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, w...