Pryor High School FFA member Jarrett Cowan has advanced to the final three candidates in Oklahoma FFA’s Northeast Area state officer selection process, earning the opportunity to continue forward as a candidate for the 2026–2027 Northeast Area Vice President.
Cowan advanced through the Oklahoma FFA Nomination Committee process held Saturday, a multi-step evaluation designed to assess each candidate’s leadership readiness, knowledge of the organization, and ability to communicate under pressure. Only the top three candidates from each area move on from the Nomination Committee to the next phase of the state officer selection process.
In the Northeast Area, eight candidates entered the process. Cowan was selected as one of three to advance.
What the Nomination Committee process includes
The Oklahoma FFA Nomination Committee is structured to evaluate candidates across several areas of preparation and leadership skill. During the process, each candidate completes the following components:
Official FFA Manual written test (100 points): Candidates take a comprehensive test based on material from the current online Official FFA Manual.
Handwritten letter response: Candidates are given specific information and asked to write a handwritten letter in response using provided materials.
Individual interviews: Each candidate participates in a one-on-one, five-minute personal interview with each committee member. Questions vary and may address agricultural education experiences, FFA involvement, and organizational knowledge.
Full committee interview: Candidates also complete a five-minute interview with the full committee. The first two minutes are reserved for a prepared statement on: “Why I desire to serve as a state FFA officer.” The remaining three minutes are used to respond to committee questions, with the same questions asked of each candidate for the specific office.
Following these evaluations, only the top three candidates are selected to continue forward for that area office.
What’s next
With the Nomination Committee phase complete, Cowan will move into the next stage of the process, which allows finalists to begin the public-facing portion of the state officer selection cycle, leading up to Oklahoma FFA’s final decisions for the 2026–2027 officer team.
Pryor FFA leaders noted that reaching the final three reflects months—often years—of preparation, involvement, and leadership development within agricultural education and the FFA organization.