By: Hakim Briley
On May 4, 2026, West Fork High School, located in Porter, Texas, held their 4th annual FFA banquet with several FFA members and officers saying their final goodbyes toward such an amazing program. During the FFA awards ceremony, many FFA members were given awards showing their dedication and many accomplishments throughout their time serving in FFA,
but one award shined the brightest. Their 2025 – 2026 FFA Secretary, Hakim Briley Jr., earned the Star Lone Star Degree Award.
The Lone Star Degree is the 2nd highest award an FFA member is able to obtain. Before a member is even qualified to earn this degree, the member must first obtain their Greenhand Degree, which is earned by simply doing basic things in agricultural classes and FFA. Next a member must obtain their Chapter Degree, which is earned by starting a SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience), and next comes the Lone Star Degree. The Star Lone Star degree is awarded to only one FFA member who has demonstrated the most drive in obtaining all their degrees, developed an advanced SAE, and exhibits that they have the best chance to succeed in making a change in the agricultural world.
While Hakim’s competition had much more traditional and impactful SAE’s which included livestock showing and floriculture, Hakim’s SAE stood out and was something no one anticipated, insects! Hakim’s SAE was all about identifying and collecting species of insects across multiple orders and areas around Texas, and educating his peers on which insects were benefi- cial to agriculture, which ones were pests, and how each one has its own special purpose in the world. Instead of simply caring for and showing live- stock like pigs, cattle, goats, etc., he spent his time catch- ing and studying insects in their own environments, such as examining how ants react to different environmental changes to how complex and organized certain parasitic wasps were in controlling pests in crops like cabbage loopers and aphids and the list goes on.
He also studied insects in the comfort of his own home by observing the life cycles of numerous insects such as aquatic beetles and dragonflies. Hakim Briley has set the standard for not only future African American FFA members, but for all FFA members, proving that being different and stepping outside of the box does not mean irrelevant Now that Hakim has graduated from West Fork High School, his next journey in life is to obtain his American Degree in college, which is the highest degree to be awarded in FFA. Using his knowledge and experiences in FFA, he strives to increase the usage of insects in the agricultural business to make the food industry better suitable for humankind. Be on the lookout for this future Entomologist, Hakim Briley, Jr. giving bugs a better reputation.
