Hartke Quads and Their Dad to Be Honored at National FFA Convention Saturday

(THE HARTKE QUADS: TOP ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: GARRETT HARTKE AND DUSTIN HARTKE; BOTTOM ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: TAYLOR HARTKE AND ALEX HARTKE)

The Hartke family of Effingham County has been involved in FFA activities for generations.

That relationship will reach new heights Saturday as the four quadruplet children of David and Korrie Hartke will be presented with American FFA Degrees. The degrees will be presented at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. More than 4,000 FFA members will be recognized onstage as American FFA Degree recipients this weekend.

The Hartke quads are Taylor, who is serving as the Illinois FFA State Treasurer on the first all-female state officer team, along with her brothers Alex, Garrett and Dustin. Their father, David Hartke, will receive an honorary degree on Saturday.

David Hartke's father, Phillip, received his degree in the 1960s, the same as Phillip's brothers, Jerry, Chuck and Mike. The father of those four Hartke brothers, Alphonse, received an honorary American Farmer Degree since four of his sons received theirs.