STATESVILLE, NC – The Farm Credit Associations of NC are proud to announce the recipients of the AgYouth Leadership Program awards. These awards were set up to honor students who excel in the classroom and community as leaders in their FFA chapters and 4-H clubs.
NC FFA advisors and 4-H leaders selected students to submit applications for the AgYouth Leadership Program. The AgYouth Leadership Committee reviewed and selected recipients. Award winners will be invited to the local Farm Credit branch office to receive a certificate and to have their photograph taken for use in various Farm Credit publications. All winners were eligible for scholarships awarded in May.
The Scholarship Recipients from Carolina Farm Credit were:
- Emily Holland from Olin, NC
- Taylor Loy from Burlington, NC
- Miria Jones from Newland, NC
- Hannah Ellis from Old Fort, NC
- Brianna Diaz from West End, NC
- Abigail Zentmeyer from Kannapolis, NC
The AgYouth Leadership Program is open to any senior student in good standing with his/her high school and FFA or 4-H program. The goals of the AgYouth Leadership Program are:
- To raise the profile of outstanding junior and senior FFA and 4-H leaders by recognizing their accomplishments.
- To recognize these winners in various association publications, social media, and Farm Credit Association of NC websites.
- To create scholarship opportunities that will help graduating seniors.
In all, over 110 applications were received for this program.
Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 31 branch offices. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.
For 100 years Farm Credit has been supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.
Carolina Farm Credit serves over 10,000 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.6 billion. The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with branch offices located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Browns Summit, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Conover, Ellerbe, Graham, Hendersonville, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Monroe, Murphy, Pilot Mountain, Roxboro, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Shelby, Siler City, Sparta, Spindale, Statesville, Taylorsville, Waynesville, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, and Yanceyville.
Directors for Carolina Farm Credit are W. Rex Bell, Chairman, Statesville, David M. Coltrane, Vice-Chairman, Pleasant Garden; John M. Barnard, Statesville; E. Bernard Beck, Seagrove; Mark A. Bray, Lawsonville; Susie J. Gambill, Sparta; Joseph A. Lail, Shelby; Clark M. Newlin, Haw River; Thomas E. Porter, Jr., Concord; Eric McPherson, Snow Camp; D. Kaleb Rathbone, Waynesville; Lewis E. Smith, Lincolnton; Vickie N. Smitherman, East Bend; L. Kim Starnes, Salisbury; Dr. Alton Thompson, Summerfield.