By Scout Nelson
The South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) has awarded a total of $8,000 in scholarships to eight outstanding students for the year 2025. The scholarships support high school seniors whose families are long-time members of SDFB and aim to pursue higher education in agriculture or community-related fields.
The SDFB Scholarship Fund was created in 2005 by Richard and Agnes Ekstrum of Kimball, South Dakota. Richard Ekstrum served as SDFB president from 1975 to 1995.
The fund recognizes young leaders committed to agriculture and community service, offering two types of awards—Agriculture Focus Scholarships and Community Focus Scholarships.
The Agriculture Focus Scholarship recipients include:
- Ethan Bovill from Alcester, who will study Agricultural Business at Mitchell Technical Institute.
- Bennett Gordon from Whitewood, heading to Oklahoma State University for Agribusiness with minors in finance and animal science.
- Blaise McGregor of Webster, who plans to study Precision Ag Technology at Lake Area Technical College.
- Kylie Mockler from Centerville, enrolling at South Dakota State University for Agriculture Leadership.
The Community Focus Scholarship recipients are:
- Brooklyn Baloun of Highmore, who will attend Augustana University to major in Biology.
- Lanie Ewing from Spearfish, choosing either University of South Dakota or Black Hills State University to study Biology or Kinesiology and Sports Management.
- Ella Johnson from Frankfort, attending Mount Marty University to major in Nursing.
- Lauren Roling of Salem, who will study Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Dakota.
These scholarships help students build brighter futures and encourage leadership in both agriculture and public service.
Photo Credit: south-dakota-farm-bureau
Categories: South Dakota, Education, General, Rural Lifestyle