The National FFA Organization selected 16 students from throughout the United States as finalists for its 2020 top achievement awards: American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement, and American Star in Agriscience.
The American Star Awards represent the best of the best among thousands of American FFA Degree recipients. The award recognizes FFA members who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through the completion of a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows members to learn by doing. Members can own and operate an agricultural business, intern at an agricultural business or conduct an agriculture-based scientific experiment and report the results.
Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.
A panel of judges will interview the finalists and select one winner from each award category for the 93rd National FFA Convention & Expo, which will be held virtually this fall. The four winners will be announced during the convention.
The finalists include:
American Star Farmer
Cole Ketterling of Wishek, North Dakota
Nole Gerfen of Marion, Ohio
JaLeigh Reneé Oldenburg of Mulhall, Oklahoma
Mikara Anderson of Three Springs, Pennsylvania
American Star in Agribusiness
William Kellum of Jefferson, Georgia
Ely Matthew Boulds of Eldorado, Illinois
Hannah York of Fredonia, Kentucky
Blake Kirchhoff of Hardy, Nebraska
American Star in Agriscience
Lauren Roberts of Trenton, Florida
Maddie Sue Fugate of Mahomet, Illinois
Nicole Stevens of Yukon, Oklahoma
Jacob Bagby of Stephenville, Texas
American Star in Agricultural Placement
Ryan Adelbert Stewart of Washington, Kansas
Will Shelby of Madill, Oklahoma
Cole James Schock of Salem, South Dakota
Wilson Nugent of Gilmer, Texas
View more FFA News here.
Visit their website for more information about the American Star Awards. Case IH, Elanco Animal Health, and Syngenta sponsor the American FFA Degree recognition program.
The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to more than 700,000 student members who belong to one of the more than 8,600 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is also supported by more than 8 million alumni and supporters throughout the U.S.
