Staff writer
Gloria Belton, daughter of Ed and Gwenn Belton of Tampa, was awarded the American FFA Degree in October at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.
The American degree is the highest level that can be achieved in FFA. Less than two percent attain it.
According to the National FFA website, the American degree is intended to encourage students to work toward establishing themselves in an agricultural career.
“Attaining the American degree requires a solid commitment to agriculture and FFA.” the site said.
Gloria is the third member of her family to earn the degree. Her sister, Emily, received it in 1998 and her brother, Derek, received it in 2004.
Gloria is a 2007 graduate of Centre High School and a sophomore at Kansas State University majoring in agricultural education.
She maintained an SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) as a beef production entrepreneur and took agricultural education classes in high school.
She acquired five cow/calf pairs. Every year, she kept the cows and sold the calves. She was required to record income and expenses and helped her father take care of the cattle. They were mixed with his herd, and she paid him for feed costs and pasture rent.
She received her state FFA degree at the end of her junior year.
She credits her success to the opportunities she was given in FFA and the encouragement she received from her sponsors, Cary Granzow and Gaea Wimmer.
“They influenced me to want to become an ag education teacher,” she said. “They’ve helped me so much.”
During her high school years in FFA, she held the offices of chapter secretary, vice president, and president and also served one year as leadership committee chairman.
She said her experiences in public speaking and leadership are helping her in college.
Gloria is planning to become an ag education teacher. Her sister Emily works for Quaker Oats in a suburb of Chicago, Ill. Derek is employed at Kansas Livestock Association headquarters in Salina, dealing with environmental issues. Another sister, Colleen, is employed by Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Mo.