Souva Honored as State FFA Top Outstanding Junior
Published: Friday, March 13, 2026
Caleb Souva believes that beef is the best livestock species out there, and for him it is the best Supervised Agricultural Experience Project he could possibly have in FFA. Last week, his dedication to the species and an expanding beef project placed him at the top of the assembly of Outstanding Juniors at Michigan FFA's State Convention held at Michigan State University's Wharton Center.
Souva is a junior at the Branch Area Career Center (BACC) but has been attending the program's early education in agriculture program since seventh grade. He is the son of Earl and Melissa Souva of Bronson, where he attends high school.
Growth is Caleb's primary focus for his small mixed herd of beef females, where Shorthorns, crossbreds and Chianina co-exist while laying a foundation for anything that will perform well in the show ring. He had his first banner moment recently by winning a division at the Michigan Winter Beef Show. The next goal is to earn a banner with an animal he has bred himself.
Raising hay and row crops is another arm of his SAE that helped him rise to the top of a competitive and competent set of more than 400 Outstanding Junior applicants. His hay enterprise produces enough alfalfa/grass mix hay for his herd plus enough to sell through auctions and to the family business. He rents an additional 25 acres that is rotated between corn and soybeans.
Showing beef cattle required learning the basic skills of fitting, clipping and presenting an animal. Over time, his proficiency with clippers, brushes and other fitting equipment improved enough to transfer those skills for use with the family business, Great Lakes Sire Service.
He has learned to move bulls safely from holding pens to collection areas and working with collection crews. Caleb's fitting skills are useful when it is time to photograph bulls for marketing materials. He is also learning about semen handling, evaluation and marketing while working at the business during the summer.
"Raising beef cattle and showing them has taught me practical things like fitting which I can contribute to the family business," Souva said. "It has also taught me things like being patient and staying calm under high stress moments."
"I've learned to show confidence but be positive and calm at the same time. Those are real skills that I've learned through my SAE and have been able to incorporate into other aspects of life and will serve me later in life, even as I grow and raise a better beef herd. Professionally, no matter where I go in life whether it be applying for jobs or maintaining relationships, being calm and patient are important skills to have."
Souva is the reporter for the BACC a.m. chapter and has been competing in leadership contests since seventh grade. His first contest was Junior High Conduct of Meetings, where he and the team advanced to the state level. Reconvening with the same group in eighth grade, the team won the state title that year. Souva has competed in Greenhand Conduct of Meetings at the state level and Job Interview and Extemporaneous Public Speaking at the regional level. He is running for regional FFA office, with interviews scheduled soon. He and science lab partner, Elizabeth Langardner, entered the State FFA Science Fair this year, placing second in category six in Animal Systems with a study on quality versus quantity correlating to the age of a whitetail buck. Their study found little correlation between quality and quantity based on the buck's age.
Mrs. Preston and Mrs. Bassage are the two advisors who have coached, helped and pushed Caleb to grow and explore opportunities through FFA.
"Caleb has a tremendous SAE, and this award is recognition of his hard work both in his SAE and as an FFA member," Preston said.
"My parents and siblings have mentored and taught me so many practical lessons about cattle, and my parents push me to try everything that I can," he said.
A lot of time was spent perfecting the award application, according to Caleb.
"I was hoping and was pleasantly surprised when my name was called as the winner, but I knew the competition would be tough, no matter who I was against. I was just really glad to be there on the stage with my peers surrounded by fellow FFA members."
Souva plans to attend Michigan State University or another agricultural school, pursuing a degree in animal science with a focus on genetics and reproduction. He hopes to put his education to use someday as a future manager in the family business at Great Lakes Sire Service.
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