At the 97th Wisconsin FFA State Convention, the Wisconsin FFA Association celebrated some of its most accomplished members with one of its highest honors: the prestigious “Stars Over Wisconsin” awards. These distinctions recognize outstanding students who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and success in their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) while earning their Wisconsin FFA State Degree.
Earning a spot on the Star stage is no small feat. Finalists undergo a demanding application and interview process, where they are evaluated on the growth and impact of their SAE, their commitment to community involvement, and their leadership abilities. The competition is fierce, with members vying for top honors in four categories: Agribusiness, Agricultural Placement, Agriscience, and Star Farmer.
The Wisconsin Association of FFA announced its State Stars during the 97th Annual Wisconsin FFA Convention and Expo at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.
Meet Wisconsin FFA’s brightest Stars
Liv Lucas of the Greenwood FFA has earned one of the organization’s highest honors ‒ Wisconsin FFA Star Farmer, sponsored by Culver’s. The award recognizes her dedication, leadership, and success in agricultural production.
Driven by a deep-rooted passion for the beef industry, Liv built her SAE from the ground up into a thriving registered cattle operation. What started as a modest project has grown into a herd of 20 head, focused on producing high-quality commercial and show cattle. Her operation emphasizes genetic improvement, strong herd performance, and a reputation for raising cattle that stand out in the ring and in the marketplace.
Today, Liv oversees every aspect of the business, from selecting breeding pairs and managing herd health to balancing feed rations and maintaining financial records. Through countless hours of hands-on work, competing at livestock shows, and learning from fellow producers, she has sharpened the skills needed to run and expand a successful cattle enterprise.
Looking ahead, Liv plans to pursue a career as a bovine nutritionist, with the goal of improving efficiency and sustainability in production agriculture. She is the daughter of Gregory and April Lucas; her agricultural education instructor and FFA advisor is Jillian Lebal.
From one hive to state honor: Oscar Stowell named FFA Star in Agribusiness
When Oscar Stowell of the Waupun Area FFA first set up a single hive in eighth grade, he likely didn’t imagine it would lead to earning Wisconsin FFA Star in Agribusiness—an honor sponsored by Compeer Financial. Today, his small start has grown into Oscar’s Apiary Honey, a thriving beekeeping business that reflects both his curiosity and entrepreneurial drive.
From that first hive, Oscar has carefully expanded his operation to 20 hives, producing more than 350 pounds of honey each year. But for Oscar, it’s about more than just the end product. He’s involved in every step of the process—tending to his bees, extracting and bottling honey, and building relationships with customers who appreciate the quality of his work.
As his apiary has grown, so have his responsibilities. Oscar has taken ownership of the business side, managing finances, developing marketing strategies, and planning for future investments. Through creative packaging, social media outreach, and community presentations, he not only promotes his honey but also shares the vital story of honey bees and their role in agriculture with youth and local groups.
These experiences have deepened Oscar’s passion for apiculture and shaped his vision for the future. With each hive he manages and each jar he sells, he continues to build both his business and his expertise in agribusiness.
Oscar is the son of Ralph and Teresa Stowell. His FFA advisors are Hannah Hockerman, Lucas VanErgten, and Tori Hagen.
Veterinarian hopeful Katelyn Wunder recognized as FFA Star in Agricultural Placement
For Katelyn Wunder of the Waterford FFA, a love for animals has turned into both a career path and a state honor. She was named the Wisconsin Star in Agricultural Placement, an award sponsored by CHS, recognizing her dedication and growth in veterinary medicine.
Katelyn’s journey began at two local veterinary clinics, where she initially spent her days shadowing experienced staff and learning the rhythms of a busy practice. What started as observation quickly turned into hands-on experience—and a growing confidence in her abilities.
Today, Katelyn plays an essential role on the team, independently caring for patients from start to finish. She gathers medical histories, monitors vital signs, prepares vaccines and prescriptions, assists during exams, and maintains detailed patient records. Her work doesn’t stop there—she also helps prepare for surgeries, takes x-rays, runs lab tests, draws blood, and monitors animals in recovery. In every task, Katelyn focuses on creating a calm, low-stress environment, understanding that both animals and their owners depend on compassionate care.
These experiences have only strengthened her desire to pursue a future in veterinary medicine. Katelyn’s goal is to become a veterinarian who provides high-quality, compassionate care to every animal she treats.
Katelyn is the daughter of Debra Wunder. Her agricultural education instructor and FFA advisor is Michael Wicks.
Turning questions into solutions: Owen Hemling named FFA Agriscience Star
For Owen Hemling of the Beaver Dam FFA, curiosity in the lab has turned into statewide recognition. Named the Wisconsin Star in Agriscience—an honor sponsored by Crystal Farms—Owen has built an impressive research journey rooted in solving real-world challenges in agriculture.
His work began with a simple question about poultry feed, leading him to conduct trials analyzing how phytase impacts phosphorus excretion. Using a spectrophotometer and diving into statistical analysis, Owen quickly moved beyond basic experimentation and into deeper scientific exploration. That early project sparked a passion for research that continued to grow.
As his SAE expanded, so did both the scope and impact of his work. Owen partnered with the University of Georgia to help code an ammonia sensor, testing bedding additives designed to reduce emissions in livestock facilities. Most recently, he collaborated with researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, exploring whether radishes could play a role in reducing cadmium pollution—an innovative approach to improving soil and environmental health.
Along the way, Owen’s role evolved from simply collecting data to designing full research procedures, safely handling chemicals, and interpreting complex results. Each project pushed him to think critically, solve problems, and see agriculture through the lens of science and engineering.
Through these experiences, Owen discovered a passion for creating practical, science-based solutions to agricultural challenges. He plans to carry that passion forward by pursuing a career as an agricultural engineer.
Owen is the son of Nick and Melissa Hemling. His agricultural education instructors and FFA advisors are Jonathon Ganske and Mackenzie Chitko.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin State Farmer: Rising leaders shine as Wisconsin FFA names “Stars Over Wisconsin” honorees
Reporting by Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer / Wisconsin State Farmer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer | USA TODAY Network
