SEDALIA, Mo. — Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe announced that 36 youth, selected from Missouri 4-H and FFA, will be awarded scholarships by the Missouri State Fair Foundation Youth in Agriculture (YIA) committee. These students are seeking higher education at a Missouri university/college, and will be recognized Friday, April 20, during the annual State FFA Convention in Columbia.

“Awarding these scholarships year after year is a tradition we are proud to continue for Missouri youth,” Wolfe said. “We appreciate the many gracious agricultural supporters who financially contribute to make these scholarships possible.”

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 YIA committee has awarded 606 scholarships totaling $616,500.

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 sale price is allocated to the scholarship program. Support of the scholarship program is also provided through fundraising efforts including the Governor’s Ham Breakfast, Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Annual Ag Golf Classic, Guesa USA of Sedalia, Missouri State Fair Foundation and Sydenstricker John Deere of Missouri/Sydenstricker Angus Genetics.

Bailey J. Crouch, of Lincoln, has been selected to receive the $5,000 platinum scholarship offered by YIA supporters. Audrey Martin, of Bucklin, has been selected to receive the $2,500 supreme scholarship, sponsored by Sydenstricker John Deere of Missouri/Sydenstricker Angus Genetics. The youth chosen to receive $1,500 scholarships, sponsored by YIA supporters, are:

· Adriene Aubuchon, of Owensville

· Rachael Ann Bagnell, of Slater

· Elise Bailey, of Curryville

· Conner Bankus, of Milan

· Matelyn “Mattie” Cobban, of Fair Grove

· Liberty Cox, of Chillicothe

· Caleb S. Coy, of Harrisburg

· Tess Crouch, of Troy

· Paxton Dahmer, of Nevada

· Shelby LeAnn Davies, of Dawn

· Madelyn Derks, of King City

· Kelsey Dunlap, of Easton

· Jeremy Wyatt Ellis, of Bethany

· Alyssa Dee Engeman, of Montrose

· Elizabeth Fahrmeier, of Wellington

· Rayne Faulconer, of Warsaw

· Jess Greiman, of Monroe City

· Hattie Grisham, of Eldon

· Cassidy Hunt, of Mexico

· John S. Johnson, of Slater

· Peyton Kiely, of Clinton

· MacKenzie D. Loesch, of Russellville

· Sidney Marek, of Salisbury

· Chloe Momphard, of Troy

· Ashlyn Peterson, of Madison

· Regan Ragsdale, of Holliday

· Katelyn Robinson, of Wellsville

· Kory E. Schniedermeyer, of Hawk Point

· Mylie Caroline Schupback, of Keytesville

· Hannah Strain, of Rolla

· Donald Austin Thomas, of Madison

· Hannah Viets, of Sweet Springs

· Hannah Wheeler, of Osceola

· Jane Marie Zuroweste, of Truxton

The YIA 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. 18, in the Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall on the fairgrounds.

The 116th annual Missouri State Fair, themed “Come Home” will be held Aug. 9-19 in Sedalia. For more information about the year’s fair, visit www.mostatefair.com, follow the Missouri State Fair on Facebook and Twitter or call 1-800-422-FAIR (3247).

— Missouri State Fair

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