Resources

Youth Scholarship Finalists Announced

The district finalists for the NYFB Agricultural Youth Scholarship have been announced by the State Promotion and Education Committee.

High school seniors Kirby Lynn Dygert, Chad Branton, Elizabeth Martens, Steven Quanz, Tyler Nelson, Paul Andrew LaPierre, Katelyn Walley, Megan Fimbel and Justin Andrews will now compete at the state level.

 Kirby Lynn Dygert, of Elma in Erie County, is the District 1 finalist. She is involved with fruit and vegetable harvesting on her family’s farm, as well as being employed at a seasonal farm market. She plans on attending SUNY Morrisville or SUNY Cobleskill and studying Ag Business and Ag Education.

 Chad Branton, of Leroy in Genesee County, is the District 2 scholarship finalist. Chad’s duties on his family’s farm include working with the combine and other heavy equipment operation, field work and chief errand runner. He plans on attending either Cornell or Rochester Institute of Technology majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

 Elizabeth Martens, of Pen Yan in Yates County, is the District 3 scholarship finalist. Elizabeth’s agriculturalresponsibilities include raising replacement heifers organically to sell to neighboring dairy farmers. She also boards heifers and milks cows twice a week for her uncles. She plans on attending Cornell University majoring in animal science with a goal of becoming a large animal veterinarian.

 Steven Quanz, of Wayland in Steuben County, is the District 4 finalist. Steven plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill and major in animal science with a beef and livestock concentration. His duties on the farm include feeding and watering the family’s beef and swine. He assists with herd health and barn cleanliness, as well as field chores and farm machinery maintenance.

 Tyler Nelson, of West Winfield in Herkimer County, is the District 6 finalist. She plans on attending SUNY Cobleskill with a major in Agricultural business including Agricultural Dairy Management. Her farm duties on his family’s dairy include milking, barn and milk house cleanliness, field work during the season and mixing the feed when necessary.

 Paul Andrew LaPierre, of Chazy in Clinton County, is the District 7 finalist. Paul plans on attending Cornell University to major in animal science and dairy nutrition.His primary responsibilities on his family’s farm include feeding the calves, cleaning and bedding the animals and field work.

 Katelyn Walley, of Walton Delaware County, is the District 9 finalist. She plans on attending Cornell University to major in Animal Science with a concentration in animal nutrition and dairy management. Katelyn’s farm responsibilities on her family’s dairy include feeding the cows, cleaning the barn, computer record keeping, animal registration and records and field work in the summer.

 Megan Fimbel, of Millbrook in Dutchess County, is the District 10 finalist. Megan plans on attending SUNY Delhi studying Veterinary Technology. Megan is a shepherd and owns a flock of 25 pure-bred Oxford ewes. She is responsible for feeding, lambing, shearing, breeding management and overall health care of her flock.

 Justin Andrews, of Wading River in Long Island, is the District 11 finalist. Justin is planning on attending one of several colleges, including SUNY Potsdam, Plattsburg, Paul Smith or Cazenovia, to study environmental sciences and forestry. His responsibilities on his family’s farm include running the farmstand and working in the greenhouses.

The winner of the statewide scholarship competition will be announced in the next issue of Grassroots from among these finalists. The state scholarship winner will present his or her essay on “If you had the power to change something in your community or on your farm what would you change and why?” at the Young Farmers-sponsored “Being an Agricultural Activist” conference in Auburn, N.Y.  on March 26 - 27.