Pictured left to right: Jessie Kreke, Senior Marketing Manager for Culver’s; Morgan Johnson with Denver City FFA; Skylar Bloom with DeWitt-Central FFA; Mark Poeschl, CEO of National FFA; Joe Koss, CEO of Culver’s; and Emily Sampson with Lincoln FFA.
INDIANAPOLIS – Coming up with the funds to attend the national convention and expo is challenging for many FFA chapters. Luckily, many supporters are happy to help deserving FFA members make the trip.
For three years, Culver’s, the famous Butterburger and custard restaurant chain based out of Sauk City, Wis., has sponsored an FFA essay contest. FFA members can submit essays for the chance to win a scholarship for their chapters to attend the convention and expo.
The contest kicks off each year during National FFA Week, and essays are due in early summer. This year, over 650 essays were written by FFA members, and three chapters received scholarships.
Skylar Bloom of the DeWitt-Central FFA Chapter in Iowa was the writer of the winning essay. Her chapter received a $7,500 scholarship toward the costs of attending convention.
As for what her chapter was looking forward to most?
“Definitely seeing others from different states and meeting new people,” said McKenna Stevens and Spencer Payson, also members of DeWitt-Central FFA.
Lincoln FFA from California was named the second-place winner and recipient of a $5,000 scholarship, thanks to an essay written by member Emily Sampson.
“Thanks to [Culver’s], we didn’t have to come up with funds for me and my advisor and two other members to attend,” Sampson said.
Denver City FFA of Texas was able to attend their first national convention and expo this year after member Morgan Johnson wrote the third-place essay and earned the chapter a $2,500 scholarship.
“If it wasn’t for Culver’s, we wouldn’t be here,” remarked chapter advisor Eric Harrel.
Culver’s is a proud sponsor of the National FFA Organization and conducts activities of its own to support agriculture and FFA, such as the Thank You Farmers program and donations to the FFA jacket program Give the Gift of Blue.
“We want to make sure we are sustaining the future of agriculture,” said Jessie Kreke, senior marketing manager at Culver’s.
For more information on the winners, visit Culvers.com.
Abby Marion is a senior at the University of Florida studying agricultural education and communications. An alumnus of the Florida FFA Association, Marion is serving as a reporter for the 90th National FFA Convention & Expo Newsroom Crew.
