HOWARD — Four East Knox members received the American FFA degree recently at the 96th annual national convention at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Trenton Comer, Kalvin Gallwitz, Alexandria Magers, and Joci Totten received the American FFA Degree. 

These four were among 4,423 American Degrees awarded nationally with 457 of those being from Ohio. The degrees are sponsored by Case IH, Elanco, and Syngenta as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. 

Each recipient of the American FFA Degree received a gold American FFA Degree key, certificate and matted frame after being recognized on stage.

Requirements for the degree include earning at least $10,000 from SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) projects, productively investing at least $7,500, serving as an FFA officer or committee member, participating in FFA career development events, participating in FFA leadership activities, completing school and community activities, and having a satisfactory grade point average and school attendance.

The American Degree is the fourth and final degree that can be attained in the FFA and normally goes to less than 1/2 percent of the national membership annually.

Trenton Comer

Trenton Comer’s SAE projects include working as a maintenance tech at the feed mill at Trillium Egg Farm in Croton, job placement at Mow and Go, as well as placement at Ohio Truck where he was a welder/fabricator.

Trenton also started a small welding business Comer’s Custom Fabrication. He also completed various home improvement projects. 

He served as the 2021-2022 chapter Student Advisor and was the 2020-2021 chapter Parliamentarian.

Trenton has competed in forestry, Greenland quiz, parliamentary procedure, poultry, and agricultural technology and mechanics career development events.

He attended state and national FFA conventions, state leadership nights, and district officer training.

Trenton is the son of Shane Comer and Tara Mertler of Millwood. 

Alexandria Magers

Alexandria Magers’ SAE projects include job placement at the Magers’ Family Farm along with raising and showing market hogs and market beef steers at the Knox County Fair and completing various home improvement projects.

She served as the 2020-2021 East Knox FFA Treasurer where she received a State Gold Rating and  the 2021-2022 chapter President.

Alexandria has competed in various Career Development Events including Forestry, Urban Soils, Novice and Advanced Parliamentary Procedure, Wildlife Management, Nursery/Landscape, Milk Quality and Products, Envirothon, Environmental Natural Resources, Food Science, Farm Business Management, Creed Speaking, and Agronomy. 

She has competed on the National-level representing Ohio in Milk Quality and Products CDE in Indianapolis and the National Land Judging Contest in Oklahoma. 

Alexandria has attended the State and National FFA Conventions, Ohio Leadership Conference, and District 7 Officer Training.

She has assisted the chapter with the Thanksgiving food drive and has assisted with various volunteering and community service activities.

Alexandria is the daughter of Dan and Anna-Marie Magers of Howard.

Joci Totten

Joci Totten’s SAE projects include working at Kroger in the dairy department where she conditioned dairy products, checked product quality and dates, and stocked products.

She also worked at Chad Rine’s Chicken Farm and raised and showed market hogs at the Knox County Fair. 

She served as the 2019-2020 East Knox FFA Treasurer where she received a State Gold Rating and the 2020-2021 chapter Secretary where she also earned a State Gold Rating.

Joci has competed on many career development event teams including the 2019-2020 Agricultural Soils team that placed first in the State and qualified to represent Ohio in the National Contest in Oklahoma. 

Joci has also competed in the career development events of Poultry, Novice and Advanced Parliamentary Procedure, Beginning Prepared Public Speaking, and Job Interview. 

She has attended the State and National FFA Conventions and District 7 Officer Training.

She has completed many hours of community service/volunteering and has assisted with numerous chapter activities. Joci is the daughter of Joe and Lori Totten of Walhonding.

Kalvin Gallwitz

Kalvin Gallwitz’s SAE projects include working as a general laborer at Central Ohio Farmers Coop,  job placement at Gallwitz Farms, Sundown Acres, Beatty Farms, Kidwell Farm, and Morningstar Labradors and raising and showing beef steers and feeders at the Knox County Fair, as well as completing various home improvement projects.

He served as the 2018-2019 Chapter Treasurer where he received a State Gold Rating.

Gallwitz has competed on seven Top 10 career development event teams including the 2017 Milk Quality and Products team that placed 18th in the nation, the 2018 Nursery Landscape team that placed 20th in the nation, the 2018 Forestry team that placed 3rd at U.S. Eastern Regional event in Massachusetts, and the 2019 Agricultural Soils team that competed in Oklahoma.

Kalvin has also competed in the career development events of poultry, greenhand quiz, animal management, agronomy, farm business management, floriculture, parliamentary procedure, food science, and agricultural mechanical and technical systems.

He has attended the State and National FFA Conventions, State 212/360 Conference, and District Officer Training.  Kalvin is the son of Kevin and Crystal Gallwitz of Bladensburg.