Ag teacher at Pittsfield High School one of five finalists for Golden Owl Award

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Jody Heavner, a teacher at Pittsfield High School, is one of five finalists from Illinois to receive the Golden Owl Award, which recognizes the country’s leading agricultural teachers.

Nationwide, a group of large U.S. insurance and financial services companies based in Columbus, Ohio, partnered with state FFA organizations to create the Golden Owl Award in 2018. The program supplies funding to help boost the teachers’ agricultural programs and boost learning experiences for their students.

Nationwide recently worked with partners in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota to collect more than 2,900 nominations from students, parents and community members to identify more than 900 educators. Heavner is one of five educators from Illinois and represents District 3.

Each of the 64 finalists was presented with an individualized plaque and received a $500 donation to help fund future educational efforts for their programs. The finalists will be entered into a final selection stage for the chance to be crowned as their state’s Ag Educator of the Year, earning an additional $3,000 contribution to help boost their program and the Golden Owl Award trophy.

“The Golden Owl Award seeks to recognize agricultural teachers for the inspiring devotion they bring to their work as they educate America’s future leaders,” Brad Liggett, Nationwide’s agribusiness president, said in a press release. “We are proud to honor their contributions, highlight the growing need for their services, and supply additional resources to help benefit their students.”

Illinois FFA and the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers are partnering with Nationwide to recognize agricultural educators.

“As we talk to Alumni members from 10, 20 or even 30 years and beyond, nearly every one of them can remember their high school agriculture teacher and the memories made both in and out of the classroom,” said John Edgar, executive director of IAVAT. “We are so incredibly thankful for all of our outstanding agriculture teachers and FFA advisors, especially those that go above and beyond to provide opportunities for our members.”

In conjunction with the Golden Owl Award, Nationwide is also donating $5,000 to each participating state’s FFA organization to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors alike.