Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Ag Scholarship recipients for 2016

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[March 29, 2016]  LINCOLN - On Thursday morning, eight young adults, who have chosen to further their education in the agricultural field received Scholarship checks from the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce. The scholarships were presented by this year's Scholarship Committee chair Betsy Pech at the annual Chamber of Commerce Ag Scholarship Breakfast.

Kamryn Parker Elizabeth Aylesworth



Age: 17
Hometown: Mount Pulaski
Parents: Randy & Kelly Aylesworth
Current Grade: 12th
High School attended: Mount Pulaski High School
High School GPA: Current 3.9, Cumulative 3.3

Extracurricular Activities:
FFA (Historian, Reporter, Secretary)
FFA Judging Teams (Agronomy, Livestock, Meats, Horse, Land Use, Parli Pro)
4-H (Reporter, Secretary, President)
4-H Ambassadors
4-H Citizen Scientist
Track
Cheerleading
Student Council
Prom Committee
Senior Class Secretary
Mount Pulaski Christian Church Youth Group
Drama Club
Spirit Squad
Legacy Leaders
Concert/Marching/Pep Band
Yearbook

College Choice: Black Hawk East, Galva

Major: Equestrian Science, Horse Science Technology & Vet Tech Program

Why did you decide this major?

I love animals! Just ask my two dogs, numerous chickens and turkeys, three goats, donkey, two horses, rabbit, and two salamanders! I’ve also owned pigs, sheep and ducks, and I have loved working with them all. They all fascinate me… especially horses. Because of my love of animals, I’ll start by obtaining a Vet Tech Degree with hopes of getting into a vet school. Because I’d like to own my own boarding and riding facility, and because I will always want horses to be a part of my life, I want a degree in Equestrian Science and Horse Science Technology.

What interests you most about agriculture?

Agriculture is both a way of life and a business. I can’t imagine living anywhere else than in a rural area because everyone is there to help you, everyone is welcoming and agriculture is the backbone of America. Agriculture is also the best business you can be involved in because the people who choose agriculture as their career are some of the most passionate people in the world. They truly care about the world around them and impacting people in a positive way. They also take a lot of pride in their product or business and want nothing but the best to represent our industry. All of this makes a perfect match for my personality and life I see myself living.

Janson Cooper



Age: 21
Hometown: Mount Pulaski
Parents: Jeff and Julie Cooper
Current Grade: College Junior
High School Attended: Mount Pulaski High School
College GPA: 3.82

Extracurricular Activities:
While in high school Janson was very involved in FFA receiving his State FFA degree
State Proficiency Award winner in Swine Placement
National Silver FFA Award winner
Individual State winner in Livestock judging

He was also involved in 4-H and the Illinois Club Lamb Association
Janson has also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

College Choice: Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas

Major: Animal Science

College involvement:
Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity
Delta Tau Alpha Honor Society of Agriculture
Sigma Alpha Pi National Honor Society of Leadership and Success

Why did you decide this major?

My passion for livestock has driven me to study and learn more about the livestock industry. After college, I plan on returning to the family swine farm as a fourth generation owner/operator here in southern Logan County. I plan on using my degree to better improve our farrow to finish swine operation. I also plan on taking the knowledge I learn from Fort Hays State University to also help improve my family's grain farm and beef cattle operations. I hope to continue the business that my great-grandfather started many years ago in hopes that someday I can pass it down to future generations of my family.

What interests you most about agriculture?

Agriculture is my passion. Being raised on a livestock and grain farm has helped influence this deep passion for agriculture. Showing market lambs has also helped to make the passion I have for agriculture even greater. Working on the farm and at home on my show lambs has helped me to better understand the importance of agriculture to the world and to the food industry. I am also intrigued by the diversity in agriculture throughout the U.S. Going to school in Kansas has given me a new perspective on agriculture and a greater appreciation for the prime farm ground that we have in Logan County.


