Thirty-one students from North Carolina have been awarded the 2025 N.C. State Fair Youth Livestock Scholarships, as announced by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. These scholarships are available to high school seniors and students currently enrolled in higher education who have participated in junior livestock or market turkey shows at the N.C. State Fair. Since its inception in 2015, the program has distributed a total of $611,000.
The scholarships are funded through a percentage of sales from the N.C. State Fair Sale of Champions. The number of scholarships each year depends on qualified applicants and funds from the previous year’s sale. Due to strong support for the 2024 sale, 30 scholarships worth $2,000 each were awarded this year, along with one $2,500 scholarship sponsored by Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina.
“This scholarship program continues to invest in the next generation of agricultural leaders and advocates, and I am proud that they all have a solid understanding of where their food comes from because of their experience showing livestock,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients.”
Applicants were evaluated by a selection committee based on their involvement with N.C. State Fair junior livestock shows, academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and an essay submission. Identifying information was removed during evaluation.
Scholarship recipients come from various counties across North Carolina and will attend different educational institutions:
– Shelby Candler (Buncombe) attends Texas Tech University.
– Ellie Shuping (Burke) is undecided.
– Ana McAuley (Cabarrus) will attend Fort Scott Community College.
– Hannah Vanhoy (Catawba) attends N.C. State University.
– Lilah Byrum (Chowan) will attend N.C. State University.
– Chesney Gibson (Cleveland) will attend N.C. State University.
– Matthew Peluso (Craven) attends the University of Mount Olive.
– Salem Ward (Davidson) attends UNC-Greensboro.
– Hope Latta (Franklin) attends N.C. State University.
– Abigail Shaeffer (Granville) plans to attend either the University of North Carolina or East Carolina University.
– Addison Passmore (Haywood) is undecided.
– Erin Burns, Ann Taylor, Ava Wood, Charlotte Wood (Johnston), all attending or planning to attend N.C. State University.
– Kaitlyn Crompton (Jones) plans to attend Virginia Tech.
– Kalen Barwick (Lenoir) plans to attend N.C. State University.
– Adelee Dillon and Jordan Mitchem (Lincoln), attending the University of Tennessee and N.C. State University respectively.
– Travis Cox (Onslow) attends Hutchinson Community College.
– Lane Markham (Pasquotank) is undecided.
– Ashlyn Coxe (Pitt), planning to attend either N.C. State University or the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
– Laura Jessup and Caroline Scarlett and Taylor Singleberry (Randolph), attending Montgomery Community College and N.C. State University respectively.
Josie Correll from Rowan received a $2,500 scholarship sponsored by Farm Credit Associations of NC while attending Oklahoma State University; Talton Correll plans to attend Mississippi State University.
Michelle Hartman from Stokes attends N.C. State University; Gideon Linton and Isaac Linton from Wayne both plan to or currently attend the University of Mount Olive; Clayton Ross Hinnant from Wilson plans to attend Auburn University or N.C. State University.
For further details on supporting the Junior Livestock Sale of Champions or contributing to the scholarship program, contact Neil Bowman at neil.bowman@ncagr.gov or call 919-270-7094.
