Local student achieves Keystone Degree
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LOGANTON -- Madisyn "Maddy" Garcia, vice president of the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School FFA, has recently earned her Keystone Degree at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Winter Convention.
She was recognized by Senator Cris Dush, representing the 25th Senatorial District at the Farm Show, and was given a Senate Certificate of Achievement.
Garcia is currently a senior at SVRCS, and has been active in the FFA for around six years, never missing a contest. She is also active in National Honor Society, Student Council and Envirothon.
Through extensive recordkeeping of her time with the FFA, Garcia qualified to receive her Keystone Degree.
The Keystone Degree is the highest degree that can be bestowed on a FFA member at the state level. In order to earn this degree, students are required to have up to four years of work -- both leadership development and participation in FFA activities in school and in their community.
Garcia said she wanted to strive to receive her Keystone Degree because she'd seen others in the chapter achieve it, and wanted the accomplishment for herself.
"It's the highest you can get in Pennsylvania and I thought that was a really good accomplishment. It was a good learning experience. I learned a lot raising animals and taking care of them -- a lot of responsibility," said Garcia.
According to the National FFA Manual/State FFA Degree, students have the following checklist to complete before they qualify for the Keystone Degree:
-- Must be an FFA member for the past 24 months
-- Must be a current senior or graduate
-- Must have completed two years of Ag courses
-- Must have completed over 300 hours in a placement (paid or unpaid) supervised agricultural experience (SAE), productively invested $1,000, or a combination
-- Participated in 10 FFA chapter activities
-- Participated in five different FFA activities above the chapter level
-- Completed 25 hours of service (in two different activities) to organizations in the community
-- Include a photo of SAE project; showing skills that the student has learned
-- With the application, they must include complete Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) plans (from the AET system) for all projects in the current year.
Garcia's SAE project was her horse, Snowball.
Advisor Chuck Bechdel expressed his and the other advisors' pride in their students.
"Maddy has done almost everything with us for four years. Never missed a contest. We're really proud of (the students) who get the Keystone Degree. It's not easy -- when you look at the sea of blue (jackets) you know that's a pretty good future in agriculture," said Bechdel.
From ninth grade to now, Bechdel noted that Garcia has grown during her time in the FFA program, and has come a long way.
"In ninth grade it was hard to get her to talk, but she has opened right up. If you need something done, she's one you can ask. We do an animal day, and she usually is the one who handles it. She's really changed," said Bechdel.
To her fellow chapter members and others that want to receive this degree, Garcia had only one suggestion: keep up with your books.
Garcia will be going to welding school in Missouri starting in August of this year, and is excited to get started.