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Texas Agriculture Archive

January 17, 2003

TFB scholarships:
Don't be left behind!

Listen up Texas Farm Bureau youth! Here's something to add to your list of New Year's resolutions: In 2003, take advantage of one or more opportunities offered by the organization to win a college scholarship.

Each year, TFB awards scholarships totaling $40,000 to winners of various contests.

Other annual scholarships are offered by the TFB Agriculture and Education Foundation, the Young Farmer & Rancher program, the Dick Mitchell family, and American Farm Bureau Federation/Monsanto and AFBF/Dodge.

TFB Youth Contests

High school juniors and seniors who attended the TFB Citizenship Seminar in San Angelo last June took the first step for eligibility to enter the 2003 Free Enterprise Speech Contest. The next step involves giving five, brief speeches, locally, on free enterprise.

Thirteen district winners will compete in the state semifinals during the 2003 TFB state convention. The winner is upgraded to a $4,000 scholarship; runner-up, $2,500; four finalists, $1,500 each; and 13 district winners, $1,000 each. The top six also win a trip to Washington, D.C.

District winners in the Miss Texas Farm Bureau contest each win $1,000 and must compete at the state level for the crown, an upgrade to a $2,000 scholarship, and a $500 wardrobe of natural fibers. Runner-up receives a $1,500 scholarship upgrade. Both receive a set of luggage. For eligibility guidelines, contact your local county Farm Bureau office.

Each district winner in the TFB Talent Find Contest receives a $1,000 college scholarship. Statewide winner receives an upgrade to a $2,000 college scholarship and the runner-up gets a $1,500 scholarship upgrade.

YF&R Scholarships

TFB's Young Farmers and Ranchers will award multiple scholarships, to assist college-bound seniors pursuing an agricultural degree at a college, university, or post-secondary technical school, in the Fall 2003 semester.

The program is currently funded in its entirety by the YF&R Silent Auction, held each year during the state convention. Rules and applications for YF&R scholarships are available at every county Farm Bureau office; on Texas Farm Bureau's website (www.txfb.org); or from Si Cook, TFB organization programs director (254/751-2286). Application deadline is June 1, 2003.

AFBF/Monsanto Scholarships

For the fourth year, Dodge, National FFA and Farm Bureau have teamed up to provide scholarships to members of the Future Farmers of America who are from Farm Bureau families. Winners will receive scholarship awards up to a value of $1,000 under the program sponsored by Dodge through the National FFA Foundation.

Each of the FFA scholarships for Farm Bureau families will be available for the 2003-2004 school year to FFA members who are currently enrolled, or planning to enroll, in a two- or four-year college, university or vocational/technical school.

The scholarships are designed to recognize FFA members who are from Farm Bureau families for their Supervised Agricultural Experience Program, academic achievements or other school accomplishments.

Applications are available from: National FFA Organization, Scholarship Office, P.O. Box 68960, Indianapolis, IN 46268-0960. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 15. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.

The second scholarship program, sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and Monsanto Company, is open to high school students in all 50 states. To be eligible, students must come from farm families and plan to pursue careers in agriculture. One-time awards of $1,500 will be made to 100 high school seniors chosen by a selection committee of agricultural educators and industry leaders.

Applications are available from Monsanto dealers and can be printed from the AFBF Foundation for Agriculture Web site at www.agfoundation.org.

Applications for the AFBF/Mon-santo scholarships must be postmarked by Feb. 15. Applications are available on-line at www.farmsource.com or www.ag-foundation.org. They may also be obtained from county Farm Bureau offices or by calling Si Cook at 254/751-2286,

The Commitment to Agriculture Scholarship Program was established as a means for Monsanto to return to the agricultural community funds received through settlements involving seed stewardship violations. The National FFA Foundation is administering this program and any questions about it should be directed to them at the National FFA Center at 317/802-4321.

Other TFB scholarships

Application deadline for the Texas Farm Bureau Agriculture and Education Foundation Scholarship, to be awarded in May 2003, is March 14.

The Foundation awards a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 per year, renewable up to four years. (See details and application form on page 30 or call Si Cook, scholarship coordinator, at 254/751-2286.)

High school juniors and seniors (whose parents or guardians are TFB members) who attended the 2003 Citizenship Seminar are eligible for the $750 Dick Mitchell Scholarship to be awarded in May 2003.

For details, contact your local Farm Bureau office or call 254/751-2286.