FFA Foundation awards SAE grants to 48 members

MADISON - The Wisconsin FFA Foundation has awarded $26,780 in Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) grants to a total of 48 Wisconsin FFA members. These awardees hail from 26 FFA chapters around the state.

The 2017-18 Wisconsin FFA Foundation SAE grants were awarded in five categories: dairy, grain production, livestock, organic agriculture and start-up. Successful candidates were chosen based on the level and scope of their SAE in accordance with their age, future goals and plans for the program, as well as financial need.

Through the SAE program, students apply concepts learned in the classroom to real-world challenges and work experiences. It is one of the three-component agricultural education model in Wisconsin, which also includes FFA and classroom learning.

“The SAE program provides students the valuable hands-on learning which rounds out their classroom instruction and FFA experience,” says John Hromyak, Wisconsin FFA Foundation executive director. “This critical component of agricultural education wouldn't be possible without our partners and benefactors from across the state. We are grateful to have their support and join them in congratulating our grant recipients."

The 2017-18 Wisconsin FFA Foundation SAE Grant sponsors and grant recipients are as follows.

Dairy grants

Dairy SAE grants were sponsored by: Andis Foundation, Dairy Business Association, Edge, Foremost Farms USA, Saputo Cheese USA, We Energies, and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Grants in the amount of $1,000 were awarded to the following dairy recipients: Whitney Clason, Albany FFA; Kristi Cleven, Brookwood FFA; Heather Kuhnau, Sauk Prairie FFA; Zach Olson, Southern Door FFA; Devin White, Clinton FFA; and Ella Woodworth from the Shullsburg FFA. Four FFA members received $750 Dairy SAE Grants. They include: Jared Abraham, Plymouth FFA; Cheyenne Burgess, Shullsburg FFA; Zachary DuCharme, Clinton FFA; and Landon Holewinski, from the Pulaski FFA.

Four other FFA members received $420 Dairy SAE Grants. These recipients are: Brynn and Kenzie Emery, from the Palmyra-Eagle FFA; Emily Pankratz, Auburndale FFA; and Randy Winch from the Fennimore FFA Chapter.

The new Grain Production SAE Grant is sponsored by the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. A $1,200 grant was awarded to Seth Cupery of the Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA.

Livestock grants

In its second year, the Livestock SAE Grants continued to be sponsored by Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association as well as Andis Foundation.

One $900 grant was awarded to Brian Alwin of the Clinton FFA, while 14 grants of $450 were bestowed to the following students: Dallas Bazewicz, Cumberland FFA; Kyle Haldiman, Monroe FFA; Maddy Huschitt and Colton Klemm from the Black Hawk FFA; Maiya Koberle, Oregon FFA; Makenna Koopmans, Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA; Allison Lund, Cambridge FFA; Cody Miller, Lake Geneva Badger FFA; Ian and Colton Pank, both from Whitehall FFA; Ahslee Piskow, Granton FFA; Clayton Rankin, Clinton FFA; Abbigail Schwark, Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA; and Payton Van Schyndle, Cuba City FFA.

Organic grants

Organic Agriculture SAE grants again were sponsored by Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative, Inc. and Viroqua Food Co-op. Jessica Bahr, of the Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA, received a $500 grant in this category.

Start-up grants were provided by BlueScope Buildings, Sartori Company and ST Paper LLC. Four $500 grants were awarded to the following individuals for their start-up projects: Cecilia Cervantes, Oregon FFA; Jaden Gardner, Granton FFA; Brandon Jakobi, Granton FFA; and Kaelyn Sumner, from the Pulaski FFA.

Thirteen $400 grants were also given in this category. These recipients include: Brooke and Annemarie Aue, from Auburndale FFA; Jennifer Burno, Clinton FFA; Madyson Chitko, Pulaski FFA; Vaida Goplin, Whitehall FFA; Micah Hanson, Wisconsin Heights FFA; Haden Hartwig, Cambridge FFA; Seth Helminiak, Auburndale FFA; Hailey Hendrickson, Randolph CambriaFriesland FFA; Rheanne Kurszewski, Rosholt FFA; Samuel Linzmeier, Tomah FFA; Brock Roy, Dodgeland FFA; and Michelle Stangler, from the Watertown FFA chapter. 

Learn more about the Wisconsin FFA Foundation by visiting www.wisconsinffafoundation.org.