COLUMBUS, Ohio — Agricultural educators serve a critical role in the communities they serve, devoting countless hours to preparing students for successful careers and helping them pursue their passions. To shed light on the contributions of Ohio’s leading agricultural teachers, Ohio FFA, Nationwide, Ohio Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Mid-America and AgCredit, ACA are honoring 10 exceptional educators as finalists for the Golden Owl Award.
From August 1 through December 31, 2021, Ohio FFA collected nominations for the state’s top agricultural teachers from local students, parents, fellow teachers and community members across the state.
Ohio’s 2021-2022 Golden Owl Award finalists are:
- Tricia Schoen, Genoa-Penta FFA, Genoa
- Laura Ringler, Plymouth FFA, Plymouth
- Lowell Moodt, Grand Valley FFA, Orwell
- Barrett Zimmerman, Clyde FFA, Clyde
- Sarah Heilers, Anna FFA, Anna
- Aaron Thompson, Upper Scioto Valley-OHP FFA, McGuffey
- Jeff Tilley, Amanda-Clearcreek FFA, Amanda
- Tim Kilpatrick, Coshocton County Career Center FFA, Coshocton
- Eric Heeg, Blanchester Great Oaks FFA, Blanchester
- Abby Campbell, Fort Frye FFA, Beverly
Each finalist was presented with an individualized plaque in front of fellow teachers and students and received a $500 donation to their school’s agricultural program to support future educational efforts. Next, they’ll be entered into a final selection stage for the chance to be crowned as Ohio’s Ag Educator of the Year, earning an additional $3,000 Nationwide-funded donation to their school’s agriculture program and the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy. The winner will be announced during the 94th Ohio FFA Convention in May.
“The Golden Owl Award seeks to thank agricultural teachers for the extraordinary care they bring to their work as they go above and beyond in educating America’s youth and future leaders,” said Nationwide’s agribusiness president, Brad Liggett. “We are proud to honor their contributions, highlight the growing need for their services, and supply additional resources to help benefit their programs and students.”
In conjunction with the Golden Owl Award, Nationwide is also donating $5,000 to the Ohio FFA to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors alike.
The Golden Owl Award is the result of partnerships between Nationwide, Ohio FFA, Ohio Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Mid-America and AgCredit, ACA.
About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Ohio FFA
The Ohio FFA Association provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to more than 25,000 student members who belong to one of the more than 300 local FFA chapters throughout the state. The Ohio FFA Foundation is a cooperative effort among education, business and industry to support and inspire Ohio FFA members. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more information about the organization, visit ohioffa.org.
— Ohio FFA Foundation