Kelly Walsh Students Earn Top Honors At National FFA Convention

CASPER, Wyo. — Two Kelly Walsh High School students have received one of the highest honors in agricultural education — the American FFA Degree.

Windy City FFA chapter members Shyann Garbutt and Chayse Schierkolk were recognized at the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo on Nov. 1, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The award is presented annually by the National FFA Organization to members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to leadership, community service, and career success in agriculture.

This year, more than 5,200 American Degrees were awarded nationwide — a distinction achieved by fewer than one percent of all FFA members.

Sponsored by companies including Bayer, Cargill, Case IH, John Deere, Rabobank, and Syngenta, the American FFA Degree honors students who have shown excellence in agricultural business, production, processing, or service.

To qualify, members must earn at least $10,000 through a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program or earn $2,000 while logging 2,250 hours of work outside the classroom. They must also complete 50 hours of community service and exhibit strong leadership and civic engagement.

Each recipient is awarded a gold American FFA Degree key and an official certificate recognizing their achievement.

The National FFA Organization is a school-based youth leadership group with more than 1 million members across 9,407 local chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization’s mission is to help students develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.