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Silverton students honored with state FFA degrees

The Silverton High FFA program continues to shine in producing students who earn their state degrees.

A total of 13 Silverton FFA students will receive their state degrees March 18 at the Oregon FFA Convention at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond.

The state degree is the highest award a state FFA association can bestow upon its members. Recipients receive a charm that can be worn on their official jacket or on a chain.

Honored from Silverton will be seniors Rebecca Noordam, Kendra Kuenzi, Jackie Leao, Carson Kuenzi, Gabe Voll, Brandon Metzger, Carly VonFlue and Henry Bielenberg as well as juniors Joanne Noordam, Kidron Schurter, David Tribbett, Brandon Schurter and Jenna Schurter.

Junior or senior class status is required because of the greenhand and chapter degrees that must be achieved first in the students’ freshman and sophomore years, said Scott Towery, the FFA adviser at Silverton.

Having 13 students earn the state degree is much higher than normal, said Towery, who noted that in his 17 years with the program the school averages about six to eight per year. That said, students in last year’s program received 14 state degrees.

A total of 104 state degrees have been earned by Silverton students since 2010, Towery said. In Oregon, which has 109 chapters, approximately 4 to 5 percent of participants achieve the state degree.

Achievements in academics, agriculture instruction, leadership and community service are necessary to fulfill the ten requirements for the state degree.

– James Day