MAHOMET, Ill. — Farm Credit Illinois named 29 high school seniors as agriculture scholarship recipients and awarded 50 community improvement grants to FFA chapters and 4-H clubs in central and southern Illinois.
Agriculture Scholars
A total of $58,000 in scholarships was awarded to high school seniors pursuing agriculture-related majors and careers. Each of the 29 recipients received a $2,000 agriculture scholarship.
Scholarship selections are based on a combination of academic achievement, participation and leadership in school and community organizations, and the applicant’s commitment to an agricultural career.
“Farm Credit Illinois scholars represent tomorrow’s agricultural leaders,” said Rod Stoll, vice president of marketplace engagement for FCI. “Investing in their education today — on behalf of our cooperative members — will help positively shape the future of the industry and rural America.”
The following students were selected to receive a 2021 Farm Credit agriculture scholarship:
• Rachel Ash of Iroquois County will graduate from Iroquois West High School and enroll in the Parkland Pathways program before transferring to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural communications.
• Sophia Biehl of St. Clair County will graduate from Freeburg Community High School and attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale to study agricultural education.
• Abigail Bolen of DeWitt County will graduate from Blue Ridge High School and attend SIU Carbondale to study forestry.
• Katheranne Bond of Saline County will graduate from Galatia High School and attend Lake Land College to study animal science technology.
• Donovan Chester of Douglas County will graduate from Tuscola High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural communications.
• Seth Clark of Franklin County will graduate from Thompsonville High School and attend Murray State University to study pre-veterinary medicine.
• Caden Cockburn of Williamson County will graduate from Johnston City High School and attend SIU Carbondale to study animal science.
• Melia Eskew of Coles County will graduate from Kansas High School and attend Eastern Illinois University to study accounting and finance.
• Jordyn Gerlach of Montgomery County will graduate from Lincolnwood High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study animal sciences.
• Charles Gum of Menard County will graduate from PORTA High School and attend Lincoln Land Community College to study agri-business management.
• Meghan Hadden of Morgan County will graduate from Jacksonville High School and attend Lincoln Land Community College to study agricultural education.
• Addison Hortin of Macon County will graduate from Warrensburg-Latham High School and attend Wabash Valley College to study agriculture.
• Luke Hubbert of Scott County will graduate from Winchester High School and attend John Wood Community College to study agronomy management.
• Anthony Joiner of Macoupin County will graduate from Carlinville High School and attend Lincoln Land Community College to study agri-business management.
• Shana Lueking of Clinton County will graduate from Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School and attend Murray State University to study agriscience technology, with a focus on communications and public relations.
• Kate Miller of Hamilton County will graduate from Hamilton County High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural and consumer economics, agribusiness markets and management.
• Tyler Miller of Logan County will graduate from Olympia High School and attend Lake Land College to study pre-veterinary medicine.
• Alexis Mudd of Monroe County will graduate from Waterloo High School and attend Southeast Missouri State University to study agricultural education and agribusiness management.
• Isabella Murphy of Montgomery County will graduate from Sacred Heart-Griffin High School and attend the University of Missouri to study animal sciences.
• Hayley Pitts of Richland County will graduate from Richland County High School and attend Lake Land College to study pre-veterinary medicine.
• Molly Reed of Macoupin County will graduate from Southwestern High School and attend Western Illinois University to study agricultural business.
• Grace Rincker of Shelby County will graduate from Stewardson-Strasburg High School and attend Lake Land College as an agricultural transfer.
• Jennifer Rudolphi of Richland County will graduate from Richland County High School and attend Wabash Valley College to study agricultural technology business.
• Jaton Shaffer of DeWitt County will graduate from Blue Ridge High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural and consumer economics.
• Randy Shook of Champaign County will graduate from Fisher High School and enroll in the Parkland Pathways program before transferring to the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural and consumer economics.
• Taylor Talbert of Iroquois County will graduate from Iroquois West High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural communications with a focus in advertising.
• Maggie Uphoff of Coles County will graduate from Mattoon High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study food science and human nutrition.
• Patrick Wiemers of Madison County will graduate from Marquette Catholic High School and attend the U of I at Urbana-Champaign to study agricultural and consumer economics.
• Ali Willenborg of Fayette County will graduate from Vandalia Community High School and attend Murray State University to study agribusiness economics.
Community Improvement Grants
4-H clubs and FFA chapters throughout central and southern Illinois will implement valuable improvement projects in their communities with help from grants provided by FCI.
FCI awarded $500 grants to 50 4-H clubs and FFA chapters to deliver projects that will make their local communities better places to live.
“FFA and 4-H members inspire Farm Credit each year by eagerly serving their communities,” Stoll said. “We are grateful to team up with youth organizations investing in the future of their hometowns.”
The 4-H club and FFA chapter grant recipients, sorted by county, will complete the following projects:
• Old Ripley 4-H Club — Bond County: Plant flowers and construct raised beds at Old Ripley Church of Christ in Pocahontas.
• Champaign Shamrocks 4-H Club — Champaign County: Plant pollinator garden at St. Matthew’s Catholic Parish in Champaign.
• Fantastic 4-Hers of Fisher — Champaign County: Construct picnic tables for Fisher Community Park.
• Royal Ag 4-H Club — Champaign County: Install landscaping at the Royal Community Building.
