South Dakota FFA member named American Star Finalist

A South Dakota FFA member is a finalist for one of the top achievements within the National FFA Organization. The FFA announced on Wednesday that Andrew Streff, from the McCook Central FFA Chapter in Salem, SD, a candidate for the American Star in Ag Placement award.

The American Star Awards are some of the FFA’s highest achievement awards and represent the best of the best among thousands of American FFA Degree recipients. The award recognizes FFA members who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through the completion of a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows members to learn by doing. Members can own and operate an agricultural business, intern at an agricultural business or conduct an agriculture-based scientific experiment and report the results. Four students are selected in each area and the 2019 finalists include:

American Star Farmer

Todd Peterson of Sabina, Ohio

Garret Talcott of Bennet, Neb.

Nicholas Torrance of Macomb, Ill.

Willis Wolf of Merced, Calif.

American Star in Agribusiness

Blake Kennedy of Tecumseh, Okla.

Hadden Powell of Montrose, Ga.

Blake Quiggins of Horse Cave, Ky.

Luke Scott of Bucyrus, Ohio

American Star in Agricultural Placement

Nicole Harder of Hooper, Wash.

Cole Riggin of Pittsburg, Kan.

Andrew Streff of Salem, S.D.

William Wynn of Moultrie, Ga.

American Star in Agriscience

Courtney Cameron of Valdosta, Ga.

Kacie Haag of Emington, Ill.

Amelia Hayden of Sharon, Wis.

Olivia Pflaumer of Chillicothe, Ohio

Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.

A panel of judges will interview finalists and select one winner for each award at the 92nd National FFA Convention & Expo, Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in Indianapolis. The winners will be announced during an onstage ceremony on Friday, November 1st. Case IH, Elanco and Syngenta sponsor the American FFA Degree recognition program.

–South Dakota FFA