AgTexas Farm Credit held its 11th annual AgYouth Scholarship Banquet for the South Plains area at the North Stadium Club at AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock earlier this month.
Eleven graduating seniors each received a $1,000 scholarship: Emma Martinez (New Deal FFA), Molli Harris (Idalou FFA and Wildcat 4-H), Brynlee Edwards (Idalou FFA and Lubbock County 4-H), McKinley Tucker (Whiteface FFA and Hockley County 4-H), Madyson Nickelsen (Whitharral FFA), Eliana Martinez (Seagraves FFA), Kaden McDonald (New Home FFA), Jadyn Woodley (Tahoka FFA), Heaven Chacon (Shallowater FFA), and Devin Casey and Kayden Gillit (both from Brownfield FFA).
The Outstanding Adult Leader Award, who received a $1,000 check plus an additional $1,000 for his FFA Chapter, was Mr. Colt Spies, FFA Advisor from Whiteface FFA.
The two recipients of the AgYouth College Scholarships are Aniston Patschke, a previous AgYouth Scholarship recipient from Idalou FFA, and Bliss Bessire, a previous AgYouth Scholarship recipient from Frenship FFA. Each received a $7,500 scholarship. Both are studying Ag Sciences at Texas Tech.
Before this year, the AgYouth of the Month scholarship program had awarded $224,000. The awards consist of $1,000 scholarships for selected graduating high school seniors involved in 4-H and FFA, $22,500 in Distinguished AgYouth Graduate Scholarships for students already in college, and $1,000 awards to an outstanding 4-H or FFA leader in each of the regions AgTexas serves: the Panhandle, South Plains, and Central Texas.
In total, AgTexas is awarding $40,000 to graduating high school seniors, graduate students, and 4-H or FFA leaders across its three regions, with $11,000 for students in the South Plains area.
The scholarship recipients were selected for their leadership and accomplishments in their local FFA Chapter and/or 4-H Club, their participation in school activities, volunteer work in their community, and their commitment to agriculture.
Further confirming the cooperative’s commitment to youth leaders, this past fall AgTexas also supported the 12 area FFA chapters competing at the National FFA convention by covering $2,000 in travel expenses per chapter. – $24,000 total.
According to AgTexas President/CEO Kayla Robinson, “Providing recognition and scholarships for outstanding students interested in agriculture is one of the most effective ways to encourage our best and brightest youths to join our mission of helping feed and clothe the world.”
Robinson continues, “We love the excitement of celebrating with energetic 4-H and FFA students because they bring such positivity into the room. Graduation season will be a special time in their lives, and we enjoy hearing about their hopes and dreams.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: AgTexas awards $26K to West Texas South Plains 4-H, FFA students
Reporting by Special for the Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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