Making history — Christensen earns silver at national FFA competition

Newcastle High School senior Callie Christensen made history this fall as the first member of the Newcastle FFA chapter to compete in the extemporaneous public speaking event at the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. Christensen earned a Silver Emblem award for her performance, placing among the top competitors in the nation.

The 97th annual National FFA Convention, held Oct. 29–Nov. 1, brought together more than 73,000 FFA members from across the country. Wyoming’s delegation included several teams and individuals recognized for outstanding achievement, including Christensen, who represented Saddle and Sirloin Newcastle FFA.

“Competing at nationals was everything I’ve ever dreamed of. For the past four years I’ve probably given more than a hundred practice speeches,” Christensen told the News Letter Journal. “Making it to this point was a great achievement and it felt exhilarating. My favorite part was being in the waiting room before they started pulling states to begin their research time.”

She noted that the recognition came with mixed emotions.

“Getting such a high recognition was a bittersweet moment. I hold very high expectations and standards for myself and I wanted to make it further than I did,” Christensen said. “On the other hand, I was so proud of the speech I gave being awarded silver, and I was so grateful for the experience itself.”

Christensen’s national speech focused on the role of artificial intelligence in agriculture and the importance of embracing technology
to sustain global food
production.

“I spoke about how AI should no longer be seen as a negative thing in learning. AI should be embraced in the ag community. It’s the most efficient way for us farmers to provide for the population of the world. Two percent of American farmers feed seven billion people,” she said. “By 2050 we will no longer be able to feed the world if we don’t start embracing AI and automation. I spoke about the benefits of AI, how it works, the costs and the grants in place.”

Family roots and future goals

Christensen’s connection to FFA began long before high school — her father, Wade, served as Newcastle’s FFA president in 1990.

“My dad inspires me every day and I knew joining this organization would build me in leadership, character and confidence,” she said. “In 2024 I was our chapter’s president and by joining FFA I became the woman I aspired to be as a little girl. That is what continues to drive me — making younger me proud daily.”

Her experiences in FFA have also influenced her career ambitions. A career development project led her to interview Dr. Ruchika Sharma, an anesthesiologist from Virginia, sparking an interest in medicine.

“I now plan to major in biochemistry, go to medical school and become an anesthesiologist myself,” Christensen said.

She added that FFA is one of the best organizations for preparing young adults for the future, noting that her participation continues to help her build personal and professional skills through public speaking and job interviews.

Advisor praises historic accomplishment

Newcastle FFA advisor Morgan Loepp said Christensen’s achievement marked a milestone for the chapter.

“I am extremely proud of her and her dedication to her CDEs,” Loepp said. “She took this opportunity and really ran with it. Our chapter has never taken a member to compete in this event at the national level — Callie has made chapter history this year.”

Loepp, who competed in the same event at the 2019 national convention, called it
a “full-circle moment” to see her student succeed at the same level.