stated Woeppel.
During her senior year of high school she applied to serve as a Nebraska FFA State Officer and she ended up holding that position during the 2024-2025 year. As her year of service began to end, the idea of serving on the National FFA Officer team became a real possibility. Through a conversation with her mom in their kitchen, they were able to weigh the what ifs of applying and not applying.
In looking back on the conversation, Woeppel describes it as the “Moment I realized I would be heart broken, if I didn’t at least try towards national office.”
From then on, with the support of her family, Sarah Heidman, Danny Walters, and former National FFA Officers Amare Jackson and Morgan Anderson, she began her journey to national office. Jackson and Anderson assisted Woeppel in understanding the application process and the demands during their National Officer year.
Throughout her application process, Woeppel held tightly to a key phrase: “Legacy of Love.” This phrase kept her going throughout her Nebraska State FFA office, became her phrase in the Engler Program at UNL, and was the reminder she carried into National FFA Officer elections.
Woeppel credits the support of CASNR and Engler throughout her time in state office and has thoroughly enjoyed the support both have given her. As she heads into her year of service at the national level, she knows her family is what she will miss the most, as they have been her backbone and biggest supporters. She’s excited to grow her family and gain connections by meeting with new chapters and members throughout the country.
Her biggest piece of advice to younger FFA members and just anyone in general is, “To not let your circumstances define your future.” While Woeppel herself came from a small and new FFA chapter, she has still seen great success.
“If you don’t come from a very ag-based chapter, do not let it define you,” Woeppel said. “You can do whatever you set your heart out to do.”
