Tri-Central Valedictorian Leads Indiana FFA With Purpose & Passion

Blooming with potential and rooted in passion — thats how someone might best describe 2025 Tri-Central valedictorian and Lilly Endowment winner Kaitlyn Maruszewskis professional and academic aspirations in horticulture and agriculture.

Maruszewski was recently announced as the new Indiana FFA president at the conclusion of the 96th Indiana FFA State Convention in June. She and her teammates will spend the next year serving Indiana FFA members from the Indiana FFA Leadership Center in Trafalgar.

I am overjoyed to have the honor of serving as the 2025-26 Indiana FFA state president,” she says. As a state officer, I am taking a gap year from school to serve Indiana FFA and will be traveling the state of Indiana visiting with FFA chapters, planning Indiana FFA conferences, facilitating workshops and so much more. I am so honored to serve in this role because FFA has shaped the person I am today.”

Maruszewski will work alongside six teammates on these tasks and will spend the year living together at the Indiana FFA Leadership Center. Shes had countless experiences and opportunities through FFA that have pushed her outside of her comfort zone and challenged her — while giving her a home where she has met some of her very best friends in the blue jacket.

Driven beyond her years, the recent graduate says knowing her why” helps her stay motivated and focused — though learning about herself and figuring out that her motivation comes from the opportunity to grow has taken a bit of time.

I love the quote by John Maxwell, You must know yourself to grow,’” Maruszewski says. Before you can grow, you have to know how you operate. When I set out to accomplish something, I think about how I can grow as a person through the experience. By making every experience or moment purposeful and intentional, I find I am a lot more motivated to do it by simply beginning with the end in mind and always trying to see the big picture.”

Having this in mind also helps Maruszewski when she falls short of a goal, reminding her that it isnt all about the trophies, medals or banners — but rather the skills, connections and experience. When things get tough while trying to reach a goal, she always goes back to her why” that keeps her rooted in her purpose.

She also has an entrepreneurial spirit — after her year of service to Indiana FFA, Maruszewski will attend Purdue University to study horticulture with a concentration in plant science. She hopes to earn her Ph.D. and one day work in the research field while continuing her small business, bykaitlyndesigns.

I started this business as my supervised agriculture experience in FFA, taking something that I learned in the classroom and applying it to a future job or career,” she says. Bykaitlyndesigns is a houseplant, macrame and home décor business. I sell houseplants using asexual propagation methods I learned in my agriculture class. I also teach classes on macrame and plant techniques.”

Maruszewski wants to pass on her advice and passion for learning and growing to current high school students — for academics and beyond.

Get involved in as many clubs, sports or activities that you can. Try anything that sounds interesting. When someone asks you to try something new, say yes,” she says. Those three simple letters can take you places you could never imagine. Some things you might find out are definitely not for you, but others you will come to love. If it were not for my mom encouraging me to join FFA my freshman year of high school, my life up until this point would have looked 100% different.”

Maruszewski thanks her parents for always supporting her in everything she does. Without that support system to lean into — especially on the hard days — she wouldnt be where she is today, or where shes headed in the future.

Comments 1

  1. Dale Butcher says:

    What an outstanding person. Thanks to her parents and family as well as FFA and her other high school experiences Indiana has developed an amazing leader.

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