News Release from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.



Golden Owl Award
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*NEWS RELEASE
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
?

*Nominate Local Indiana Teachers for Top *

*Agricultural Educator Award *

"Nationwide?s Golden Owl Award? honors extraordinary agricultural educators across 13 states "

*INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 1, 2024)* ? Agriculture educators play a crucial role within their communities by investing countless hours to prepare and empower students for successful careers in the industry.

In recognition of their invaluable contributions and to offer additional resources for their programs, Nationwide introduced the Golden Owl Award in 2018.

Since its inception, the Golden Owl Award has awarded nearly half a million dollars to support teachers, students, school agricultural programs and FFAs. Last year, there were over 3,500 nominations across 11 participating states. Due to its positive impact and popularity, the award is expanding this year to include Kentucky and Maryland.

?Agricultural educators are so much more than teachers; they?re community servants who are shaping the leaders of tomorrow,? said Brad Liggett [ [link removed] ], president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. ?Together with our partners, we encourage students, parents, fellow teachers and other community members to nominate their agricultural teachers to acknowledge their hard work.?

Indiana FFA is now accepting nominations for Indiana?s top agricultural teachers for a chance to be named as the Ag Educator of the Year. *Nominate any Indiana agriculture educator** for the 2024-2025 Golden Owl Award from November 1st, 2024, through **December 31st, 2024. Nominations can be submitted **HERE* [ [link removed] ]*.*

After the nomination period closes on December 31st, a selection committee will evaluate nominations and select eight finalists in Indiana. These finalists will be recognized in front of their peers and students, receiving a personalized plaque and $500 award. One finalist will then be chosen as the grand prize winner, earning the 2024-2025 Ag Educator of the Year title for Indiana, along with the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy and an additional $3,000 to help fund future educational efforts.

The 2023-2024 Golden Owl Award recognized 79 exceptional agricultural teachers [ [link removed] ], including 11 Ag Educators of the Year [ [link removed] ]. This year, the award program will recognize leading agricultural teachers across 13 states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.

Nationwide is committed to supporting the future of the ag community through meaningful sponsorships of national and local organizations. In conjunction with the Golden Owl Award, Nationwide is donating $5,000 to each participating state?s FFA, including the Indiana FFA, to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors alike.??

The owl, a symbol of knowledge and wisdom, is one of the five symbols in the FFA emblem. It inspired the name of the Golden Owl Award program, reflecting the dedication and investment agriculture teachers make to empower their students.

To learn more about the Golden Owl Award, visit GoldenOwlAward.com [ [link removed] ].

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*ABOUT ISDA
*

"The?Indiana State Department of Agriculture [ [link removed] ]?(ISDA) reports to?Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch [ [link removed] ],? Indiana?s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. Major responsibilities include advocacy for Indiana agriculture at the local, state and federal level, managing soil conservation programs, promoting economic development and agricultural innovation, serving as a regulatory ombudsman for agricultural businesses, and licensing grain firms throughout the state."

*About NATIONWIDE*

"Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified financial services and insurance organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by 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; and pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit?www.nationwide.com [ [link removed] ]. "




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*Media Contact for ISDA:?
*Amanda Mullins
Email: [email protected]




ISDA




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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: State of Indiana ? 402 Washington Street? ? Indianapolis, IN ?46204?? 800.457.8283 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]
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