Pennington Reaches FFA Pinnacle
Grapeland Grad Awarded Organization’s Highest Degree
By Jason Jones
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – Reaching the top of the mountain is never easy, but sometimes the best way to get there is by deciding it’s where you’re going to be.
Taylor Pennington began her FFA journey as an 8th grader back in 2014. As she was studying the levels of achievement for the organization, she learned about the various degrees that one can attain. FFA has five degrees a member can receive, the Discovery degree, Greenhand degree, Chapter degree, State degree and the American degree.
“Wow, an American Degree. Can you believe some people get this?”
Taylor spoke those words to Grapeland Ag teacher Shellee Goolsby and Director Gary Graham. Their reply was one of encouraging support. “Well of course! You can do it!”
“I’m gonna do it,” replied Pennington.
Last weekend Taylor attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis and received her American FFA Degree.
As the highest degree achievable in the National FFA Organization, the American FFA Degree shows an FFA member’s dedication to his or her chapter and state FFA association. It demonstrates the effort FFA members apply toward their supervised agricultural experience and the outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement they exhibited through their FFA career.
The list of requirements and necessary achievements is daunting, and the honor is bestowed on fewer than 1% of FFA members nationwide.
“It sounds a little intimidating when you look at the requirements, but as you work through your FFA career and get near the top, you realize that it’s within reach,” said Pennington.
Taylor is a 2019 graduate of Grapeland High School and was Valedictorian. She was president of her class all four years in high school and President of Grapeland FFA her senior year as well as holding various other offices in FFA. She was the third generation in her family to receive the Lone Star Farmers Degree in FFA, following in the footsteps of her father, Ross Pennington, and her grandfather, Troy Pennington. Her accomplishments are numerous within the organization, but she seems particularly proud of something else.
“I’ve been on TV” she said with a grin.
Pennington was accompanied at the National Convention by her grandmother, LaWanda Pennington, and the ceremony was streamed live, allowing her grandfather, Troy, to watch the ceremony.
“I see her! She waved at me!” It was a big moment for a proud grandpa.
When asked what the honor meant to her, Pennington was introspective. “Whenever you just get started, you see all these people who are doing it and you think ‘wow, they’re older than me or they’re better than me or they have more experience than me,’ and I looked to those people like role models,” said Pennington. “And now I’m in that spot because I’ve done it. And it’s, well, not a wakeup call. It’s just like you know… you’re capable.”
Capable indeed. The requirements to earn the American FFA Degree are set forth in the National FFA Constitution. To be eligible to receive the American FFA Degree, members must meet qualifications such as receiving a State FFA Degree, holding active membership for the past three years, completing secondary instruction in an agricultural education program and operating an outstanding supervised agricultural experience program. Community service, leadership abilities and outstanding scholastic achievement are also required.
Taylor is currently a junior at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville where she is President of the Collegiate FFA. She is majoring in Agricultural Business and minoring in Plant and Soil Science. She has made the Dean’s List and President’s List every semester at SHSU.
Taylor is keeping her options open after graduation. “Everybody asks ‘oh, what are you going to do after graduation?’ and I tell them after graduation I will probably eat a nice dinner. ‘No, I mean your future plans,’ and I’m like ‘that’s all I got right now!’”
Considering her accomplishments so far, crowned by the gold key awarded to her by the FFA, it seems her road forward will be an epic adventure.
Taylor is the daughter of Ross and Kim Pennington and Lisa and Thomas Sullivan and granddaughter of Troy and LaWanda Pennington and Darlene Kennedy.
The Messenger would like to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Taylor Pennington and her family on a truly amazing achievement.
Jason Jones may be reached via email at [email protected]
