On Thursday May 7th the new 2026-2027 FFA officers were announced at the FFA awards night.
The incoming president Dakota Lanning wants to make a lot of changes to the Greeley chapter next year. “I want to grow our competitive presence, especially in CDEs like dairy judging and agricultural sales where I’ve seen firsthand how much those experiences build real skills. I’d also like to push for more members to pursue degrees and proficiency awards; a lot of kids don’t realize those opportunities exist until it’s too late. On the community side, I want to strengthen our ag advocacy so people in Greeley understand what FFA actually does,” Lanning explained
CDEs are team competitions based on all aspects of agriculture. They typically are made up of four members whose individual scores are combined at the end of the competition. An example of a CDE is Dairy Judging which is where members determine which cow produces the best milk by analyzing the udders, dairy strength, rear feet and legs, and frame.
Teacher Ms. Alexandra Grimes said to become a Greeley West FFA officer, students must complete an application, participate in interviews, and demonstrate leadership skills through a variety of activities. “Candidates go through a skills-based evaluation process where they complete leadership scenarios, communication activities, teamwork exercises, and problem-solving tasks related to FFA and chapter events. Students are then interviewed by a panel made up of alumni, advisory council members, and agriculture education supporters,” Grimes explained
Student Billie Perez is the incoming sentinel and has multiple duties. “My duties are maintaining order in the meeting room, assisting the president and welcoming and ensuring members are comfortable.” Perez explained
Lanning’s favorite part of FFA are the CDEs. “There’s nothing like the pressure of giving oral reasons in front of a judge or closing a sales presentation at state. Those moments taught me more about confidence and preparation than anything in a classroom. The relationships you build competing alongside teammates are pretty hard to beat too,” Lanning explained
