Awarded America's Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship

Waukon High School graduated senior Chase Pladsen has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship from America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. In the fall, Pladsen will study Animal Science at Iowa State University in Ames.

According to the scholarship information, Pladsen exemplifies the quality of students who are selected for Grow Ag Leaders scholarships. “Chase is a hardworking individual and also has the passion and drive that is needed to be a productive part of American ag. He never gives up and always keeps going until he gets the results he wants. He runs a red Angus herd. He started it, with help from his dad, but it was Chase’s dream and drive to start the herd,” said Jessica O’Connor, FFA Advisor at Waukon High School.
The future of agriculture relies on talented young people like Pladsen to fill thousands of jobs in a variety of fields, such as plant science, engineering, communications, finance and more. Grow Ag Leaders raises awareness of diverse career opportunities in the agriculture industry and provides 352 scholarships nationwide to support student’s post high school ag education.

Grow Ag Leaders scholarships, administered by the National FFA Organization, are available to high school seniors and college students pursuing degrees in ag-related fields. To be considered, each applicant is required to receive endorsements from at least three local farmers. Both FFA members and non-FFA members are eligible to apply. With support from the Monsanto Fund, more than $1.1 million in scholarships has been awarded to students since Grow Ag Leaders piloted in 2014. For a complete list of recipients or more information, visit GrowAgLeaders.com.

America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders is part of the America’s Farmers community outreach initiative. Other programs include America’s Farmers Grow Communities and America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education. Visit www.AmericasFarmers.com to learn more.