• Sadorus All-Stars 4-H Club — Champaign County: Enhance Tolono welcome signs and landscaping.
• Unity FFA Chapter — Champaign County: Provide park improvements at West Side Park in Tolono.
• Clarksville Co-eds 4-H Club — Clark County: Clarksville Kindness Project — Spruce up Clarksville Restaurant signage.
• Martinsville FFA Chapter — Clark County: A Seat with a View — build picnic tables for The Woodlands in Martinsville.
• Moriah Go-Getters 4-H Club — Clark County: Build signage for Casey Fairview Park.
• Triple T 4-H Club — Clark County: Install raised flower beds at healthcare facilities in Marshall.
• Central FFA Chapter — Clinton County: Construct wooden flower pots for Aviston Parks.
• Ellery Panthers 4-H Club — Edwards County: Build therapy steps for Little Prairie Preschool in Albion.
• Country Cousins 4-H Club — Effingham County: Construct all-weather resting bench for Effingham County Fairgrounds.
• Teutopolis FFA Chapter — Effingham County: Greenhand Gardening — Create outdoor classroom at Teutopolis High School.
• Heartland Pathfinders 4-H Club — Franklin County: Build accessible picnic tables for Benton Community Park.
• Hilltoppers 4-H Club — Franklin County: Provide landscaping at Franklin County 4-H Fairgrounds.
• Mulkeytown Panthers 4-H Club — Franklin County: Refresh community playground in Mulkeytown.
• Carrollton FFA Chapter — Greene County: Color-up Carrollton — Grow and plant flowers around Carrollton town square.
• Barbwire Gang 4-H Club — Hamilton County: Spruce up landscaping at the Big Red Barn in McLeansboro.
• County Line Crew 4-H Club — Hamilton County: Help create bicentennial commemorative signage in McLeansboro.
• Funny Farmers 4-H Club — Hamilton County: Build produce table for Hamilton County GIFT Garden.
• Hamilton County 4-H Federation — Hamilton County: Paint crosswalks around McLeansboro Courthouse.
• Pioneer Country Kids 4-H Club — Hamilton County: Refresh playground equipment at St. John the Baptist play area in McLeansboro.
• Piopolis Busy Bees 4-H Club — Hamilton County: Plant fruit trees at Hamilton County GIFT Garden.
• Donovan FFA Chapter — Iroquois County: Renovate Donovan Park concession stand.
• Trailblazers 4-H Horse and Pony Club — Lawrence County: Make improvements to the horse barn at Lawrence County Fairgrounds.
• Middletown 4-Hers — Logan County: Install resting benches at Middletown School and Community Park.
• Northwestern FFA Chapter — Macoupin County: Construct community food shack for residents of Palmyra.
• New Douglas Cloverbuds 4-H Club — Madison County: Little Hands, Big Hearts — Beautify New Douglas Rec Plex.
• Quercus Grove 4-H Club — Madison County: Plant community mission garden at St. John’s Methodist Church.
• Athens FFA Chapter — Menard County: Construct trellises for Athens Warriors Food Garden.
• Monroe County 4-H Teen Federation — Monroe County: Make improvements at Bellefontaine House in Waterloo.
• Valmeyer FFA Chapter — Monroe County: Construct “The FFA Patio” at Valmeyer Community School.
• East Side Jr’s 4-H Club — Morgan County: Construct Jacksonville welcome sign and add landscaping to fairgrounds patio.
• Moultrie-County Shining Stars 4-H Club — Moultrie County: Construct bench for Sullivan Elementary playground.
• Cisco Clovers 4-H Club — Piatt County: Install bleachers in poultry and rabbit barn at Dewitt County 4-H Fairgrounds.
• Pope County Clover Crew 4-H Club — Pope County: Build a resting bench for youth educational high tunnel at Dixon Springs Agricultural Center.
• Pope-Hardin County 4-H Federation — Pope County: Construct potting table and work bench for youth educational tunnel at Dixon Springs Agricultural Center.
• Creative Critters 4-H Club — Saint Clair County: Provide picnic table for Scheve Park in Mascoutah.
• Carrier Mills-Stonefort FFA Chapter — Saline County: Plant a community garden at Carrier Mills-Stonefort High School.
• Saline County 4-H Federation — Saline County: Capture photos for installation at Saline County nursing facilities.
• Moweaqua Rustlers 4-H Club — Shelby County: Provide improvements to the goat barn at Shelby County Fairgrounds.
• Shelby County Cloverbuds 4-H Club — Shelby County: Refresh community garden at HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville.
• Shelby Showstoppers 4-H Club — Shelby County: Spruce up Shelby County Fairgrounds show arena.
• Shelby Sparklers 4-H Club — Shelby County: Beautify Veterans Memorial at Sigel Park.
• Salt Fork FFA Chapter — Vermilion County: Create a community garden at Catlin Public Library.
• Mt. Carmel FFA Chapter — Wabash County: Build private outdoor patio at Safe Haven in Mt. Carmel.
• Allendale Twisters 4-H Club — Wabash County: Construct shelving for Circle A Servolution in Allendale.
• Enfield Blue Ribbon 4-H Club — White County: Make improvements at Willis Park in Enfield.
• Grayville Go-Getters 4-H Club — White County: Welcoming Our Community – Beautify Grayville Park.