Image Credit: Edwin Remsberg
Youth participating in 4-H competitions during the upcoming 2015 Maryland State Fair in Timonium, Md. will have an extra incentive to put on a good showing. For the first time, the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (AGNR) will offer a scholarship award of $1,000 to each of the Senior High overall individual winners in the following 4-H competitions:
- Dairy Judging
- Horticulture Judging
- Livestock Judging
- Poultry Judging (*no live birds due to avian influenza concerns)
- Rabbit Judging
Additionally, the Maryland 4-H Foundation will offer a matching $1,000 scholarship for these competition winners. In order for a student to receive the $2,000 in scholarships, he or she must apply and be accepted to the University of Maryland and pursue a four-year degree from the College of AGNR.
“Maryland 4-H members are among some of the brightest in the state and they are our future leaders,” said Cheng-i Wei, dean of the College of AGNR. “These scholarships will hopefully serve to strengthen our relationship with these 4-Hers and get them to consider studying in the College of AGNR at the University of Maryland.”
Roughly 1,000 4-H youth from all over Maryland will be showcasing completed projects in more than 10,000 exhibits covering everything from animals to robotics, clothing and textiles, horticulture and more during the Maryland State Fair, which begins August 28th.
“4-H judging competitions at the state fair are often the result of months of hard work and determination,” said Amanda Clougherty, Executive Director of the Maryland 4-H Foundation. “These scholarships will bring another element of excitement to the enthusiasm surrounding the state fair and go a long way towards showing these students that their efforts are valued.”
The scholarship offers will be formally presented to winning students during an awards ceremony on September 5th at 4pm at the state fairgrounds. Scholarships will also be awarded in the spring to the winners in the Horse Judging, Hippology and Livestock Skillathon competitions. Additionally, a scholarship will be presented at the Maryland 4-H Foundation’s gala in January of 2017 to the overall National 4-H Leadership Winner, awarded to the student with the highest number of points earned through the portfolio program, which encompasses participation in events such as National 4-H Congress and the National 4-H Conference.
Keep up with all the action at the 2015 Maryland State Fair using the following hashtags on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: #statefairterps #MD4H #MYMDStateFair
Media Contact: Sara Gavin, sgavin@umd.edu, 301-405-9235
