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During the 96th National FFA Convention, Larry Lokai, retired FFA Advisor and resident of Urbana, was honored with the National FFA VIP Citation award.

Each year the National FFA honors individuals who have dedicated 20 years of service to FFA and agricultural education on the national level.

Lokai started his dedication in 1984 as a classroom teacher at Northwestern Clark FFA as a member of the National FFA Poultry Career Development Event committee representing Region IV, National Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association (NVATA). Additionally, he was elected to serve four terms from 1984 to 1997 as a teacher representative on the National FFA Judging Advisory Committee until his retirement as a classroom teacher from Keystone High School FFA in Lorain County in 1997. The year 2023 was his 40th as a member of the National FFA Poultry Career Development Committee where he served as judge for live bird classes and spent 30 years listening to oral reasons and supplied eggs used in competition.

While teaching at EHOVE Career Center in Erie County 1989-1990 and Keystone High School in Lorain County 1990-1997, Lokai also served as an official judge for the National FFA Public Speaking and Parliamentary Procedure contests. From 1986 to 2006 he served on a second National Career Development Event Committee, Milk Quality and Products, where he ran the Ohio Milk Quality and Products from 2022 until 2006 for Ohio FFA.

The VIP Citation award is the highest honor for an non member individual on the National FFA level. Lokai is now serving his 41st year as a member of the National FFA Poultry Career Development Committee. 2024 will be the 56th year Lokai has served as a junior fair judge and an official judge in 84 of Ohio’s 88 counties.

Info from FFA