SEDALIA, Mo. – Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe announced today that 55 youth, selected from Missouri 4-H and FFA State Fair exhibitors, will be awarded scholarships by the Missouri State Fair and the Youth in Agriculture (YIA) committee. These students are seeking higher education at a university/college of their choice and will be recognized on April 21, 2023 during the annual State FFA Convention in Columbia.
Scholarship applicants were evaluated in a variety of areas including Missouri State Fair participation, grade point average, community involvement and leadership roles. Since 1992, the Youth in Agriculture committee has awarded 816 scholarships totaling $968,000.
The scholarships are funded through the generosity of Youth in Agriculture sponsors and buyers of the livestock sold during the annual Sale of Champions; the sponsors and buyers list is available online. A portion of each animal’s total sale value is allocated to the scholarship program. Support of the scholarship program was also provided by the Missouri State Fair Foundation and Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners/Sydenstricker Genetics.
Gentry Duncan, of Centertown, has been selected to receive the $5,000 S. Wayne Yokley Platinum Scholarship sponsored by Youth in Agriculture supporters.
Ahna Inez Sinclair, of Montgomery City, has been selected to receive the $3,500 Sharon Topliff Scholarship sponsored by Youth in Agriculture supporters.
Alice Reid, of Concordia, has been selected to receive the $2,500 supreme scholarship, sponsored by Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners/Sydenstricker Genetics.
Allison Pollard, of Macon, Mason Douglas Forkner, of Richards, Ava Kemper, of Hawk Point, and Avery Wiegand, of Cairo, have been selected to receive the $2,500 supreme scholarships offered by the Missouri State Fair Foundation.
The youth chosen to receive $1,500 scholarships, sponsored by Youth in Agriculture supporters, are:
Rachel Ancell, Macon
Matthew Barry, Canton
Braden Booth, Fair Grove
Rylee Brown, West Plains
Adrienne Bryant, Fulton
Kaitlyn Burns, Bosworth
Bailey James Carter, Montrose
Brett Claypole, Kansas City
Samuel J. Derks, King City
Hailey Eads, Trenton
Keely Elwell, LaMonte
Hunter Fansler, Auxvasse
Lance Gregory Fort, Martinsburg
Wyatt Gilmer, Polo
Hayden Harms, Mendon
Charlie Hazelrigg, Columbia
Carly Henderson, Wellsville
Anna Marie Hines, Bucklin
Kade Newton Hodge, New Hampton
Anisten Houghton, Hamilton
Ashlyn Igo, Marshall
Ella Johnson, Chillicothe
Atley Kleinman, Wentworth
Ashlyn Laws, Glenwood
Peter Littlefield, Exeter
Jessie L. Lowe, Adrian
Colin McIntyre, Belton
Kelsey Miller, Jonesburg
Tory Miller, Lebanon
Baylor Montgomery, Brookfield
Amanda Orth, Troy
Macy Reed, Green Ridge
Bethany Rhoades, Centralia
Kristin Michelle Rieke, Linn
Tucker Robnett, Laddonia
Roy Dakota Rush, Eugene
Ashlyn Russell, New Cambria
Brett L. Sartin, Strafford
Ruby Schmidt, Carrollton
Chase Simmons, Unionville
Makenna Stundebeck, Salisbury
Lauren Triplett, Rutledge
Trista N. Trivette, Holiday
Kaleb Vaughn, Sturgeon
Baylee Wade, Paris
Claire Damien Walker, Chillicothe
Karlie Waterman, Wheeling
Jaidyn Wood, Independence
The Youth in Agriculture committee is comprised of volunteers from across the state who work throughout the year to raise funds for the annual Sale of Champions auction and scholarships. This year’s auction will be held Saturday, Aug. 19, in the Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall on the fairgrounds.
The 121st Missouri State Fair, themed “Where Traditions Grow” will be held Aug. 10-20 in Sedalia. For more information about this year’s fair, visit www.mostatefair.com, follow the Missouri State Fair on Facebook and Twitter or call 1-800-422-FAIR (3247).