Local grads earn highest FFA honors on Owatonna

OWATONNA — Golden keys will be awarded to two Owatonna grads today as they accept the highest honor offered through the national FFA.

By earning and investing more than $7,500 through an agricultural enterprise and demonstrating leadership in their community, Nate Heers and Jason Keck have won the American FFA Degree. They will both receive the award in a ceremony today at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.

Currently a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, Heers is studying biobased products and bioengineering. As a part of a supervised agricultural experiences, he has spent the last several years working on his family’s farm of 60.6 acres. Heers said he has always wanted to go into farming, and that the FFA has supported that goal.

“It teaches hands-on stuff that you’re going to need to use.,” said Heers.

Heers was settling into a hotel on Friday, as he prepared to walk across the stage in front of more than 50,000 people to receive his American Degree. But he said the numbers didn’t faze him. Instead they were a part of the networking that he has grown accustomed to through membership in the FFA.

“It opens a lot of doors,” said Heers.

Jason Keck, who is currently a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, will also receive the American Degree today. He is majoring in crop and soil sites and minoring in farm management. Though Keck has gained a range of experiences by taking supervised agricultural experiences through the Owatonna FFA Chapter, he also has his sights set on farming.

As a student at UW, Keck said he has interned with Land o’ Lakes and Watonwan Farm Service, and he continues to look for internships. But such experiences come second to his family’s farm.

“During school, I’ve been coming home and working on the farm with my parents’ businesses,” said Keck. He said he is exploring interests in different areas of the agriculture industry, but the farm is in the back of his mind. “Coming back to the farm is always an option that I’ve really been interested in.”

Overall, Keck was excited to get his American Degree, and he was excited to be part of the national convention, a culmination of a year worth of agriculture education throughout the U.S.

“Agriculture, in my opinion, is the most important thing for anybody to understand,” said Keck. He also said ag education is vital to making students competitive in a global market. “Really there’s no job out there that isn’t in some way related to agriculture. It’s the backbone of America.”

Also receiving the American Degree today are Jessi Beucler, Kristin Spinler and Chelsey Stadler, of the Medford FFA Chapter.

Melissa Kaelin can be reached at 444-2372.

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Member Opinions: By: goodday on 10/24/09 Great job FFAer's!!!! The American Degree is a great accomplishment. FFA provides so many opportunities for students. We need to be proud of our local FFAer's for their accomplishments and the life long skills they have attained through this great organization. Congratulations Kristin, Chelsey, Jason, Jessi, ande Nate. By: stormchaser28 on 10/24/09 Woohoo, way to go Kristin.
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