A Washington FFA alum will be heading to the national convention in Indianapolis this weekend to receive the highest honor that’s given to a member.

Sophie Bell is receiving the American Degree, which shows an FFA member’s dedication to their chapter and state FFA association. It also demonstrates the effort she applied toward her supervised agricultural experience, which included several projects, the largest being a crop-share with her grandparents and a beef business, BS Enterprises, she and her sister Ellie began during their high school freshman year with their father Lance. Bell shares how she feels to receive this award, “I’m ecstatic to be receiving it. It’s something ever since I joined FFA that I knew I wanted to receive and worked towards. So I definitely had it in the back of my mind all the years that I spent in FFA just with all the activities and time I put into it, but it’s really a huge honor. And there’s not a ton of kids who end up getting their American degree compared to other degrees just because it does take so much time and work.”

Bell is one of 117 Iowa FFA members receiving the American Degree this year. She is a junior at Iowa State University where she’s studying agricultural business with a minor in agronomy. She’s also active in several collegiate agricultural and other clubs, and also likes to support the Washington FFA chapter when she can as part of the alumni chapter. Quinn Schmidt and Garrett Sexton of Mid-Prairie also earned their American Degree this year.