MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas — A Mount Pleasant native is stepping into one of the highest leadership roles in Texas FFA after being elected as a state vice president for the 2026-27 school year.
Gunner Rodgers, a recent graduate of Mount Pleasant FFA, was elected as the Area VI state vice president and will join an elite team of 12 student officers representing the more than 175,000 members of the Texas FFA Association.
“It means a lot,” Rodgers said of being elected. “I'm going to be able to impact so many kids this year, the hands I'll be able to shake, the connections we'll be able to make.”
As a state officer, Rodgers will spend the next year traveling throughout Texas, visiting schools, conducting leadership workshops, delivering speeches, and representing FFA members across the state. Texas FFA officers collectively travel about 40,000 miles and visit approximately 400 schools during their year of service.
Rodgers said one of his primary goals is to encourage young people to reconnect with agriculture and understand the importance of the industry.
“One big goal for me this entire year will be to advocate for kids to let's get back, let's go get our hands dirty,” Rodgers said.
The Texas FFA Association, the largest state FFA organization in the nation, provides leadership and agricultural education opportunities to students across Texas. Rodgers will serve as the Area VI representative while attending college and helping shape the future of the organization.