2018 DCSWGA Youth Scholarship Application
Download the new scholarship application: 2018ScholarshipApp_DCSWGA.pdf
Congratulations to Claire Burnett, the 2014 Scholarship Winner!
Claire grew up on a family farm with many different species of animals, however raising sheep is what she enjoys the most. Claire started showing sheep when she was
4 years old. She went from showing at the Dutchess County Fair to now showing all over the country including the North East Youth Sheep Show,
All-American Junior Sheep Show, The
Big-E, Harrisburgh and at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, KY.
As a student at Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park, NY, Claire was active in the Student Government and served as the student body president during her senior year. In addition, she rowed for the Varsity Crew Team for six years where her boat made it to Nationals three of those years. She has started her freshman year of college at Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma where she is studying Agricultural Leadership. She is also on the Livestock Judging Team for the college.
Claire thoroughly enjoys being involved in all aspects of agriculture and hopes to pursue a career in agriculture, marketing and promotions of agricultural events.
Clayton Stephens
Congratulations to Clayton Stephens, the 2013 Scholarship Winner!
Hi, my name is Clayton Stephens, I am 18 years old and live in Clinton Corners, NY. My family has been raising sheep and promoting lamb in the Hudson Valley for the better part of 15 years. Growing up with my sister, Meagan, in the Southern Shepherds 4-H Sheep Club has afforded me many educational opportunities in the sheep industry. I have exhibited market lambs as well as breeding sheep at the county, state and national level while building my own flock of Registered Shropshires. I have participated in every sheep and wool festival in some capacity which I feel has allowed me to network with industry leaders and develop public relations and marketing skills. My other interests are showing hogs and beef cattle. I have attended several regional and national leadership conferences through my involvement with the National Junior Swine Association. I have traveled extensively with my dad for the farm he works for promoting and exhibiting Belted Galloway Cattle and have been involved with the Belted Galloway Junior Association.
I graduated from Pine Plains High School in June of 2013 where I was a member of the Junior Varsity Basketball Team and the FFA Chapter. My FFA career allowed me many leadership opportunities one of which was to attend the Washington Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. on two separate occasions. I have received many proficiency awards through FFA one being the Sheep Proficiency Award. I am representing Pine Plains FFA this year at the National FFA Convention to compete in the Job Interview contest.
I currently attend Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa Oklahoma, where I am studying Animal Science with plans to turn it into an Ag Leadership Degree.
Angelika Juerss
Congratulations to Angelika Juerss, the 2012 Scholarship Winner!!!
My name is Angelika Juerss and I am 18 years old. I attended Millbrook High School and am proud to say I graduated in the top ten percent of my class. I was very involved with my school and participated in many clubs, as well as sports. I was on the Varsity Golf team for 3 years and was on the Varsity Spring Track team my Junior year. I was part of the Interact Club, Environmental Club, Step-Up Club, FCCLA, Yearbook Club and the National Honor Society. I participated in many community service events. Some include: Relay for Life, Blood Drives, Recycling, Book Festival, Tutoring, Soup Kitchen, Vassar’s Mother Group, raising money for my class, Volunteered at The Taste of Millbrook, Tutored for 40 hours at the Summer Science Program, Helped out at an event for Ian Adams, Volunteered at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary, Packed Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child as well as many others. I am an active member in 4-H and am in my 7th year. I have been a secretary for my club for about 6 years now. I enjoy working with sheep and animals in general. If I hadn’t joined 4-H and started working with sheep I don’t know how else I’d spend my time. 4-H and sheep have taught me a great deal and over the years I’ve attained more knowledge than imagined! I enjoy showing my sheep and sharing my information with the people who attend the shows and fairs.
I will be attending Dutchess Communnity College for two years and as of now will be majoring in Psychology. I am very interested in biology and might enter the medical field. I am keeping my options open and looking forward to starting my college career!
