Jay's Lyons to lead District VI

Katie Lyons had to wait a few weeks after being slated for the district’s highest office to find out if she would be approved.
As it turned out, there was no doubt her peers wanted her as their leader.
Lyons was elected president of District VI this month at the Indiana FFA State Convention at Purdue University as the slate of officers was passed unanimously.
“It was awesome,” said Lyons, who had her sights set on the role throughout the election process.
Those interested in seeking district office had to first fill out an application in which they wrote about why they wanted to be an officer and what qualifications they had for such a position. They also had to list the office they wanted to hold.
“I put down president because I wanted them to know that I meant business,” said Lyons, a Jay County High School senior.
She and other candidates then interviewed with district FFA members, who selected the slate of officers. It was approved June 15, the same day Lyons received her Hoosier Degree, at the state convention.
“It’s an amazing feeling that the entire district supported her and the entire slate,” said Brittany Kloer, one of the advisers of Jay County FFA. “Katie has some great ideas … about different activities that she wants to get the entire district involved in. When a district is strong together, they’re strong at state.”
As president, Lyons will oversee chapters at 12 schools in District VI, which includes Jay, Adams, Blackford, Wells, Huntington, Wabash and Grant counties.
She’s in charge of organizing both the district kickoff, a get-to-know-you event held at the beginning of the FFA year, and district convention. That will include securing venues, finding judges, setting schedules and generally coordinating both events.
Lyons’ office also makes her part of the executive committee, which is in charge of putting together the state officer slate.
Her biggest goal, and something she emphasized during the interview process, is to get more involvement in FFA events both in Jay County and throughout the district.
“I want to make everything more known to the community … that we’re not just farmers,” Lyons said. “We have so many opportunities out there. …
“There are 15 schools. And the amount of people that go to activities is not good enough for the amount of people who are in our district. There are other districts that are so much more involved.”
In addition to her district role, Lyons currently serves as the reporter for Jay County’s FFA chapter. She has created a Twitter account to help keep members and the community updated on the group’s events.
She previously served as the chapter’s multimedia historian, and was in charge of Young McDonald’s Farm at the Jay County Fair during her first year as an officer.
Lyons was a member of Jay County’s soil judging team that went to the national competition in 2015 and finished in seventh place. She shows swine in 4-H, and became the first member of her family to expand into showing goats as well.
Her selection for district office makes her eligible to run for state office next year. Jay County has had just one state officer in its history — 2013 graduate Sarah Dirksen, who served first as district president and then as state sentinel.
“I see a lot of similarities between the two of them in terms of their FFA involvement, their dedication and their work ethic,” said Cody Linville, another Jay County FFA adviser. “She’s one of those people you can call and she’ll just help you whenever you need it.”