Elizabeth Ford



Age: 18
Hometown: Elkhart
Parents: Kelby and Angie Ford
Current Grade: 12th
High School attended: Mount Pulaski High School,
GPA: 3.96

Extracurricular activities:
FFA
National Honor Society
Student Council
Soccer

College Choice: University of Missouri
Major: Ag Economics Major

Why did you decide this major?

I chose this major because I want to be a part of the agriculture industry. I want to help the industry grow and help to promote new ideas by working for a successful agriculture business. I hope to work for an agricultural sales and marketing team.

What interests you about agriculture?

I am very interested in the new technologies coming out every day that are helping to improve yields as well as conserve our environment in an effort to feed our world safely and efficiently.


Joshua Charles Meador



Age: 21,
Hometown: Lincoln
Parents: Michael & Diane Meador
Current Grade: College Junior
High School Attended: Lincoln Community High School
High School GPA: 3.4

College Choice: Illinois State University

Major: Pre-veterinary medicine

College involvement:
Pre-vet club president
Campus church

Why did you decide this major?

Animals intrigue me greatly. The vast array of species and how they function is astonishing. My love for medicine is because I love to help people and animals and solve puzzles. With medicine, I get to do both.

What interests you about agriculture?

Agriculture is interesting because it is so diverse. Studying pre-veterinary medicine is fun because not only do I learn about animals but also crops and the Ag industry.

Meg Lynn Meeker



Age: 19
Hometown: Emden
Parents: Bob & Diane Meeker
Current Grade: College Sophomore
High School Attended: Hartsburg-Emden High School
High School GPA: 3.9981

Extracurricular Activities:
Varsity softball
FFA
FEA
Student Council
Class President

College Choice: Heartland Community College/University of Illinois

Major: Agriculture Education

College involvement:
Founding Ag Club President
Phy Theta Kappa
Honors Society

Why did you decide this major?

I want to help future generations learn about the industry that provides us with food and fiber. I want to see my students grow into leaders and help them achieve their goals as my ag teachers have done for me.

What interests you most about agriculture?
 
The countless opportunities to work in agriculture is so interesting to me. I love to see consumers being engaged about where their food comes from and to be grateful for the agriculture industry.

Robert Meeker



Age: 21,
Hometown: Emden
Parents: Bob & Diane Meeker
Current Grade: College Junior
High School Attended: Hartsburg-Emden High School
High School GPA: 3.58

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Robert Meeker cont.

Extracurricular activities:
4-H
FFA
Basketball
Baseball
Hoof n Horn Club
Meat and Livestock Judging

College Choice: University of Illinois

Major: Agri-Business, Farm Management

College involvement:
Meat and Livestock Judging
Hoof n Horn Club
ACE
Field n Furrow

Why did you decide this major?

I choose Farm Management because I felt that it was the ideal fit to come back to Logan County and farm.

What interests you most about agriculture?

1.) The people,
2.) Feeding the ever growing population in the world

Michelle Paulus



Age: 19,
Hometown: Lincoln
Parents: Kent & Lynn Paulus
Current Grade: College Sophomore
High School Attended: Lincoln Community High School
High School GPA: 4.4

Extracurricular Activities:
Sigma Alpha
ACE Ambassador

College Choice: University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Major: Agricultural and Consumer Economics: Finance in Agribusiness

College involvement:
Sigma Alpha,
ACE Ambassador

Why did you decide this major?

I chose my major because I knew that I want to work in the Ag industry since it is something that I am passionate about. I selected finance ad my concentration because I enjoy working with numbers so I thought that finance in agribusiness is the perfect mixture of both.

What interests you most about agriculture?

I am most interested by the aspect that agriculture is the backbone of our nation. Without agriculture we wouldn’t have our essentials to life. I am also intrigued because there are so many sectors of agriculture and almost everything we do can be related back to it.

Genevieve Maxine VanWye



Age: 17
Hometown: Atlanta
Parents: Connie & Jerry VanWye
Current Grade: 12th
High School Attended: Olympia High School
High School GPA: 4.07/4.0

Extracurricular Activities:
Softball
Volleyball
FFA
National Honor Society
Bank Board
Key Club
Student Council

College Choice: Iowa State University

Major: Animal Science

Why did you decide this major?

