CULPEPER, VA -- Eastern View High School’s Agriculture Department was named Virginia's Outstanding Secondary AgEd Program by the Virginia Association of Agriculture Educators (VAAE). The department, consisting of teachers Melessa Suder, Brian Duncan, and Heather Shinn, received this honor from the VAAE.
Suder, who served as the association’s president for 2022-2023, was named Virginia's Outstanding Secondary Agriculture Teacher and was selected as the Region VI winner for the US. The National Association of Agriculture Educators consists of 6 regions and they select one per region to compete for the National award. She will go to Phoenix, Arizona for the award ceremony at the end of November.
In addition to the VAAE honors, Suder was selected to receive the Honorary American FFA Degree. This award is given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment. The Honorary American FFA Degree is an opportunity to recognize those who have gone beyond valuable daily contributions to make an extraordinary long-term difference in the lives of students, inspiring confidence in a new generation of agriculturists. Suder will receive the award during the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Friday, November 3, 2023. All recipients will receive a plaque and medal, and her name will be permanently recorded as recipients of the highest FFA honor.
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 and 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, LinkedIn and Twitter.