FFA Students Work on Their State Degrees

It is time again for FFA students wanting to apply for their State Degree to get started.  This year ten FFA students are applying for this achievement.   They are Tanner T., Cyndi L., Tara J., John S., Erin S., Jeremy V., Kelen F., Kelly O., Kari Y., and Dustin W.  The State Degree is the highest award given in the state for FFA students.  This is required to apply for their American Degree, which is the highest award given to an FFA member.  To achieve this award there are certain requirements that must be met.  They include a SAE, Supervised Agricultural Experience project.  This is a job or project related to ag in which the students have to work so many hours or earn or invest so much money.  They also have to be involved in a set amount of  FFA activities.  There is a seventeen page application that has to be filled out that actually shows how they increased their net worth during the past years of their involvement in the FFA.  The time consuming part of applying for the State Degree is being able to show  records for  two years of your SAE.  The records must correspond with the application.  The application is due by January 31st.  Following this deadline, an interview will take place Saturday February 5th between the interviewees and other ag teachers and business people.  Applicants must also score a 70% or better on  a 50 question knowledge test on the FFA.  "I would encourage those applying in the future to start their records early and keep them up to date throughout their years in FFA," says FFA/Ag instructor Jason Speck.