VILLA GROVE, Ill. (WAND) -- One Douglas County student is striking a high note on the national stage.
Later this month, Emma Elsten, a freshman at Villa Grove High School, will perform with the National FFA Band at the 2025 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
She is one of only seven students from Illinois selected to join the elite group of student musicians from across the country.
"I first discovered I wanted to do this when I went to the national convention last year," Elsten said. "I saw the national band play and thought, 'Oh, that'd be so cool to join.'"
That moment sparked a goal and now, just a year later, Emma is seeing it come true.
Emma is believed to be one of the first students from Villa Grove High School to ever perform with the National FFA Band.
"It was super exciting when I found out I got in," she said. "My mom came up and hugged me like she never had before."
Her selection marks a significant milestone for the school and the Villa Grove FFA Chapter, which was restarted in 2015 after a 30-year hiatus. While the chapter has attended national conventions in the past, this is the first time in a decade a student has participated in an official national-level role.
"There is no better feeling than watching one of the students you've been mentoring achieve that level of success," said advisor Callie Parr. "It's just amazing."
Emma has been playing the trumpet for four years and says she thrives on stage.
"I really like to perform," she said. "I'm a really ambitious person. I like to get things done—and I just thought this would be really cool."
Her passion for music, combined with her drive, has made her a standout not only in the band room but in her FFA chapter as well.
"We've attended the national convention before," Parr added, "but never had anybody who was actually participating in the program itself. It's a huge honor, and we're so proud of Emma."
Emma will head to Indianapolis from October 29 through November 1, where she'll perform in front of thousands of FFA members and educators from across the country.
"I'm just really excited to be out there, have my name known, and be on a national level," she said. "I'm excited to meet new people and build new bonds with others."
Several members of the Villa Grove FFA Chapter will also be attending the convention to support Emma and celebrate her big moment.
Top Stories:
1 dead, 3 injured after early morning crash in Decatur
2 dead after 3 vehicle accident in Vermilion County
6-year-old boy seriously injured in head-on crash in Mt. Zion
1 injured after early morning shooting near University of Illinois
Copyright 2025. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
