The National FFA Organization has announced the 16 finalists for its 2024 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 by completing 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 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis this fall. The four winners will be announced during the convention.
The finalists are:
American Star Farmer
- Larahmy Blakley from the Oologah FFA Chapter in Oklahoma
- Paul Oliver from the Tattnall FFA Chapter in Georgia
- Ty Steffen from the Newark FFA Chapter in Illinois
- Jacie Wolfinger from the Sumner-Eddyville-Miller FFA Chapter in Nebraska
American Star in Agribusiness
- Austin Archer from the Cookeville FFA Chapter in Tennessee
- Allyson Arthur from the Chickasha FFA Chapter in Oklahoma
- Landon Haney from the Arcanum-MVCTC FFA Chapter in Ohio
- Maggie McDonald from the Magnolia FFA Chapter in Arkansas
American Star in Agricultural Placement
- Ethan David Lulich from the Mauston FFA Chapter in Wisconsin
- Arturo Madriz from the Madera FFA Chapter in California
- Wylie Schwebach from the Moriarty FFA Chapter in New Mexico
- Gage Slagell from the Hydro-Eakly FFA Chapter in Oklahoma
American Star in Agriscience
- Audrey Bishop from the Van Alstyne FFA Chapter in Texas
- Lizzie Catherine Schafer from the Taylorville FFA Chapter in Illinois
- Rylee Smith from the Oologah FFA Chapter in Oklahoma
- Garren Thomas Hamby from the Eagleville FFA Chapter in Tennessee
Cargill, Case IH, John Deere and Syngenta sponsor the American FFA Degree recognition program and the American Star Awards.
