Last week during the Ohio FFA Celebration, four Hillsboro FFA members — Heather Burba, Christine Page, Lawton Parry and Gavin Puckett — were recognized for achieving the Ohio FFA State Degree.
The FFA members normally would have been honored during the Ohio FFA State Convention, but FFA chapters were not able to gather together for the 92nd Ohio FFA Convention due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Ohio FFA still recognized members and commemorated another year of student success. The 2020 Ohio FFA Celebration took place online via Ohio FFA social media channels on May 4-8.
The State FFA Degree is the second highest level that can be achieved as an FFA member. This step in the FFA Degree system encourages students to grow and achieve personally. The state degree applications must meet minimum standards in order to prove the FFA applicant is an active member and leader of the FFA and completes a quality Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project. Members must be a junior, senior or high school graduate to apply for the degree. The applications go through a multi-level evaluation process before awarding the State FFA Degree honor.
The four Hillsboro FFA members who were honored with the State Degree last week during the virtual celebration conducted a variety of Supervised Agricultural Experience projects. Heather Burba’s SAE project consisted of market goats and market hogs, as well as a job placement at a Maple Valley Farms and Hunter Meats. Christine Page’s SAE project consisted of market goats. Lawton Parry and Gavin Pucket both implemented market beef and beef breeding SAE projects.
The four members are all active leaders in the FFA chapter and have participated in multiple activities above the chapter level. Parry and Puckett will be senior members of the Hillsboro FFA next school year. Page will be a 2020 graduate, and 2019 graduate Burba will be continuing her education at Southern State Communty College this fall.
Submitted by Kelcie Thornburgh, Hillsboro FFA.
