MANHATTAN — The Kansas FFA Foundation is pleased to announce Karlea Clark, agriculture teacher at Cherryvale High School, as the Southeast District Golden Owl finalist for FY26. Clark will receive a $500 check and an engraved plaque as a district finalist.
From Sept. 1 - Dec. 31, nominations were collected for the state’s top agricultural teachers from local students, parents, fellow teachers, and community members across Kansas.
Nationwide — the national sponsor of the Golden Owl Award — partners with state FFA organizations to honor outstanding ag teachers. The State Winner will receive a $3,000 Nationwide-funded award and the Golden Owl trophy, and Nationwide is donating $5,000 to the Kansas FFA Foundation to further support Kansas agricultural education programs. This year, the award program honors outstanding ag educators in 15 states: “Nationwide is proud to recognize the dedicated teachers who are educating and inspiring students to pursue careers in agriculture,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide.
“Karlea’s classroom exemplifies the valued role ag teachers play in guiding and empowering students,” said Yancy Wright, Kansas FFA Foundation Board Chairman. “Our agricultural educators invest in students’ futures every day — and we’re honored to recognize that commitment.”
Clark will be in contention for the State Winner at the 2026 Kansas State FFA Convention in Manhattan.
“Ag teachers are invaluable,” said Yancy Wright, Kansas FFA Foundation Board Chairman. “In the classroom, they do more than teach lessons — they inspire, mentor and prepare students for meaningful careers and lives. We celebrate the dedication of these educators and the powerful, everyday impact they make on students, FFA chapters, and communities across Kansas.”
Karlea Clark, and agriculture teacher at Cherryvale High School, is a Southeast District Golden Owl finalist for the Kansas FFA Foundation. Courtesy photo
