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Each year, the Imperial County Farm Bureau presents local students with scholarships to aid them in their studies. The scholarship fund is supported by donations and our annual Farm Bureau Scholarship Barbecue, held annually on the last Friday in April.
Scholarship applications for the 2010 scholarship program have been submitted and reviewed. Watch this space in mid-June to see who was selected to receive scholarships this year.
Imperial County Farm Bureau scholarships are open to Imperial County students who are or will be enrolled in college full-time pursuing an agriculture-related career.
The following students were selected to receive scholarships for the 2009-10 school year.
Imperial County Farm Bureau Scholarship
2009 Scholarship Program Recipients
Taylor Ortiz
Unlike many of our scholarship applicants, Taylor does not come from a long line of agricultural professionals. It was in FFA that her interest in agriculture and faming was sparked. Taylor has held both Chapter and Sectional officer positions at Brawley FFA, and was honored as the Outstanding Student in Plant Science by Cal Poly Pomona. She will be a freshman at the University of Idaho this fall where she is majoring in Horticulture/Crop & Weed Science. We are thrilled that Taylor has chosen to pursue an agriculture career and believe that she will be a great benefit to the industry.
Deborah De La Riva
Like most young girls, Deborah was afraid of insects at a young age. Yet, as she watched her brother capture grasshoppers and lizards, she developed an interest in the creatures. And before long, her fascination with insects grew. The Southwest High School graduate is now an undergrad student at UC Riverside, majoring in entomology. Deborah hopes to earn her doctorate so she can research insects and work to improve the relationship between humans, insects and the environment.
Aaron Brinkman
As a student at Imperial High School, Aaron juggled a part-time job, athletics, and many other extra-curricular activities, all while keeping his grades near the top of his class. Now entering his sophomore year at Cal Poly Pomona, Aaron continues to manage the juggling act of balancing classes, homework and extra-curricular activities as well.
Andrew Leimgruber
Andrew is in his senior year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in Ag Business with an emphasis in farm & ranch management. Andrew has been working as a hay broker while attending Cal Poly. He expects to return to his native Holtville after graduating to enter production agriculture.
Ashley Garcia
A Brawley High School graduate, Ashley has held nearly every office in her local 4-H club (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, sergeant-at-arms, song leader, junior/teen leader, and arts & crafts teen leader). She has worked to balance part-time jobs, school, and an immense number of extra-curricular activities. This fall, she will be a freshman at the Art Institute of California, where she will incorporate her knowledge of our local agricultural bounty into a culinary career.
Sarah Jane Abatti
After graduating this year in the top ten of her class at Holtville High School, Sarah will be entering her freshman year at Kansas State University. She is majoring in animal science and intends to become a large animal veterinarian. Sarah is no stranger to Kansas, as she has spent several summers there working as a ranch hand at the E.T. Cattle Company.
Marshal McBroom
The son of a citrus grower, Marshal is hoping to put his business degree to use farming citrus in Imperial Valley. A Brawley High School graduate and Calipatria native, Marshal will be a freshman at Cal Baptist University in the fall. He is also an accomplished golfer, and was named the Imperial Valley League’s Individual Champion in golf. But even more importantly, he is strongly grounded individual. In a letter of recommendation, his golf coach said Marshal “works to improve the morals and ethics of those students [he] has the opportunity to share his experiences with.” Recommendations don’t get much better than that.
Matthew LaBrucherie Scholarship
2009 Scholarship Program Recipients
Cynthia Gutierrez
Cynthia is a Calexico native who is now a senior at Cal Poly Pomona. She is a first-generation college student in her family, and is maintaining a strong GPA while actively participating in the horticulture club and other extra-curricular activities. She is working to get her PCA license and is interested in production agriculture, landscaping and nurseries, as well as integrated pest management.
Allison Collins
Allison is a strong believer in giving back to her community and hopes to return to the Imperial Valley and become a small business owner. She graduated from Central Union High School in 2008, and will be a sophomore at UCLA this fall. She continues to participate in many activities, and serve as a volunteer while maintaining a high GPA.
Lindsey Stiff
At Holtville High School, Lindsey maintained a 4.0 GPA while playing multiple sports and holding positions as a Chapter and Sectional FFA officer. She has a deep love for animals, and has shown numerous rabbits and calves through FFA. After graduating from Holtville High School this spring, she is preparing to begin her freshman year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she will major in animal science.
Vern Highley Scholarship
2009 Scholarship Program Recipients
Cheyenne Ayala Poitra
Cheyenne is a graduate of Brawley Union High School and will be a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall. Her professional goal is one that will become more and more critical throughout our lifetimes. Cheyenne loves to work outdoors and wants to become a landscape architect focusing on water conservation design. In addition to school, she has offered many hours to community service projects, and has been an active participant in 4-H for 12 years, raising 15 rabbits, 3 horses and a goat as 4-H projects.
Brianne Chavarin
Brianne is a Brawley Union High School graduate, and will be a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara. She has been a very active student, receiving many scholastic awards and participating in numerous extracurricular activities, including participating in her sorority and working at a local cafe.