Kameron Rinehart from the Miami Trace Chapter will be staying busy this week at the National FFA Convention.
?So here at National FFA Convention, I have several roles. I?m serving as a delegate for the Ohio FFA Association and I?m also receiving my American FFA Degree this year, and I?m representing Wilmington College as a student ambassador,? Rinehart said. ?I am super excited for Saturday to get my American FFA Degree. It?s something that I?ve worked hard for the past six years being an FFA member. It?s a life long dream of mine to receive my American FFA Degree. During my freshmen year attending National FFA Convention when I saw my fellow FFA members receive their American Degrees, I made it a personal goal of mine to achieve and it wasn?t an easy task getting all the hours and all the different obligations you have to do to get that American Degree. I made it and I?m happy to receive it this Saturday.?
Nearly 400 Ohio FFA members will be presented with their American degree this week. To be eligible to receive the American FFA Degree from the National FFA Organization, members must meet the following minimum qualifications:
- 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.
- 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.
- Have graduated from high school at least 12 months prior to the national convention at which the degree is to be granted.
- Have in operation and have maintained records to substantiate an outstanding supervised agricultural experience program, through which the member has exhibited comprehensive planning and managerial and financial expertise.
- A student after entering agricultural education must have:
- Earn at least $10,000 and productively invested $7,500 or
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Applicants must submit an application electronically through ffa.org. Applicants must also submit the signature page with the signatures of the chapter president, chapter advisor, superintendent or principal, and state advisor or state executive secretary, certifying accuracy of all statements in the application and that the applicant conducted him/herself in a manner to be a credit to the organization, chapter and community.
When he is not busy with his numerous FFA activities Rinehart will be working in the trade show at the Wilmington booth.
?I really enjoy serving as student ambassador at Wilmington College. I found my home at Wilmington College and it?s just an awesome place to really come get a hands on learning environment,? Rinehart said. ?I can honestly say I?m at home each time I step on campus. I love to promote my school and the agricultural department specifically.?
