RUSHVILLE, Ind. – Levi Marlatt, a former national and state FFA proficiency winner, likes to do what he can to help members in Indiana District 9 prepare for their chances to compete.

Marlatt graduated from Rushville Consolidated High School in 2021. He works with District 9 FFA members, offering advice on how to get ready for – and participate in – a contest. “I like helping people out,” he explained. “You can get nervous when trying to do a demonstration. Being calm about what you do is the best way to go about it. Act natural during the demonstration if you want to be taken seriously. Treat the competition as something you do throughout the day. Don’t stress yourself.”

Marlatt was the national winner in the proficiency area of agricultural mechanics design and fabrication – entrepreneurship/placement at the 2022 National FFA Convention in October. He produces precision computer numerical control machined parts and metal fabrication for agricultural equipment. He also uses computer-controlled software to make detailed drawings of precisely measured parts.

He and his father Paul enjoy working on pulling tractors, Marlatt said. He likes the fabrication side of the business while his father works with engines. Levi also builds parts for the tractors.

“Our business is on the farm,” Marlatt noted. “We build and tune tractors for other people. I like working on the chassis – everything but the engine. When it comes to engine assembly, my dad likes working on them and grabbing that extra edge. He wants to see how much power he can get out of it.”

Marlatt has been around farming and tractors his entire life, as he was raised on his family’s corn and soybean operation. “I’ve been running farming equipment ever since I could do it,” he said.

As for FFA, his father was a chapter officer and a District 9 officer.

“All my friends were in FFA,” Levi said. “I knew I wanted to be in FFA when I was in 4-H. I wanted to learn, and do things I knew I would need in life. I wanted to do the small engines contest. I knew I wanted to do it and I wanted to win. I’m very competitive and I won at state. I met a lot of new people. I would say I got everything out of FFA that I wanted to get out of it.”

While in high school, Marlatt took some dual credit classes for which he received both high school and college credits. All of his high school agriculture classes were eligible for dual credits.

He will graduate in May from Ivy Tech with an associate of applied science in agriculture degree, plus a certificate in welding technology.

Marlatt said the dual credit program offered the opportunity for the second major in welding.

“Welding was a nice little add on,” he said. “I already knew how to weld, but you can still certainly learn something new about everything.”

After graduation, he plans to continue working and farming with his father.