From a press release:

On October 24th, two FFA members from Aldine I.S.D. were the only two recipients from the Houston area - out of only 138 in Texas, to receive the National FFA American Farmer Degree. These two young women accepted this top honor at the 82nd National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jennifer Weikel and Ashlee Palermo were both FFA members at Nimitz High School from 2004 through 2008 where they both acted as club officers and raised various projects. These projects included steers, heifers, lambs, goats, pigs and broilers which were raised for the Aldine I.S.D. Livestock Show and other major livestock shows in the state of Texas, where both of the girls were extremely successful. Subsequently, Ashlee and Jennifer were also both Harris County 4-H members where they both served as Harris County 4-H Council members as well as club officers, participating in various community service projects within the Aldine and other surrounding Harris County communities.

Both the FFA and the 4-H organizations are commended on teaching children about the future of agriculture and preparing them for leadership opportunities in the future.

Jennifer is now attending Texas A&M University, pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture Science and Ashlee is attending Sam Houston State University, pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Animal Science. Both young women aspire to become Agricultural Science advisors in the future and hope to inspire the youth of today just as they were inspired by their rich agricultural experiences.

The ladies would like to publically thank their FFA advisors, Chris Ruscher and Michael Johnson and their 4-H leader, Smiley Gonzales for the encouragement and opportunity that they have been given to follow their dreams and achieve their educational goals.