I grew up on a cattle farm and really enjoyed working with cattle and learning at conferences. I want to continue to work with animals and the people involved in the agriculture industry.

What interests you most about agriculture?

The part of agriculture that interests me most is the aspect of providing food to our growing population, through the use of the latest technologies. Agriculture is continuously growing and progressing and I want to be a part of that.

2016 Ag Scholarship Committee

Betsy Pech, Chairman
Cara Barr, Chamber Liaison
Janet Dahmm
Dara Entwistle
John Fulton
John Hartman
Sarah Helm
Dave Irwin
John Klemm
Kevin Kurtz
Jim Lindgren
Don Peasley

Scholarship history

2000 - $2,000 Total
Derek Steubing
Chad Yagow

2001 $3,000
Jackie Bakken
Matthew Duckworth
Elizabeth Stoll

2002 $3,000
Kent Leesman
Elizabeth Schilling
Michael Stoll

2003 $4,000
Natalie Coers
Casey Davis
Kent Leesman
Blane Olson
Abigail Sasse
Jason Wrage

2004 $4,000
David Allspach
Kyle Atteberry
Kenneth Cowan
Kory Leesman
Thomas Maske
Bradley Stoll
Krista Ubbenga

2005 $7,000
Casey Davis
Bobbi Hartwig
Jay Hild
Thomas Maske
Blane Olson
Krista Ubbenga
Christopher Vaughan

2006 $9,000
John Dallas
Andrew Fulton
Blaine Hellman
Jay Hild
Kevin Huelskoetter
Michael Jones
Kory Leesman
Blane Olson
Abigail Sasse
 


2007 $9,000
Kyle Atteberry
Andrew Fulton
Blaine Hellman
Britney Cowan
Timothy Davis
Taylor Hilgendorf
Michael Litterly
Elizabeth Brooks

2008 $7,000
Dustin Aylesworth
Jessica Lindgren
Taylor Hilgendorf
Kelly Cross
John Brooks
Matthew Schriener
Kyle Martin

2009 $8,000
Dustin Aylesworth
Kelli Brooks
Blair Bruns
Adam Cross
Danielle Horn
Elias Kokkenga
Jessica Lindgren
Samantha Lowman

2010 $9,000
Adam Cross
Elias Kokkenga
Samantha Lowman
Joshua Clark
Daniel Fulton
Andrew Lindgren
Ellen Olson
Martin Oltmanns
Katrina Schriener

2011 $9,000
Daniel Fulton
Andrew Lindgren
Ellen Olson
Joshua Clark
David Fulton
Orry Ingram
Andrew McCarty
Mathew Runyon
Christina Stoll

2012 $10,000
Orry Ingram
Andrew McCarty
Chelsea Coers
Morgan Kincheloe
Hannah Allen
Zack Huffer
Nicholas Davis
David Fulton
 


2013 $14,000
Chase Aylesworth
Dirk Conrady
Scott Goodman
Clayton Irwin
Todd Irwin
Cameron Jodlowski
Evan Jodlowski
Morgan Kincheloe
Kyle Klockenga
Robert Meeker
Kaitlyn Nelson
Samuel Opperman
Dustin Paulus
Kartina Schreiner

2014 $10,000
Cameron Jodlowski
Chase Aylesworth
Clayton Irwin
Cole Baker
Josiah Klokkenga
Todd Irwin
Troy Rawlings

2015 $10,400
Cole Baker
Chelsea Coers
Kaitlyn Frizzell
Kenyon Jodlowski
Kyle Klockenga
Meg Meeker
Michelle Paulus
Troy Rawlings

2016 $8,000
Kamryn Aylesworth
Janson Cooper
Lizzie Ford
Joshua Meador
Meg Meeker
Robbie Meeker
Michelle Paulus
Genevieve Van Wye

[Cara Barr, Logan County Alliance, Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce]

 

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