Madalyn Palmer awarded 2021 National Farmers Farm Kids for College Scholarship

Animal agriculture lights a fire in Waukon High School senior Madalyn Palmer when she considers her career future. Palmer earned a $1,000 Farm Kids for College Scholarship in the 2021 competition sponsored by National Farmers, Ames.

Palmer lives on her family’s dairy farm where they raise Holsteins for milk production. Highlights of her farm involvement include helping with calf chores, milking cows, treating sick animals and interpreting for and training Hispanic employees using her Spanish skills. She is the daughter of Eric and Stephanie Palmer of Waukon.

Palmer has been involved in 4-H throughout high school, serving as her club’s secretary in 2018-19 and vice president in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. She was named the 4-H Senior Dairy Champion and received the AK-SAR-BEN Award of Excellence in 2018, and outstanding leadership and citizenship awards in 2019. She has served on the 4-H County Council since 2017 and was secretary in 2019-20. She is also a member of the Allamakee County Dairy Judging Team.

Palmer has served on the Waukon High School student council since 2018, was 2019-20 treasurer and is secretary for 2020-21. She is captain of the bowling team, and is in National Honor Society for the second year. She has consistently earned academic letters and serves on the Northeast Iowa Conference student leadership team, and was elected president all four years. She has also been part of Waukon’s St. John’s Lutheran Church handbell choir since 2013.

Palmer plans to attend Iowa State University in Ames to major in animal science and agricultural business. After that, she said she will return to her family farm and carry on that legacy.

The Farm Kids for College Scholarship competition, sponsored by National Farmers, requires students to write two agriculture-related essays, detail their involvement in independent agriculture and future plans, and provide evidence of academic and community achievement.

Scholarship recipients must major in an agricultural career field at an accredited college or university. The competition is open to high school seniors, and the award is for the college freshman year. The competition is launched each fall, with three winners being announced the subsequent spring. For more information, see the About Us section of nationalfarmers.com.