Agriculture research, technology career goals for 2 Scholastic Stars
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By Elizabeth Varin
evarin@aberdeennews.com
The future of agriculture may be graduating from area schools this year.
And for one student, her interest in a future career started with a science project.
“When I was in the eighth grade I started studying artificial insemination in beef cattle and looking at how the viability of bovine sperm cells can be affected by so many factors whether it’s the environment or the thawing water temperature,” said Sadie Vander Wal, a senior at Northwestern Area High School in Mellette. “Expanding that to my own beef cattle — I own about 20 head of my own cattle on our family farm — just integrating what I’ve learned in the classroom to the farm, that’s just developed what I want to do someday.”
View all 2018 Scholastic Stars
Vander Wal is one of 41 area high school seniors being recognized this week in as the 2018 American News and Farm Forum Scholastic Stars. The Stars are picked by their schools, and a panel of judges then selects the best of the best for the Stars Gold Team — including Vander Wal.
She wants to ensure livestock quality continues to get better. She plans to attend South Dakota State University to major in animal science with a minor in journalism.
While farmers and ranchers already know a lot about livestock reproduction, she said research in that specialization is something that there isn’t a lot of right now.
Some information now is passed from rancher to rancher, she said. She wants to help farmers and ranchers know more about livestock reproduction.
“So many of them just rely on that word of mouth, so I think, especially the publication of those studies and everyone getting on the same page will help so we know how to advance agriculture to the best of our ability and to the maximum potential,” she said.
Another Spink County student also plans to make the move to Brookings. Dalton Howe, a senior at Redfield High School, will attend South Dakota State University with plans to major in agronomy with a minor in precision agriculture.
Howe joins Vander Wal on the 2018 Scholastic Stars Gold Team.
View all Scholastic Stars gold team members
Howe has spent years in 4-H and FFA, including in leadership roles and earning national awards. He’s also spent three years working for Mike and Betty Brink at their farm, caring for livestock and doing fieldwork.
Howe said he’s had an interest in agriculture from a young age and wants to work in agronomy.
“My first choice as of right now would be to work as a research agronomist to help find new varieties of seeds that will allow producers to produce higher yields per acre during droughts and assist in feeding the growing world’s population,” he wrote in his Scholastic Stars application.
He added that he wants to make a difference in the lives of others.
Vander Wal has a similar reason for pursuing a career in agriculture.
“Agriculture is literally everything,” she said. “Agriculture is our food production. It’s our sustainability and life. And in South Dakota, it’s our No. 1 industry.”
Follow @evarin_AAN on Twitter.
About this project
This week, we salute 41 of the region’s top high school seniors in the second American News/Farm Forum Scholastic Stars.
The students were selected by school representatives — superintendents, principals or counselors — on a formula of one senior standout per 100 students enrolled in the high school.
A panel of six judges selected the top 20 students for the Gold Team. The criteria included academics, extracurricular activities and clubs, awards and honors, community involvement and college and professional plans.
The remaining 21 students are recognized on the Silver Team.
Congratulations to the 2018 Scholastic Stars, sponsored by Northern State University.
Judges
• Kelly Duncan is dean of the Millicent Atkins School of Education at Northern State University in Aberdeen.
• Laura Edwards is the state climatologist for South Dakota State University Extension.
• Paula Jensen of Langford is vice president of advancement with Dakota Resources based in Renner.
• Katherine Grandstrand is the American News education reporter.
• Victoria Lusk is the business and enterprise editor at the American News.
• J.J. Perry is executive editor of the American News and Farm Forum.
Scholastic Stars involved in FFA
Dalton Howe, Redfield (Gold Team)
Sadie Vander Wal, Northwestern (Gold Team)
Baylee Enander, Hitchcock-Tulare (Silver Team)
Braden Keller, Hoven (Silver Team)
Madilyn Wright, Groton (Silver Team)
Scholastic Stars involved in 4-H
Dylan Frey, Langford (Gold Team)
Dalton Howe, Redfield (Gold Team)
Haley Ringkob, Britton-Hecla (Gold Team)
Hannah Sumption, Frederick (Gold Team)
Sadie Vander Wal, Northwestern (Gold Team)
Sophie Wieland, Aberdeen Central (Gold Team)
Grace Wolff, Leola (Gold Team)
Peyton Ellingson, Warner (Silver Team)
Baylee Enander, Hitchcock-Tulare (Silver Team)
Braden Keller, Hoven (Silver Team)
Madilyn Wright, Groton (Silver Team)
