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OTTAWA – Melissa McDonald of
Verona and Rachel Higgins of Morris are recipients of the
2008 “At The Heart Of A Growing America” scholarship from 1st
Farm Credit Services, according to vice president Ed
Wiesbrook.
McDonald, a senior at Seneca Township High School, is the
daughter of Tim and Cindy McDonald. She has been an active
member of FFA on local, state and national levels. She has
also been a member of the National Honor Society and many
community service activities.
Higgins, a senior at Morris
Community High School, is the daughter of Russell and Zan
Higgins. She has been an active member of 4-H and the
National Honor Society. Along with her involvement in
various clubs, she has been captain of the swim team.
They are among 23 students who live in the areas covered by
1st Farm Credit Services receiving the $1,000
scholarship. The scholarship supports students who will
attend a university, college or community college to pursue
an agriculture or agriculture-related degree.
“The recipients of this prestigious scholarship will play an
important role in the future of rural America and
agriculture,” said
Wiesbrook,
who serves Grundy, Kendall, LaSalle and part of Will
counties. “Their commitment to agriculture is evident in
their past experiences and goals for the future.”
“This program is just one way our association can invest in
the future of agriculture, by encouraging and helping the
young farmers and people who want to have a career in
agriculture and rural communities,”
Wiesbrook
said.
Recipients were selected from a pool of 120 applicants based
on their future commitment to rural America, academic
achievement, community activities and agriculture
involvement. An independent panel of leaders in farming,
agribusiness, youth and education judged the applications.
A banquet and formal presentation of the scholarships will
be hosted by 1st Farm Credit Services for the
students and parents in June.
In the fall, McDonald plans
to attend Purdue University-West Lafayette to pursue a
degree in crop sciences with a focus on plants. She hopes to
become a researcher who will develop new plant varieties.
Higgins plans to attend the
University of Illinois to pursue a degree in agriculture
engineering. She hopes to be an advocate for environmental
knowledge in the future.
1st
Farm Credit Services leads the industry in farm real estate
loans, and provides various services such as crop insurance,
loan and lease options, as well as agricultural real estate
appraisals. The cooperative serves 42 counties in the
northern half of Illinois through its 20 local offices.
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