South Dakota FFA members earn national scholarships

There is a need to fill the pipeline of leaders in the agriculture industry, and industry is stepping up to help students meet that need. The covid-19 pandemic only reinforces the importance of a safe, abundant food supply to feed people in our communities and globally. Agriculture has not shut down during this pandemic and student learning is not ending either. Students are still preparing for agricultural careers, and hopefully more will take a second look at careers in the agriculture industry when they understand the role agriculture plays in times like this.

In 2020, the National FFA awarded $54,500 in scholarships, to 24 SD FFA members, through the National FFA Scholarship program. Scholarships are sponsored by businesses and individuals through the National FFA Foundation and are given for a wide variety of experiences, career goals and higher education plans. These students devoted much time and effort to FFA involvement, work experience, supervised agricultural experience (SAE), community service, leadership skills and academics, making them likely future leaders in agriculture. Recipients are:

• Kestlyn Willert — Brookings, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Blake Johnson — Centerville, $1,000, Ford Trucks/Built Ford Tough Scholarships — Henson Ford Inc.

• Daniel DeDeyne — De Smet, $10,000, Darling Ingredients Inc. Scholarship.

• Makayla DeDeyne — De Smet, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Avery Alvarado — Harrisburg, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Chesney Effling — Highmore, $1,000, Ford Trucks/Built Ford Tough Scholarships — Pioneer Garage Inc.

• Ryan Smith — Huron, $10, 000,Darling Ingredients Inc. Scholarship.

• Isaac McCormick — McCook Central, $1,000, Fleet Farm Scholarship.

• Hadley Stiefvater — McCook Central, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Raygen Randall — McCook Central, $5,000, BNSF Railway Foundation Scholarship.

• Katelyn Winberg — McCook Central, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Emily Bies — McCook Central, $1,000, Ford Trucks/Built Ford Tough Scholarships — Mccormick Motors.

• Grant Handel — Menno, $1,000, Domino’s Pizza LLC Scholarship.

• Aidan Friesen — Menno, $2,000, MetLife Foundation Scholarship.

• Kadon Leddy — Milbank, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Kadon Leddy — Milbank, $1,000, Ford Trucks/Built Ford Tough Scholarships — Milbank Ford Inc.

• Sadie Vander Wal — Northwestern Area, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Austin Bartelt — Parkston, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Shana Bender — Rapid City, $1,000, Ford Trucks/Built Ford Tough Scholarships — Mckie Ford Lincoln Inc.

• Nathan Linke — Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, $1,500, Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa Scholarship.

• Danika Gordon — Sturgis, $1,000, Ford Trucks/Built Ford Tough — FFA Scholarship National Program.

• Teigan Clark — Sunshine Bible Academy, $1,000, Domino’s Pizza LLC Scholarship.

• Iver Paul — Sunshine Bible Academy, $2,000, Tractor Supply Company Endowment.

• Jalen King — Winner, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.

• Cole Rumsey — Yankton, $1,500, America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.