American Star Awards

The best of the best.

National FFA annually recognizes FFA members who rise to the top with the American Star Awards. These members have gone above and beyond in their attitude, involvement, community service and supervised agricultural experience. Finalists for these awards have mastered skills in production, finance, management and/or research.

2025 AMERICAN STAR FINALISTS

American Star in Agribusiness

The American Star in Agribusiness is awarded to the FFA member with the top nonproduction agribusiness supervised agricultural experience in the nation. The member must demonstrate outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record.

Finalists:

Nash McKenzie from the Boonville FFA Chapter in Missouri
John Buryl Neely from the Woodbury FFA Chapter in Tennessee
Blake Twenhafel from the Wescline FFA Chapter in Illinois
Trevor Wright from the Hollister-San Benito FFA Chapter in California

American Star in Agricultural Placement

The American Star in Agricultural Placement is awarded to the FFA member with the top agricultural placement supervised agricultural experience in the nation. The member must demonstrate outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record.

Finalists:

Braden Compton from the Meade County FFA Chapter in Kentucky
Nevin Erbsen from the Eastland FFA Chapter in Illinois
Caldyn David Huper from the United South Central FFA Chapter in Minnesota
Amanda Osmundson from the Oakdale FFA Chapter in California

American Star in Agriscience

The American Star in Agriscience is awarded to the FFA member that demonstrates the top agriscience-based supervised agricultural experience in the nation, including students who are actively engaged in doing their own research individually, as well as those students who may be cooperating on research projects with others. The member must demonstrate outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record.

Finalists:

Delana Erbsen of the Eastland FFA Chapter in Illinois
Joanna Hamilton from the Felicity-Franklin FFA Chapter in Ohio
Matthias David Hefty from the DeKalb FFA Chapter in Indiana
Madison Perkins from the Gilmer FFA Chapter in Texas

American Star Farmer

The American Star Farmer is awarded to the FFA member that demonstrates the top production agriculture supervised agricultural experience in the nation. The member must demonstrate outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record.

Finalists:

Nathan Clark from the Locust Trace FFA Chapter in Kentucky
Brady Frascht from the Charles City FFA Chapter in Iowa
Ryder Klaassen from the Hydro-Eakly FFA Chapter in Oklahoma
Benjamin Joseph Scheresky from the Max FFA Chapter in North Dakota

AWARD PROCESS

Qualifications

FFA members receiving their American FFA Degrees are eligible to apply for an American Star Award. Members may only apply for the award the same year that a candidate is applying for an American FFA Degree. Each state FFA association may select one candidate in each of the American Star Award areas. Candidates are selected based on the quality of their American FFA Degree and American Star applications.

Judging

A team of judges scores every application in each star award area using the appropriate rubric. Upon completion of all applications, judges select four finalists in each award area. Each finalist is invited to attend the National FFA Convention & Expo for an additional evaluation and interview by a second team of judges. The annual winner in each award area is selected from the four national finalists.

Awards

Sixteen national finalists are selected in each category and division to compete for the American awards. Star Award winners are announced on stage during the National FFA Convention & Expo.