Three Wellington County students are getting a hand up for their first semester at post-secondary schooling from the Grand River Agricultural Society.
On Sept. 26, these students along with two students from outside the county received scholarships of up to $2,500.
GRAS has annually given out scholarships for students residing in Wellington and Perth counties and the Region of Waterloo and who are enrolled in agricultural programs at college or university
Quinn Wilson, 17, of Harriston, is completing her first year at the University of Guelph for a Bachelor of Commerce and a Major in food and agriculture business.
Wilson is the current ambassador of the Harriston-Minto Agricultural Society. She also volunteered her time with junior broomball.
Wilson’s grandparents started a agriculture business and she wanted to continue in that field.
“I’ve just kind of grown up in agriculture my whole life. There’s lots of opportunities for advancement in the career,” she said.
The scholarship will be used toward her tuition, which she said, “takes a huge weight off my shoulders.”
Mikayla Clark, 18, of Arthur, will also be using her scholarship toward tuition. She is currently studying Equine Science – Breeding and Production at Olds College in Olds, Alberta.
Clark was the Arthur Fall Fair ambassador for 2015/2016 and volunteered in many ways in the community. She was also voted most congenial at the Canadian National Exhibition on Aug. 23.
Clark said she wanted to get into agriculture because it is her passion.
“I started working at various livestock farms, I did start working at a horse barn, and then I worked at a veal barn and then I started milking cows and it just progressed as I got older and recognized the importance of knowing where our food comes from,” she said.
Clark added that the scholarship is a blessing.
“I just feel like now having this scholarship it makes me want to work that much harder to, I don’t know, prove myself in a way.”
Katrina Martin, 18, of rural Fergus, is working towards her Agriculture Diploma at the University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus. She was a 2016/17 Fergus Fall Fair ambassador contestant as well as a volunteer for the fair.
She has been involved with 4-H for a number of years and even helped at the Pizza Perfect event held at the Grand River Raceway in March.
“I wanted to pursue a career that I was passionate about, I live on a dairy farm and I’ve been involved with that all my life. I want to one day end up on a farm, but I know there’s a lot of experience and opportunities in the agricultural industry,” said Martin.
She added that she felt honoured to receive the scholarship.
Since 2006, the GRAS scholarship program has awarded more than $105,000 to 74 students. Their mandate is to encourage awareness of agriculture and to promote improvements in the quality of life of persons living in an agricultural community.
To learn more about the program visit grandriveragsociety.com
