Lincoln, Nebraska – As the demand for skilled ag educators continues to rise nationwide, recognizing those who go above and beyond in shaping future leaders is more important than ever. In Nebraska, six outstanding agricultural educators were recently honored as finalists for the 2024–2025 Golden Owl Award®. Among them, Joel Miller, ag teacher at Hampton Public Schools, was announced as Nebraska’s grand prize winner and 2025 Ag Educator of the Year.
Nationwide, in partnership with the Nebraska FFA Foundation and the Nebraska Agriculture Educators Association (NAEA), presented Miller with the Golden Owl Award during the Nebraska Career Education Conference. As the grand prize winner, Miller received the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy and a $3,000 cash award, generously provided by Nationwide.
Miller’s dedication to student success and experiential learning has left a lasting impact on the Hampton FFA Chapter. One nominator described him as a tireless advocate for his students, saying, “His passion for teaching, his commitment to student success, and his tireless work to improve agricultural education across Nebraska reflect the highest ideals of the profession.”
Agriculture has been central to Miller’s life from a young age. Growing up on his family’s farm and ranch in Hamilton County, he was an active member of 4-H and FFA. A high school advisor in Aurora encouraged him to pursue ag education, leading him to Northwest Missouri State University—where he found his calling in the classroom.
Miller began his teaching career in Cambridge before returning to his home county, where he is now completing his 19th year at Hampton. Across 22 years in the profession, he has continually looked for ways to connect students to agriculture in meaningful ways.
One of his proudest accomplishments is the creation of the Hawk Herd—an innovative, student-run cattle program that provides hands-on experience in breeding, husbandry, feed management, and marketing. The beef raised through the program is even used in the school lunch program, giving students a unique perspective on the full cycle of agricultural production.
Another recent milestone for the Hampton FFA Chapter was surpassing 300 State FFA Degrees. “The state degrees are huge,” said Miller. “I feel like I’ve spent enough time with them [the students] to help them grow not only in their recordkeeping skills, but in their SAE and leadership skills as well.”
Miller’s philosophy is rooted in believing in every student. “They might not think agriculture is their thing when they start,” he shared. “But sometimes it’s just one thing that turns the light switch on for them.”
As a mentor and leader in Nebraska ag education, Miller offers this advice to new teachers: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and lean on mentors. You can’t do everything your first year, and that’s okay.”
Nebraska FFA Foundation Executive Director Stacey Agnew shared, “Joel is a fantastic example of the kind of impactful, student-first ag educator we are proud to honor with the Golden Owl Award. His efforts have shaped a generation of FFA members and continue to strengthen agricultural education in Nebraska.”
As the nation’s leading farm and ranch insurer, Nationwide established the Golden Owl Award to highlight the invaluable contributions of agricultural educators and to provide additional resources that help them continue to inspire the next generation.
“Nationwide is proud to celebrate educators like Mr. Miller who are making an incredible impact on their students and their communities,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. “These teachers are vital to the future of agriculture, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to recognize their hard work.”
In addition to the individual award, Nationwide is donating $5,000 to each participating state’s FFA Foundation—including the Nebraska FFA Foundation—to further support the growth and success of students, teachers, and advisors across the country.
