2024 Franklin County Farm Bureau scholarship recipients

Congratulations to the following students on their selection as Franklin County scholarship winners for 2024.

Bradley Wisard, a recent graduate of Worthington Kilbourne High School in 2022, is currently in his third year at the University of Cincinnati, pursuing Mechanical Engineering Technology. He recently finished a cooperative learning opportunity in the spring semester with a company that focuses on constructing nuclear, medical, and military components. Additionally, he remains engaged with the UC Honors Program.

Hawkins Marihugh will be attending Huntington University to study Agribusiness Management. He was a 6-year member of the Serendipity 4-H Club, winning both Grand Champion Market Rabbit and Grand Champion Market Duck at the Franklin County Fair. In high school, Hawkins was dedicated to academics and athletics – playing football, track and wrestling. He was a four-year Varsity wrestler with 121 career wins, district placer and state qualifier. He earned 10 scholar athlete awards and was named Academic All Ohio. Hawkins is a member of the student leadership team for his youth group at Northwest Chapel. He has served on mission trips to Philadelphia, Thessaloniki, Greece and this summer will serve in inner city Los Angeles. He is also a six-year volunteer with Hilliard Baseball Association’s Buddy Ball program.

Melina Kopczewski is a rising sophomore at The Ohio State University studying Environmental Policy and Decision-Making with a minor in History. This summer she has the opportunity of working with Ohio Farm Bureau as a staff member with the ExploreAg Camp. A proud member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Phi Alpha Theta National History Honorary, and the Morrill Scholarship program, Melina is proud to represent her roots in agriculture in a variety of organizations. Melina is currently the USA National Miss Ohio Teen and uses her platform to advocate for women in agriculture.

Reese Moehl, a recent Westfall High School graduate, will study Horticulture at Purdue University with a career goal of aiding local communities through plant work. She also aspires to travel and explore diverse plant species globally.

Caitlin Krebs is a graduate of Central Crossing High School. Caitlin was a member of the National Honor Society and received multiple All Academic awards. She will be finishing her 4-H career this summer during the 2024 Franklin County Fair. She has a great love of animals and agriculture. In prior years Caitlin has received awards for Senior and Master hog showmanship. She has also had Grand and Reserve Champion Market Hogs as well as Grand Champion Market Steer. Caitlin has committed to Ohio Dominican University to begin studies this fall. She plans to obtain a dual teaching license in both primary education and intervention specialist. She hopes to combine her love for animals and agriculture with teaching.

Natalie Tolliver is a 2023 graduate of Grove City High School. She was a member of the Grove City Clover Crew 4-H Club for 13 years while also being a member of various committees and boards for the county. She is now entering her sophomore year of college at Ohio University studying Business. She has been selected as a member of the Copeland Scholars program that helps to develop driven leaders. She also balances playing trumpet in the Marching 110 and being a member of Kappa Kappa Psi which is a service fraternity dedicated to helping the music community around Athens.

Elaine Smith is a fourth year at The Ohio State University. She is majoring in Visual Communication Design and will pursue a master’s degree in Agriculture, Communication, Education, and Leadership. You may have seen her work through OSU Wexner Medical Center via a video series with BuckeyePaws Therapy dog, Ashby, spreading injury prevention messages. She serves Visual Communication students by being a mentor to them through their foundational year. In addition, she is the Varsity Swimming, Diving, and Synchronized Swimming team manager, and one of the founding members of ROMOPHOS Sophomore Honor Society. She is currently a member of Mortar Board Senior Honor Society and also a member of Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholars where she is a mentor for those currently in the program.

Zach Illes is enrolled at Ohio Northern University where he is studying electrical engineering as well as earning minors in computer science and applied mathematics. Before going to college, he was a 10-year member of the Fantastic Futures 4-H Club and was actively involved in the club. He was also involved in other programs in the county such as Junior Fair Board where he served as the Vice-President and served as a 4-H Camp Counselor for five years. He will be returning to Camp one last time this summer as a counselor through the College Plus Program.

