Four Hillsboro FFA members recently achieved the Ohio FFA State Degree during the Ohio FFA Celebration.
Heather Burba, Christine Page, Lawton Parry, and Gavin Puckett, were recognized online via Ohio FFA social media channels. 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 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.
Heather Burba’s SAE project consists of market goats and market hogs, as well as a job placement at a Maple Valley Farms & Hunter Meats. Christine Page’s SAE project consists of market goats. Lawton Parry and Gavin Pucket both implement 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 this fall.