RALEIGH – Thirty-one North Carolina students have been selected recipients of 2025 N.C. State Fair Youth Livestock Scholarships, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced.
The scholarships are designed for high school seniors and students currently enrolled in an institute of higher education who have participated in the junior livestock or market turkey shows at the N.C. State Fair. A total of $611,000 has been awarded since the program began in 2015.
The scholarships are funded from a percentage of the total sales at the N.C. State Fair Sale of Champions. The number of scholarships awarded each year is based on qualified applicants and funds available from the previous year’s Sale of Champions. Because of strong support of the 2024 sale, 30 scholarships valued at $2,000 each were awarded this year. One $2,500 scholarship was also 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.”
A selection committee evaluated applicants based on their involvement with N.C. State Fair junior livestock shows, academic achievement, extracurricular activities and an essay. Each application was assigned a number and identifying information was removed before evaluation.
Following is a list of scholarship recipients by county. All scholarships are for $2,000 unless otherwise noted:
Buncombe
-- Shelby Candler of Weaverville who attends Texas Tech University
Burke
-- Ellie Shuping of Morganton who is undecided
Cabarrus
-- Ana McAuley of Concord to attend Fort Scott Community College
Catawba
-- Hannah Vanhoy of Catawba who attends N.C. State University
Chowan
-- Lilah Byrum of Tyner to attend N.C. State University
Cleveland
-- Chesney Gibson of Grover to attend N.C. State University
Craven
-- Matthew Peluso of New Bern who attends the University of Mount Olive
Davidson
-- Salem Ward of Lexington who attends UNC-Greensboro
Franklin
-- Hope Latta of Zebulon who attends N.C. State University
Granville
-- Abigail Shaeffer of Franklin to attend the University of North Carolina or East Carolina University
Haywood
-- Addison Passmore of Waynesville who is undecided
Johnston
-- Erin Burns of Clayton to attend N.C. State University
-- Ann Taylor of Princeton who attends N.C. State University
-- Ava Wood of Willow Spring who attends N.C. State University
-- Charlotte Wood of Willow Spring who attends N.C. State University
Jones
-- Kaitlyn Crompton of Trenton to attend Virginia Tech
Lenoir
-- Kalen Barwick of Deep Run to attend N.C. State University
Lincoln
-- Adelee Dillon of Vale to attend the University of Tennessee
-- Jordan Mitchem of Vale to attend N.C. State University
Onslow
-- Travis Cox of Richlands who attends Hutchinson Community College
Pasquotank
-- Lane Markham of Elizabeth City who is undecided
Pitt
-- Ashlyn Coxe of Greenville to attend N.C. State University or the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Randolph
-- Laura Jessup of Ramseur to attend Montgomery Community College
-- Caroline Scarlett of Asheboro to attend N.C. State University
-- Taylor Singleberry of Asheboro to attend N.C. State University
Rowan
-- Josie Correll of Cleveland who attends Oklahoma State University – Farm Credit Associations of NC Scholarship recipient - $2,500
-- Talton Correll of Cleveland to attend Mississippi State University
Stokes
-- Michelle Hartman of Walnut Cove who attends N.C. State University
Wayne
-- Gideon Linton of Mount Olive to attend the University of Mount Olive
-- Isaac Linton of Mount Olive who attends the University of Mount Olive
Wilson
-- Clayton Ross Hinnant of Kenly to attend Auburn University or N.C. State University
For more information on how individuals and organizations can support the 2025 Junior Livestock Sale of Champions or the scholarship program, contact Neil Bowman, director of N.C. State Fair livestock shows, at neil.bowman@ncagr.gov or 919-270-7094.
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