Alva Review-Courier -

Cathy Mapes of the Alva FFA Chapter received the State FFA Degree, the highest degree of active membership awarded by the Oklahoma FFA Association.

The honor is bestowed upon high school senior FFA members who have demonstrated outstanding supervised agricultural experience programs and leadership skills. Only 797 of the more than 27,000 Oklahoma FFA members advanced through the Discovery, Greenhand and Chapter degrees to earn the state honor this year.

Mapes also was selected to receive the Academic Excellence award along with the State FFA Degree. Recipients are given a medallion on a red, white and blue ribbon to wear over their official FFA dress. Recognition for their accomplishment took place on May 3 during the final session of the 91st State FFA Convention at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

Students selected for this award are chosen based on grade point average, class rank and ACT score.

FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. The FFA mission is to make positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leader ship, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.