Colton Maher
Congratulations to Colton Maher, the 2011 Scholarship Winner!!!
Colton Maher was the 2011 Scholarship winner for the Dutchess County Sheep & Wool Growers Association. Colton graduated from Taconic Hills High School in Craryville, New York in 2010. During his time at Taconic Hills, Colton found the time to actively participate in 4-H where he loved working with his sheep at local fairs and festivals including the Dutches County Sheep and Wool festival and the Columbia and Dutches County Fairs. He participated in Boy Scouts and made it to the rank of Eagle Scout in his senior year of high school. He is currently in his sophomore year at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, studying in the field of Mechanical Engineering. While at RPI, Colton is also a member of Army ROTC in order to commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army upon graduation in 2014.
Colton insists that he would not have made it to where he is today if it were not for the countless lessons learned from his life as a farm boy. Through his time spent working on his family farm, Pumpkin Ridge Farm in Hillsdale, New York, Colton learned what it means to be responsible, how to management his time, and the importance of discipline. Sheperding his flock has instilled in him a passion for farming and supporting the rural way of life.
Megan Fimbel
CONGRATULATIONS TO MEGAN FIMBEL, THE 2010 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER!
Megan Fimbel is a senior attending Millbrook Senior High School in Millbrook, NY. She was accepted to SUNY Delhi, Delhi, NY as an Early Acceptance student into the Veterinary Technology Program.
Megan is a member of the Dutchess County 4-H Sheep club, Golden Fleece and Chapter Sentinel of the Pine Plains FFA. In 2008, she was the National Oxford Sheep Queen as well as the Ohio State Oxford Sheep Queen.
Megan owns a flock of 20 purebred Oxford ewes in Millbrook, NY. As she is the main shepherd for her flock, her responsibilities include all aspects of management and care. She shows her sheep at shows and fairs across the country including the Ohio State Fair, Eastern States Exposition, Harrisburg, Louisville, the All American Junior Show, the Northeast Youth Show as well as the Dutchess County Fair.
She also works part time for Dr. David Hammond at the Village Animal Hospital in Millbrook, NY.
Some of Megan Fimbel’s awards and accomplishments:
| Pine Plains FFA Chapter | 2005 – Present | Discovery, Greenhand and Chapter Degrees Elected Sentinel,1st Sub- District Job Interview, 6th District Job Interview, 4th Sub-State Job Interview, 10th Individual State Livestock Judging, Member of the 1st Place Livestock Judging Team at NYS Fair and at Cobleskill |
| Dutchess County 4-H Program |
1999 – Present | President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Flag bearer, Scrapbook Keeper, Joe Thomas Butts Award, Master Sheep Showman, Best Market Lamb Rate of Gain, Champion and Reserve Champion Market lambs (9), Best Bred and Owned Sheep (2), Supreme 4-H Rams |
| All American Junior Sheep Show | 2007 -Present | Top Gun Award, 1st Place Logo (2), 1st Place Junior Ad, 1st Place Promotional Poster, 2nd Place Junior Skillathon, 6th Place Senior Skillathon |
| American Oxford Sheep Association | 2002 – Present | National Oxford Sheep Queen, Ohio State Oxford Sheep Queen |
| Northeast Youth Sheep Show | 2005 – Present | Spirit Cup Award, Reserve Champion Ram, 1st Place Skillathon Team member |
Meagan Stephens
CONGRATULATIONS TO MEAGAN STEPHENS, THE 2009 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER!
THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL APPLICANTS AND ENCOURAGE REAPPLICATION IN 2010. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2009 JUDGES; PHIL SEYMOUR AND ELLEN JOURET EPSTEIN.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP?
The purpose of the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Growers Association Scholarship is to help our Hudson Valley youth further their education with a preference to those pursuing a field of study related to agriculture, although any major may be considered. Only studies at undergraduate, fully accredited two or four-year colleges, universities or technical schools are acceptable.