Mr. Morris was very surprised and honored this Tuesday to be recognized as one of seven finalists for the 2026 Golden Owl Award! This award is one of the state's highest honors, recognizing excellence in agricultural education. Sponsored by the Iowa FFA Foundation, Nationwide Insurance, and the Iowa Department of Education, the Golden Owl Award celebrates teachers who go above and beyond to inspire students, strengthen communities, and advance agricultural literacy.
This year, the Iowa Golden Owl Award received 834 nominations representing 129 agricultural educators statewide, highlighting the deep appreciation students, parents, colleagues, and community members have for Iowa's ag teachers. Of those 834 nominations, 229 were received for Mr. Morris!
Mr. Morris received an engraved plaque and a $500 prize to support future educational efforts. One of the seven Golden Owl Finalists will be named Iowa's 2026 Golden Owl Award winner at the annual Iowa FFA Leadership Conference in April, receiving a $3000 cash prize along with the coveted Golden Owl trophy. The 2026 Golden Owl Finalists are:
Zach Morris, West Liberty High School
Malayne Meyer, Osage High School
Krystal Wright, Benton Community High School
Tyler Wingert, Ridge View High School
Allison Reuvers, Colfax-Mingo High School
Ben Booth, Manning High School
Barb Clawson, Iowa State University
Nationwide established the Golden Owl Award to honor the contributions of teachers and support their programs with additional resources to assist their continued educational efforts. This year, the award program honors outstanding ag educators in 15 states: California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Utah.
“As the need grows for more ag educators across the nation, we are proud to thank and honor these hardworking agricultural teachers for their dedication,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. “These educators play a crucial role in preparing students for successful careers in the industry.”
In conjunction with the Golden Owl Award, Nationwide is also donating $5,000 to the Iowa FFA Foundation to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors alike.
The Iowa FFA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating partnerships that support agricultural education, , workforce readiness, and leadership growth.. Established in 1986, the FFA Foundation connects donors with opportunities to support students, educators and programs through scholarships, grants, awards, events and Iowa Team Ag initiatives. By collaborating with business, industry and community partners, the Foundation funds leadership training, career development events and hands-on learning experiences that equip young people with communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills, helping develop the next generation of leaders. More information about the Foundation and its giving opportunities are available on IowaFFAFoundation.org.
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