During the Indiana FFA State Convention last June, Ron Noll, an ag educator and FFA advisor at Prairie Heights High School in LaGrange County since 2002, was named Indiana FFA’s Golden Owl Award winner for Indiana Ag Educator of the Year.
“I was very, very humbled. The other finalists are very, very good ag teachers and friends of mine for a long time and their talents impress me, so I was not expecting this at all,” said Noll after accepting the award.
Indiana FFA is now looking to honor another outstanding ag educator with the Golden Owl Award for 2024-25. Nominations are now being accepted through December 31, 2024 and can be submitted HERE.
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, including 11 Ag Educators of the Year. 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.
Since its inception in 2018, 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, 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.”
To learn more about the Golden Owl Award, visit GoldenOwlAward.com.
