ANKENY, Iowa — The Des Moines FFA chapter (Central Campus) has been named the overall Award of Excellence winner in the recently completed “Planting A Seed” grant program. They will receive a $1,500 stipend from the Iowa Food & Family Project to be used for general chapter activities. 

“Planting A Seed” was a first-time program designed to encourage Iowa FFA chapters to conduct activities in their schools and communities that increase agricultural awareness and interest among youth in food production and the life sciences. The program was sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, in cooperation with the Iowa FFA Foundation. 

Iowa FFA chapters were invited last fall to apply for one of six $1,500 grants to fund local programs designed to stimulate interest among K-12 students about agriculture and emphasize the role science and technology play in providing wholesome food using less land and fewer inputs. Grant winners were: Audubon FFA, Audubon; Clay-Central/Everly FFA, Everly; Des Moines FFA (Central Campus), Des Moines Public Schools; Gladbrook-Reinbeck FFA, Reinbeck; Iowa Mennonite FFA, Kalona; and New Hampton FFA, New Hampton.

The Des Moines FFA chapter members chose Ag Day as the most appropriate time to highlight agriculture to their fellow students. Over 300 students visited the school’s Ag Lab during the celebration and many more learned about agriculture via TV coverage, radio coverage, newspaper articles, Des Moines Public Schools Twitter and the Des Moines Public School website. More than 200 additional students have visited the Ag Lab since the Ag Day celebration. 

Hands-on activities conducted by chapter members during the event included weaving wool bracelets, making butter, bottle-feeding young calves, observing baby chicks, planting garden seeds and touring the greenhouse and barn. A special Ag Day poster was also presented to each class to display in their classroom. 

“Des Moines FFA chapter members created a wonderful opportunity for their fellow students to learn more about agriculture,” said Josh Remington, Iowa FFA Foundation executive director. “I think the activity of churning butter was a wonderful example of the technology shift that’s occurred from the time of our grandparents and what will need to take place to feed the world’s estimated population of 9 billion by 2050.” 

The Award of Excellence was presented to the Des Moines FFA chapter on April 23 during the Iowa State FFA Leadership Conference in Ames.

BARABOO, Wis. — Ten graduating high school seniors and college students will receive an agricultural education scholarship from Foremost Farms USA. Each student will receive a $2,000 scholarship funded by the Foremost Farms USA Charitable Foundation. Recipients must be a dairy farmer member-owner or the son or daughter of a Foremost Farms member with plans to study an agricultural-based curriculum. 

From the FarmWorld readership area - Mallarie Stookey, Milford, Ind., is the daughter of Jeff and Marla Stookey. Stookey is a graduating senior at Warsaw Community High School. She is the Indiana Dairy Princess and president of her local FFA chapter. She is also the FFA District II vice president and has been named “Student of the Week”. She enjoys showing dairy cows and spending time with family. Stookey plans to attend Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., to study agriculture education. 

Jan Fokker, Ohio City, Ohio, is the son of Jan and Gina Fokker. Fokker will be a sophomore next fall at Wright State University-Lake Campus, Celina, Ohio, pursuing a degree in technical study. A graduate of Van Wert High School, he has been in youth group activities for many years at Calvary Evangelical Church. He was also in 4-H for seven years and was treasurer of his local club for four years. Fokker plays church softball and participated in Spanish Club all four years of high school. 

Bethany Simon, Farley, Iowa, is the daughter of Rick and Jodi Simon. Simon will be a sophomore next fall at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, where she is studying agricultural business and accounting. A graduate of Western Dubuque High School, Epworth, Iowa, Simon is a member of the Dairy Science Club, Agriculture Business Club and is in collegiate FFA. Foremost Farms USA is a dairy cooperative headquartered in Baraboo, Wis.