Henry Koerner of the Big Foot FFA Chapter was elected to a year of service as the 2023-2024 Section Ten State FFA Officer during the 94th Wisconsin FFA Convention. His advisor is Lisa Konkel. Henry’s parents are Tyson and Emma Koerner. 

The 2023 graduate plans to attend the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities to pursue a degree in agricultural education, citing his passion for agriculture and leading others as an integral part of his high school experience. He hopes to return to teach in Wisconsin and says this path was started after his first FFA meeting, when he signed up to help with the chapter’s summer youth agriscience program. As his supervised agricultural experience program developed, he eventually came to help lead that program, designing and leading a diverse array of agricultural activities while also doing agriscience research and working in food service.

Koerner was the State winner in the Food Service proficiency area in 2022, and also a state competitor in parliamentary procedure in 2021. He has served as a three-time chapter officer and attended the National FFA’s Next Gen Conference on Animal Systems. At the same time, Henry was active in the Wisconsin Agriculture Youth Council, the Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society and Walworth County Farm Bureau.

 
“Involvement in numerous school and community groups along with their respective activities has truly formed me into the person I am today,” says Koerner. He recalls his mother telling him on the first day of school to “be a radiator”, or someone who radiates excitement and kindness to others. Henry’s year of service will allow him to radiate that passion to FFA members across Wisconsin.