Four Ohio FFA Members Earn American FFA Degree
Four members of the OHP/Triad FFA chapter were among more than 5,800 students nationwide honored at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Organic Food
Luke Ford, Holden LeVan, Adler Perry and Joe Williams of the OHP/Triad FFA chapter were awarded the American FFA Degree on October 24, 2026, at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo. More than 5,800 American FFA Degrees were awarded nationwide during the convention.
Why it matters
The American FFA Degree is the highest honor an FFA member can receive, and it recognizes sustained leadership, civic involvement and agricultural work experience. For Ohio students and families, the recognition highlights local chapter achievement within a program that reaches more than one million student members.
Qualifying members must have earned at least $10,000 through a supervised agricultural experience program, or at least $2,000 while completing 2,250 hours outside the classroom, and must complete at least 50 hours of community service. Less than one percent of FFA members nationwide earn the degree, though the extraction does not detail how many Ohio members applied.
The players
National FFA Organization
The national organization that administers the FFA program, which serves more than one million student members through local chapters across the United States.
OHP/Triad FFA Chapter
The local Ohio chapter whose four members earned the American FFA Degree this year.
The details
Luke Ford, Holden LeVan, Adler Perry and Joe Williams were recognized at the national convention in Indianapolis for leadership and civic involvement through FFA and community activities. Qualifying experiences may include owning a business, working in a professional position or conducting research.
Timeline
October 24, 2026: Four OHP/Triad FFA members receive the American FFA Degree at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo.
Roadmap
The American FFA Degree sits at the top of a multi-tier recognition system that rewards students for supervised agricultural experience and community service rather than classroom performance alone. This year's 5,800-plus awards continue a pattern in which the degree recognizes hands-on agricultural work across a broad national membership.
For Ohio students considering FFA, the degree's eligibility thresholds of $10,000 in supervised agricultural experience earnings or 2,250 outside-class hours, plus 50 hours of community service, provide a concrete benchmark for planning. Families in the state can use these requirements to track progress toward the honor over a multi-year FFA career.
The takeaway
The American FFA Degree shows that sustained, hands-on agricultural work and community service can earn national recognition for students at any stage of their career. Students interested in similar paths can start by tracking their supervised agricultural experience hours and community service early.
Further reading
For more on agricultural programs and food production, explore Organic Food coverage on Wisevoter.
