Seven Iowa Educators Named Finalists for 2026 Golden Owl Award; Osage Teacher Among Honorees

DES MOINES — Seven Iowa agricultural educators — including an instructor from Osage High School — have been named finalists for the 2026 Golden Owl Award, one of the state’s top honors recognizing excellence in agricultural education.

Malayne Meyer of Osage High School is among the finalists selected for the prestigious award, which is 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.

Other 2026 finalists include:

• Krystal Wright, Benton Community High School

• Tyler Wingert, Ridge View High School

• Allison Reuvers, Colfax-Mingo High School

• Zach Morris, West Liberty High School

• Ben Booth, Manning High School

• Barb Clawson, Iowa State University

According to organizers, the 2026 Iowa Golden Owl Award received 834 nominations representing 127 agricultural educators statewide. The large number of nominations highlights what officials described as strong appreciation from students, parents, colleagues and community members for Iowa’s agricultural educators.

Each finalist was surprised and honored during events held by their home district or university. Finalists received an engraved plaque and a $500 prize to support future educational efforts. One educator will ultimately be named Iowa’s 2026 Golden Owl Award winner and will receive a $3,000 cash prize along with the Golden Owl trophy.

The grand prize winner for the 2025-26 award cycle will be announced at the annual Iowa FFA Leadership Conference in April.

Nationwide established the Golden Owl Award to recognize the contributions of agricultural educators and to provide additional resources to support their programs. This year, the award program honors outstanding agricultural educators in 15 states, including Iowa, as well as California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Utah.

For North Iowa, Meyer’s recognition brings statewide attention to Osage High School’s agricultural education program and the impact of ag teachers in preparing the next generation of industry leaders.