RISE Program connects Lima FFA member to a career in agriculture

At the 98th Ohio FFA Convention, Sunrise Cooperative announced its 2026 class of new hires for the RISE FFA Career Program. Following an application and interview process, Sunrise hired 12 graduating seniors for full-time positions. The program was designed to encourage immediate employment with Sunrise Cooperative following high school graduation. Sunrise is an agricultural and energy cooperative with locations across Ohio.

Here are this year’s new hires joining Sunrise University:

• Troy Ayers (South Central FFA)
• Elam Faust (Lynchburg-Clay FFA)
• Wyatt Hall (South Central FFA)
• Alex Hamons (South Central FFA)
• Nolan Heilman (Old Fort FFA)
• Aidan Markley (Miami Trace Great Oaks FFA)
• Kenzi Ramsden (Fairfield FFA)
• Isaac Richard (Lima FFA)
• Ella Sanders (South Central FFA)
• Allison Stickler (Firelands FFA)
• Aiden Tener (Greenon FFA)
• Ella Vondenhuevel (West Liberty-Salem FFA)

Of these 12, Isaac Richard was the top recipient, receiving $1,000 for his FFA chapter and a 2025 Chevy Colorado truck as a signing bonus, in addition to his full-time employment benefits.

Richard’s position, along with the other 11 employees, is a four-year commitment during which he will acquire a multitude of skills and experiences. The first two years will be spent rotating through different divisions within Sunrise Cooperative. After this period, Richard will be evaluated and placed in a position based on his interests and expertise for the remainder of his commitment. At the end of the four years, his performance will be evaluated to determine his future with Sunrise, with the goal being continued full-time employment.

Before joining FFA, Richard had never pictured himself building a career in agriculture. A homeschooled student from Lima, he began taking agriculture education classes during his junior year of high school. Through FFA, Richard developed his ambition to pursue a career in agriculture while gaining hands-on experience showing chickens and goats and serving as a junior advisor for his chapter.

Richard, a 2026 graduate of Lima High School, first became interested in a career at Sunrise after participating in a field trip with his FFA chapter.

“My teacher took our class to a RISE Career Day,” Richard said. “I think what made me want to apply was just the sheer amount of positive feedback from everyone who worked there.”

The visit was part of Sunrise Cooperative’s RISE Career Day, an event designed to introduce students to the wide range of careers available in agriculture. Through hands-on activities and small-group rotations, students tour Sunrise facilities, meet employees from across the company, and get an up-close look at the equipment and technology that power the industry.

Encouraged by the people he met and the possibilities he saw, Richard submitted an application, resume, cover letter, and essay before advancing to an in-person interview at Sunrise’s Uniopolis grain facility. His hard work paid off. Richard is currently completing his first rotation in the Uniopolis grain department, gaining hands-on experience in the industry that captured his attention during that FFA field trip.

“I can learn as much as I want to and can gain a lot through the program as long as I’m willing to work,” Richard said. “I’ve gained so much in knowledge, connections, skills and opportunities to further myself.”

Richard said students interested in the internship should come prepared to learn, work hard and take advantage of the opportunities available through the program.

“Approach it with the attitude that you’re going to be working hard. If you are willing to learn, then your day is guaranteed to be a good one,” Richard said.

The RISE FFA Career Program was established in 2020 and has been in full swing ever since. It supports graduating seniors interested in entering the workforce immediately after high school. Since its inception, Sunrise’s initiative has helped inspire the creation of Ohio FFA Works, an Ohio FFA Foundation entity that partners with various companies to offer even more agricultural employment opportunities to students pursuing careers straight out of high school.

Working in tandem with Ohio FFA, the RISE FFA Career Program also supports the Ohio FFA State President during their year of service. Before Richard was presented with the truck, Carter Boyd, the 2025-2026 State President, drove it across the state while serving Ohio FFA’s more than 30,000 members.

For students interested in the RISE FFA Career Program, applications for the class of 2027 will open this fall. To apply, students must be Ohio high school graduates and active members of an Ohio FFA chapter. For more information, visit sunriseco-op.com or the Ohio FFA website at ohioffa.org.