SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Representative Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville) passed House Resolution 882 on Tuesday honoring Molly McCalla of Staunton for earning the 2025 National Agricultural Proficiency Award in Sheep Production, the highest national recognition for excellence in agricultural entrepreneurship and supervised agricultural experience.
“I am proud to recognize Molly McCalla and the honor she brings to Illinois and the FFA program with her National Agriculture Proficiency Award in 2025, followed by her State FFA Award in 2026,” said Rosenthal, a farmer himself. “Molly’s accomplishments highlight the critical role of youth leadership in advancing agricultural innovation, sustainability, and stewardship, which are essential to Illinois’ multibillion-dollar agricultural economy.”
Rosenthal noted in HR 882 that this prestigious national honor places Molly among the nation’s top young agricultural leaders and reflects the highest level of achievement within the National FFA Organization. She continued her success in 2026 by earning the Illinois FFA Agricultural Proficiency Award for Diversified Livestock Production through her work in poultry egg production, Angus cattle operations, and her sheep enterprise.
Molly is a senior member of the Staunton FFA Organization and was also named a recipient of the Murray State University Presidential Fellowship Scholarship in Kentucky.
“Thank you to Molly’s FFA advisors – John Davin, Spencer Laughlin, and Maggie McCalla – who deserve credit for helping to educate and encourage Molly as she pursues excellence in agriculture,” added Rosenthal.