American star award finalists annouced

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 30, 2013/National FFA Organization) – The National FFA Organization has selected 16 students from throughout the U.S. as finalists for its top student achievement awards for 2013.

The American Star Farmer, American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience awards recognize FFA members who have developed exemplary agricultural skills and competency through career development programs, demonstrated outstanding management skills, earned an American FFA Degree and met other agricultural education, scholarship and leadership requirements. The finalists are:

American Star Farmer
Tyler Loschen: Tri-Point FFA, Illinois
Tyler Vathauer: Blue Valley FFA, Kansas
Tyler Linneman: Keytesville FFA, Missouri
Vance Zacharias: Enderlin FFA, North Dakota

American Star in Agribusiness
Chelsey Schlosnagle: Collins FFA, Kentucky
Eric Dean Miller: Lyons-Decatur Northeast FFA, Nebraska
Elizabeth Hayes: Marysville FFA, Ohio
Aaron M. Zimmerman: Spencer FFA, Wisconsin

American Star in Agricultural Placement
Ross Crabill: Shenandoah FFA, Indiana
Connor J. Rose: Shields Valley FFA, Montana
Riley James Schwader: Howard FFA, South Dakota
Trenton Bemis: Lincoln (Alma Center-Humbird-Merillian) FFA, Wisconsin

American Star in Agriscience
Jacob Harrison Schindler: Lowndes County FFA, Georgia
Kelly Froehlich: Academy for Science and Agriculture FFA, Minnesota
Mark Keck: Plainview FFA, Nebraska
Emilie S. Cerny: Big Foot FFA, Wisconsin

Each star finalist receives a cash prize of $2,000 from the National FFA Foundation and earns the opportunity to participate in an international experience.

A panel of judges will interview finalists and select one winner for each award at the 2013 National FFA Convention & Expo Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in Louisville, Ky. The four winners will each receive an additional $2,000 cash award.

The American FFA Degree and Star recognition programs and international experience are co-sponsored by ADM Crop Risk Services, Case IH, DuPont Pioneer, Elanco, Farm Credit and Syngenta as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 557,318 student members in grades seven through 12 who belong to one of 7,498 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 557,318 student members as part of 7,498 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 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. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at www.FFA.org, on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog.