WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Sept. 25, 2014) - Thanks to the farmers who know them best, 65 rural high school graduates have received $1,500 scholarships from the Monsanto Fund to pursue a future in agriculture.
This was the first time in the 23-year history of the Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship program that applicants were required to submit a nomination from a local farmer along with high school transcripts, general reference letter, lists of achievements, community involvement, and an essay explaining, "In what area of agriculture would you like to work and why?"
The 2014 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship winners are all Grade 12 graduates from farm families who are enrolled in a first-year degree or diploma program in agriculture or an agricultural-related field this fall at a recognized Canadian educational institution.
"I am so inspired by the quality of the applicants. It amazes me what these people have accomplished at such a young age," said Sue Clayton, community liaison coordinator with the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba, one of the program judges. "It made for some terribly difficult decisions for the judges, but it made us marvel at what the future of agriculture holds."
All applications were reviewed by an independent judging panel comprised of: Clayton; Robert Adamson, consultant and program director with Pembina Trails School Division; Delaney Ross Burtnack, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers (CAAR); Don Pincock, Monsanto Canada retiree, Geeta Chopra, account executive with Think Shift Inc., and John Morriss, associate publisher and editorial director with Farm Business Communications.
Administered on behalf of the Monsanto Fund by Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba Inc. (AITC-M), the scholarship program received 173 applications from across Canada this year.
"It is a privilege to partner with Monsanto Canada and the Monsanto Fund as they provide scholarships to deserving students. The future of agriculture is dependent on bright and energetic young people who will shape the next generation of food production," said Johanne Ross, executive director of AITC-M. "The fact that someone farming today also sees the potential in these kids and believes in them tells us we're on the right track and should continue building agriculture awareness and understanding in young students."
Details on the launch of the 2015 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Program will be released in February 2015 and will also be available online at www.monsanto.ca.
About the Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org
About Monsanto Canada
Headquartered in Winnipeg, MB, Monsanto Canada Inc. is part of the larger global Monsanto Company. Monsanto is an agricultural company committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce a variety of seeds ranging from fruits and vegetables to key crops - such as corn, soybeans, canola and cotton - that help farmers produce abundant and nutritious food. We work to find sustainable agriculture solutions that help farmers conserve natural resources, use data to improve farming practices, use water and other important resources more efficiently, and protect their crops from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges.
To learn more about Monsanto, please visit: www.monsanto.ca or follow us on Twitter @MonsantoCda.
NOTE: The complete list of 2014 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship winners, by province, is included below.
2014 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Winners
BRITISH COLUMBIA | ALBERTA | |||||
Ashley Gilliland | Delta, BC | Brooke Bablitz | Cherhill, AB | |||
Rayden Shannon | Knutsford, BC | Donald Bertagnolli | Rocky Mountain House, AB | |||
Hannah Storoschuk | Williams Lake, BC | Ashley Bodie | Coaldale, AB | |||
Mackenzie Brummelhuis | Vauxhall, AB | |||||
Myles Butt | Hughenden, AB | |||||
Riley Coppock | Castor, AB | |||||
SASKATCHEWAN | Kyle Dodgson | Sangudo, AB | ||||
Braden Adam | MacNutt, SK | Melanie Krupa | Vimy, AB | |||
Madison Boon | Maryfield, SK | Lee Morey | Rochester, AB | |||
Audra Cooper | West Bend, SK | Molly Rainforth | Lacombe, AB | |||
Kayla Domashovitz | Cando, SK | |||||
Amanda Fedorchuk | Norquay, SK | |||||
Sara Grassick | Prince Albert, SK | |||||
Robyn Kary | Vibank, SK | MANITOBA | ||||
Jeremy Lacroix | Tisdale, SK | Julie Campbell | Isabella, MB | |||
Josée Monvoisin | Gravelbourg, SK | Stephanie Dousselaere | Cartwright, MB | |||
Kaylee Morris | Delisle, SK | Joseph Holtmann | Rosser, MB | |||
Bailey Ogilvie | Ardath, SK | Tomina Jackson | Inglis, MB | |||
Michelle Ross | Grenfell, SK | Monique Janssen | Brunkild, MB | |||
Chelsey Schoepp | Grenfell, SK | Elliott Kiel | Teulon, MB | |||
Kendall Scott | Nipawin, SK | Zachary Koscielny | Strathclair, MB | |||
Heather Sorestad | Buchanan, SK | Brayden Kreshewski | Minnedosa, MB | |||
Karleigh Lewis | Gladstone, MB | |||||
Sonya Michaleski | Ashville, MB | |||||
Melanie Mueller | Arnaud, MB | |||||
Jake Rawluk | Moosehorn, MB | |||||
Rianna Tonn | Plumas, MB | |||||
Bradley Wright | MacGregor, MB | |||||
ONTARIO | QUEBEC | |||||
Murray Bruce | Woodstock, ON | Véronique Coté | St-Anaclet, QC | |||
Michaela Chalmers | Oro-Medonte, ON | Jasmin Fréchette | Ste-Brigitte-des-Saults, QC | |||
Colleen Crunican | Denfield, ON | Olivier Lanoie | St-Hugues, QC | |||
Joel Fox | Wooler, ON | Anne Schmidlin | Lemieux, QC | |||
Emma Gilchrist | Orillia, ON | Renaud St-Amour | Aumond, QC | |||
Brent Griffith | Dresden, ON | |||||
Jenna Jarvis | Rainy River, ON | MARITIMES | ||||
Michael Jenkins | Belmont, ON | Jonathan Bent | Lawrencetown, NS | |||
Derek Karn | Woodstock, ON | Connor Morse | Kingston, NS | |||
Kelvin Knip | Lucan, ON | Sydney Naugler | Blockhouse, NS | |||
Brandon Knott | Clarksburg, ON | |||||
Colette Koopman | Vanessa, ON | |||||
Alexander Sanders | Brussels, ON | |||||
Emily Van Bommel | Thamesford, ON | |||||
Derek Van De Walle | St. Marys, ON |
Contact Information:
Monsanto Canada
(204) 985-1035