2023 American Star in Agricultural Placement, Whitney Glazier.
Whitney Glazier is big on farming despite her small stature.
“I am not a very big young lady,” Glazier said. “I am 5’1” and I’m very petite.”
However, her size has never stopped her from chasing success. As a member of Lomega FFA in Oklahoma, Glazier is a fifth-generation farmer with a three-part supervised agricultural experience (SAE) — she raises crops on her family farm, she worked at a veterinary clinic for over two years and she is currently working at Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) agronomy station to research plant science.
“I’m the fifth generation,” Glazier said. “It’s in our blood to want to do this, to be involved in agriculture. It’s just something that’s been instilled in me, and my passion for agriculture is what keeps me going.”
Glazier said her family’s long history in the agriculture sector is what she’s most proud of, especially after a recent tragedy. Her father passed away in June 2023, and Glazier said he was her biggest help and her greatest inspiration.
“He was and still is my biggest role model and my biggest supporter,” Glazier said. “He was an ag teacher for 20 years [and] a full-time farmer. … He gave me building blocks to work off, to build up to make myself successful.”
Looking to the future, Glazier said she hopes to graduate from OSU’s veterinary school and start her own clinic. She said she’ll always work on the family farm when she can, though.
“Once I graduate from this, [I’ll] try to go back out to where I grew up and open my own clinic there to be able to help with the shortage of large animal veterinarians that we have in rural communities,” Glazier said.
Her advice for FFA members who want to start their own SAE is to always ask for help — even if you don’t want to.
“For some people, asking for help isn’t always the easiest,” Glazier said. “But knowing that you can have people in your corner who are willing to do anything to help you … is second to none.”
About the American Star Awards
Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, four FFA members are honored with American Star Awards for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education.
The American Star Awards, including American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience, are presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of an SAE. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows students to learn by doing, by either owning or 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. were nominated by a panel of judges who then interviewed the finalists this fall. Four were named winners during the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo this year, which was held in Indianapolis. Winners received cash awards. Cargill, Case IH, Elanco Animal Health and Syngenta sponsor the awards.
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 945,000 student members as part of 9,163 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 945,000 student members as part of 9,163 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agricultural education. A separately registered nonprofit organization, the foundation is governed by a board of trustees that includes the national FFA president, educators, business leaders and individual donors. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.
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Dawson Woerner of the Shenandoah FFA Chapter in Indiana works for his father’s 900-acre sod farm, supplying landscapers and builders throughout central and northern Indiana. When he started helping with the operation, he was limited to clearing the fields of rocks. Today, he accomplishes everything from grass seedbed preparation, irrigating the sod fields weekly, and mowing the sod fields. Woerner hopes to one day be a full partner in the family business. He is supported by his parents, Susan and Darren, and his FFA advisors Dawn Baker and Tammie Starkey. 
