Two Checotah FFA students, Kristian Pouncil and Shanelle Shepherd-Scott, completed their requirements to earn the highest degree in FFA- the American FFA Degree.
The American Degree is the “Gold Standard” and the hardest degree to obtain. Approximately 3,500 recipients receive this degree each year. That number represents less than half of one percent of all FFA members.
The requirements to earn the American FFA Degree are set forth in the National FFA Constitution Article VI. Degrees and Privileges of Active Membership, Section F.
To be eligible to receive the American FFA Degree from the National FFA Organization, members must be an active member and must meet the following minimum qualifications: 1. Have received the State FFA Degree, have been an active member for the past three years (36 months) and have a record of satisfactory participation in the activities on the chapter and state level.
2. Have satisfactorily completed the equivalent of at least three years (540 hours) of systematic secondary school instruction in an agricultural education program, or have completed at least the equivalent of 360 hours of systematic secondary school instruction in agricultural education and one full year of enrollment in a postsecondary agricultural program, or have completed the program of agricultural education offered in the secondary school last attended.
3. Have graduated from high school at least 12 months prior to the National Convention at which the degree is to be granted.
4. Have in operation and have maintained re-cords to substantiate an outstanding supervised agricultural experience program, through which the member has exhibited comprehensive planning and managerial and financial expertise.
5. A student after entering agricultural education must have: a. Earn at least $10,000 and productively invested $7,500 or b. Earned and productively invested $2,000 and worked 2,250 hours in excess of scheduled class time. Any combination of hours, times a factor of 3.56, plus actual dollars earned and productively invested must be equal to or greater than the number 10,000. Hours used for the purpose of producing earnings reported as productively invested income shall not be duplicated as hours of credit to meet the minimum requirements for the degree.
6. Have a record of outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement and have achieved a high school scholastic record of “C” or better as certified by the principal or superintendent.
7. Have participated in at least 50 hours of community service within at least three different community service activities. These hours are in addition to and cannot be duplicated as paid or unpaid supervised agricultural experience hours.
As the highest degree achievable in the National FFA Organization, the American FFA Degree shows an FFA member’s dedication to his or her chapter and to their state FFA association. It also demonstrates the effort FFA members apply toward their supervised agricultural experience and the outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement they exhibited through their FFA career. All American FFA Degree recipients show promise for the future and have gone above and beyond to achieve excellence.
Pouncil and Shepherd-Scott will receive a certificate and the American FFA Degree key in honor of their accomplishments and dedication to FFA during the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday, October 26.
