Growing up in a state with a multi-billion-dollar agricultural industry, Jillian Ann Drake of Fallbrook, Calif., first became aware of bacteria citrus disease from a mailer. This mailer sparked the 20-year-old’s interest in science.
Today, this interest has resulted in her being named a 2015 finalist for the American Star in Agriscience award, one of the most prestigious honors awarded to a student by the National FFA Organization.
Once Drake read about the disease, she became interested in pursuing research on it. She discovered that the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Dates was a leading national research facility for this pathogen. She contacted the director about the possibility of doing some research, and he invited her to the lab. Drake thought her project would be something small in scope; however, her USDA mentors provided her with training, lab space and supplies to conduct several complex projects utilizing bio-engineering principles and genomic studies.
In her time at USDA-ARS she developed and validated new DNA extraction methods as well as conducted a research project at the USDA-ARS Soil and Salinity lab. Drake says she is grateful to FFA for inspiring her to pursue scientific inquiry through agriscience competitions, and she is appreciative of her FFA advisors as well as her USDA-ARS mentors.
Today, she is studying biochemical engineering at Long Beach City College.
Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, four FFA members are honored with an American Star Award for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education.
The American Star Awards, including the American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience, are awarded to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of a supervised agricultural experience program. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows students to learn by doing by either owning and operating an agricultural business, working or serving an internship at an agriculture-based business or conducting an agriculture-based scientific experiment and reporting results.
Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.
Sixteen American Star Award finalists from throughout the U.S. are nominated by a panel of judges to interview during the national convention and expo. Four are named winners and receive cash awards totaling $4,000. All American Star finalists receive a $2,000 cash award. The American Star Awards are sponsored by ADM Crop Risk Services, Case IH, Elanco, Farm Credit and Syngenta as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.
Drake is the daughter of Gary and Sheryl Drake. She is a member of the Fallbrook FFA Chapter, which is led by advisors Margaret Chapman, Doug Sehnert and Scott Deffin.
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