Jordan Mattox, a 12-year member of Franklin County 4-H, enjoys livestock and STEM projects. Jordan values the connections made through 4-H. Outside 4-H, she enjoys the gym, friends, family, and pets. She will attend The Ohio State University to major in animal sciences with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. Go Bucks!

Isabella Byrd is a first-year transfer student at The Ohio State University majoring in natural resource management with a minor in studio art. Prior to Ohio State, she was a Future Scientist Scholar at Columbus State Community College where she graduated Cum Laude. She is the newly elected Chronicler for Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences professional honorary fraternity, Alpha Zeta Partners. In addition to being active with AZP, Isabella is also serving in a newly created role as the Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed Community Liaison for the Society for Ecological Resortation at OSU. In this role, she will work closely with the student organization and FLOW members to coordinate volunteer efforts such as tree planting and invasive species removal along the Olentangy River. She is also active in Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANNRS). Isabella has served alongside fellow Buckeyes this year in Tampa, Florida and Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma through Buck-I-SERV trips. She works as a soil research assistant for the USDA during the academic year and surface water modeling intern for the Ohio EPA during the summer. As a 4-H alumni and previous state achievement award winner, Isabella makes time to give back to both 4-H and her community. She has volunteered at We Grow Scientists, taught an art SPIN 4-H Club, volunteered for Franklin County Extension representing 4-H at Canal Winchester’s STEAM Expo, and serves as a volunteer swim coach for Groveport Special Olympics. Isabella would like to express her gratitude to Farm Bureau for supporting her personally as well as all of the work they do to support and strengthen the community.

Elsa Lapierre is a recent homeschool graduate. She currently works at Harrison Farm where she found her passion for agriculture. She is attending the Ohio State University’s Wooster Campus this fall pursuing a degree in small ruminate herd management. After she graduates, she looks forward to working full time at Harrison Farm.

Samantha York is a 2024 graduate of Gahanna Lincoln High School and will be attending Dennison University to study biology. She is a 13-year member of the 4-H Dream Achievers 4-H club and was the 2022 Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Gardening and Horticulture. She has also served on the Franklin County Junior Fair Board for five years, was runner-up fair queen, and was on the Franklin County 4-H Teen Leadership Council. Her favorite 4-H projects have been market lambs and flower gardening. In high school, she was involved in sailing, National Honor Society, National Chinese Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, HOSA, choir and orchestra.

Kyra Bradshaw is a prospective Elementary Education major at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. She has been actively involved in school, church, and 4-H, participating in choir, theater, Student Council, youth group, and Sunday School teaching. Kyra has been in 4-H for seven years, achieving milestones like attending the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta and the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C.

Elayna Foor is an incoming third-year student at Miami University, pursuing a degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Premedical Studies. Alongside her academics, Elayna serves in multiple executive positions across campus, including past Vice President and incoming President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Representatives, as well as past Event Planner and incoming Treasurer of Nu Rho Psi. She is a proud member of Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity and greatly enjoys conducting behavioral neuroscience research through the Learning, Memory, and Emotion Lab. Elayna is exceptionally proud of her family’s agricultural history, seeking to honor her roots by serving the community as a future physician.

Zach Neville, will be attending Miami University, as a junior, in the fall to play baseball and pursue a degree in marketing.

Justin Hollick – Justin just finished his sixth semester at The Ohio State University as an Environment and Natural Resource scholar in the Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife major. Justin was involved in 4-H for 10 years and served on the Franklin County Junior Fair Board for six years. Currently, Justin is a member of the OSU Fish and Wildlife Society and serves on the Ohio State Class Gift Council. This summer, he will be working again with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in the division of surface water as a fish sampling intern. He is grateful to the Franklin County Farm Bureau for supporting Franklin County youth and his college education.