Each year, the National FFA Organization is proud to honor the FFA members who show the utmost dedication to the organization through their desire to develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. That honor, the American FFA Degree, is bestowed upon a select group of individuals for years of academic and professional excellence.

Jared Longan, Courtney Sowell and Marshall Teal, FFA members from the Tilden FFA Chapter in Tilden were selected to join that exclusive list and were awarded the American FFA Degree at the 85th National FFA Convention and Expo held recently in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The American FFA Degree recognizes demonstrated ability and outstanding achievements in agricultural business, production, processing, or service programs. To be eligible, FFA members must have earned and productively invested at least $7,500 through a supervised agricultural experience program in which they conduct an entrepreneurship enterprise.

Recipients must also complete 50 community service hours, as well as demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities and chapter involvement.

Each recipient of the American FFA Degree receives a gold American FFA Degree Key plus a certificate. This year, 3,245 of the 540,379 members of the national organization received their degrees.

The Tilden FFA Chapter is proud to have three of its members receiving degrees this year.