The Ogle County Farm Bureau is pleased to announce that applications for their 2022 scholarship program will be available beginning Jan. 4 to graduating high school seniors, or those enrolled at an accredited university.

Farm bureau members may pick up or have applications mailed. Applications can also be downloaded from the Ogle County Farm Bureau website at www.oglefb.org.

The Don Bybee Memorial Scholarship is jointly funded by the Bybee family and the Ogle County Farm Bureau. Mr. Bybee served for many years as a director on the Ogle County Farm Bureau Board and offering this $1,000 scholarship recognizes his passion for offering opportunities for Ogle County youth to advance their education.

Also available is a $1,000 scholarship funded jointly by the Ogle County Pork Producers Association and the farm bureau. The Mark Detig Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually. Mr. Detig served as past president and director on the pork producers association board of directors and was involved in 4-H youth activities in Ogle County.

These scholarships are in addition to the $1500 Del Flessner Memorial Scholarship, honoring the former manager of the Ogle County Farm Bureau; and two $1,000 General Farm Bureau Scholarships.

The George R. LeFevre Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship funded by the Jeff and Joyce Tremble Family and the Farm Bureau. It recognizes Mr. LeFevre for his lifetime of service to agriculture and youth education in Ogle County. It will be awarded to a recipient studying in a field of agriculture.

The Mary R. LeFevre Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship funded by the Jeff and Joyce Tremble family and the farm bureau. It recognizes Mrs. LeFevre for her dedicated service in the healthcare profession and involvement with youth education. It will be awarded to a recipient studying in a healthcare related field.

Finally, an Ag Technology Scholarship will be awarded in an amount of $1,000. It will be awarded to students studying in an ag technology field similar to diesel mechanics, crop technician or similar fields of study.

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria: must be a high school graduate; must be an Ogle County Farm Bureau member or dependent of a member; must be accepted at an accredited university or college and pursue an agricultural or agricultural-related field of study; must be a resident of Illinois and must demonstrate a financial need.

Applicants can be graduating high school seniors or students currently enrolled in an accredited college or university.

Applications successfully completed and submitted will be judged on criteria including: academic performance, demonstrated interest in agriculture, financial need and character/personality.

Those interested in receiving a scholarship application should contact the Ogle County Farm Bureau at 732-2231; or stop by their office at 421 W. Pines Rd. in Oregon. Applications can also be downloaded by visiting our website at www.oglefb.org

All applications and accompanying materials must be received no later than April 1, 2022.

Agriculture students and Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) members, spouses and children are eligible to apply for 82 college scholarships offered by the IAA Foundation, Illinois Farm Bureau’s charitable arm. The scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $7,500, will be awarded in total of $159,500 for the 2022-23 school year.  

Students may apply for a variety of scholarships, including three IAA Foundation Top Scholarships, where winners will each receive $5,000 awards. Another $7,500 award goes to the Illinois Farm Bureau Legacy of Leadership scholarship winner. In addition to family scholarships often established to honor the memory of a loved one, the IAA Foundation offers scholarships on behalf of organizations such as Prairie Farms Dairy. For 2022, the IAA Foundation is honored to administer the newly created Alvin Eigenrauch Memorial Scholarship and Steve Willits Memorial Scholarship. Additionally, three new fellowships have been added to support students pursuing advanced degrees.

All applicants must be current high school seniors or students already enrolled at an accredited college or university. Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, leadership experiences, involvement in activities and community service. Previous winners of an IAA Foundation scholarship are eligible to apply again if the scholarship allows.

A full listing of available scholarships and eligibility guidelines is available on the foundation website, www.iaafoundation.org. The application opens Jan. 1, 2022 and must be completed online by Feb. 15, 2022.

For more information, contact your county Farm Bureau, the IAA Foundation at

309-557-2232, or e-mail Jennifer Smith at jsmith@ilfb.org . 

"There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus." -Bob Phillips

Ron Kern is the manager of the Ogle County Farm Bureau.