Old North News

Youth who participated in exhibiting livestock at the North Carolina State Fair can now apply for the N.C. State Fair Junior Livestock Scholarships. The application window is open until March 1.

The program offers up to 25 scholarships of $2,000 each, along with one $2,500 Farm Credit of N.C. Premier Scholarship. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler highlighted the importance of these scholarships: "These scholarships help make dreams of higher education a reality for the next generation of agricultural leaders." He added, "Last year, more than $64,000 was awarded to youth livestock exhibitors. This program would not be possible without the support of the buyers, so I want to thank them."

In 2024, 31 scholarships worth $2,000 each and one scholarship worth $2,500 were distributed. Since its inception in 2015, the scholarship program has awarded over $460,000.

Eligible applicants include all youth who exhibited a livestock animal at the State Fair regardless of species or show results. The scholarships can be used at various educational institutions such as community colleges and technical schools. Applicants must be enrolled in at least nine course hours.

Funding for these scholarships comes from the annual Sale of Champions event held during the State Fair where top animals are auctioned off. A portion of the proceeds supports this scholarship initiative. The 2024 Sale of Champions generated a total of $213,000.

High school seniors and college students must submit an application detailing their involvement with junior livestock at the State Fair, a 500-word essay on their academic and extracurricular achievements, and two letters of recommendation. Each youth may receive this scholarship up to four times.

Applications can be downloaded from www.ncstatefair.org and should be sent to N.C. State Fair's Livestock Office by March 1 for consideration.