East Central Middle School Teacher Named Finalist for Golden Owl Award

Eight teachers from Indiana are up for the award.

INDIANAPOLIS - East Central Middle School teacher McCord Snider has been named a finalists for the 2024-25 Golden Owl Award. 

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 13 states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. 

From November 1 through December 31, nominations were collected for the state’s top agricultural teachers from local students, parents, fellow teachers and community members across Indiana.

Indiana’s 2024-2025 Golden Owl Award finalists are: 

• Jamie Earnhart, Central Noble
• Chris Kaufman, Westfield
• Jeff Miller, Sullivan
• Janna Morgan, North Putnam
• Rebekah Peterson, DeKalb
• Kenna Slough, Shakamak
• McCord Snider, East Central
• Jim Wildermuth, North Miami

Each finalist was presented with an individualized plaque in front of fellow teachers and students and received a $500 check to support future educational efforts. Next, they’ll be entered into a final selection stage for the chance to be crowned as Indiana’s Ag Educator of the Year, earning an additional $3,000 Nationwide-funded check and the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy.  

“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 Indiana FFA to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors alike.