Zane Adams

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Brayden Hearn

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Lauren Hudson

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Kaitlyn Johnson

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Ruby Phillips

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Laurel Clark

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Vanessa Gaines

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Dathan Ivory

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Olivia Daniels

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Emerson Hickey

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

Sydney Phipps

Photo courtesy of Delaware Farm Bureau

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The Delaware Farm Bureau’s Women’s Committee, Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and three county boards have announced their 2023 scholarship awardees.

Various activities raise funds for these scholarships, like the annual Strawberry Festival and Antique Tractor Pull, plus the Women’s Committee runs a food booth at the Delaware State Fair.

The Sussex County winners are:

• Zane Adams won a Sussex County Women’s Committee Scholarship. The Seaford resident will receive $1,000 as he continues his environmental and soil sciences studies at The University of Tennessee. Mr. Adams grew up on a family farm and is a 2021 graduate of Seaford High School, where he was active in the National Honor Society, HOSA Future Health Professionals, the National FFA Organization and varsity soccer, baseball and football. Outside of school, Mr. Adams participated in the local 4-H club for more than 10 years, acting as treasurer, vice president and president, and in county-level 4-H, as treasurer, also earning the Hands Award.
• Brayden Hearn won Women’s Committee and Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee scholarships. The Laurel resident will receive $2,500 from the statewide Women’s Committee and $1,000 from the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee as he plans to study agribusiness at Delaware Valley University. He graduated from Laurel High School and was active on the wrestling and football teams. Mr. Hearn was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the National Junior Swine Association, Laurel Pop Warner, the school’s National FFA Organization and the Holler-n-Hooves 4-H Club. As an FFA member, he served as treasurer and president, and earned Greenhand and State degrees. The Hearn family operates Sandyloam Farm.
• Lauren Hudson won a Sussex County Farm Bureau Scholarship. The Lincoln resident and 2022 Milford High School graduate will receive $500 to continue her studies in elementary education and music at the University of Delaware. In high school, she was active in the National FFA Organization chapter, Educators Rising, the National Honor Society and HOSA Future Health Professionals. She is also involved with St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Avenue United Methodist Church and the Milford Community Band.
• Kaitlyn Johnson won Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and Sussex County Farm Bureau scholarships. The Selbyville resident will receive $1,000 from the committee and $500 from the bureau as she heads to the University of Delaware to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. The 2023 Indian River High School graduate grew up on the family farm and was a member of the Math League, the Leo Club, the National Honor Society, the Drama Club, Odyssey of the Mind, the Educational Talent Search program with Delaware Technical Community College and the National 4-H Summit for Agri-Science. Ms. Johnson also spent many years as a 4-H club member and volunteer, and was the Delaware 4-H pollinator ambassador. And, as a Girl Scout, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards.
• Ruby Phillips won a Sussex County Farm Bureau Scholarship. The Georgetown resident will receive $500 to benefit her studies in elementary education and Spanish at Butler University. Ms. Phillips graduated from Sussex Academy, where she was in the Drama Department, the National Honor Society, the choir and the band. She took music lessons for 12 years, participated in her church’s youth group, volunteered as a Sunday school helper and teacher for three years, played the violin for the worship team and was awarded the Overall Spirit Award through the Distinguished Young Women program. Ms. Phillips spent her youth on the family farm, where she worked the produce stand for several summers.

The Kent County winners are:

• Laurel Clark won a Kent County Women’s Committee Scholarship. The Smyrna resident will receive $1,000 for pre-veterinary studies at the University of Delaware. Ms. Clark is a 2023 graduate of Middletown High School, where she was captain of the varsity field hockey and varsity soccer teams, an animal science ambassador and a member of the National Honor Society, the Student-Athlete Leadership Team, the National FFA Organization and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Club. She was also a 13-year member of her local 4-H club, acting as treasurer, and participated in travel soccer for several years.
• Vanessa Gaines won the Hubert Cannon Memorial Scholarship from the Kent County Farm Bureau. The Camden resident will receive $1,000 as she moves on to The State University of New York to study canine training and management, as well as equine-assisted therapy. Ms. Gaines graduated this year from Caesar Rodney High School, where she earned a State Degree in the school’s National FFA Organization chapter. She was also a two-year captain for the cross-country team and spent one year as the softball captain. Additionally, she was involved in the Math League, the Chorale Choir, the National Honor Society, the 2023 Club, the Manship Chapel youth group, the Manship Chapel adult choir and the Westville 4-H Club, as secretary, vice president and president.
• Dathan Ivory won the Roland Garrison Memorial Scholarship from the Kent County Farm Bureau. The Marydel resident will receive $1,000 as he moves on to study sports management and agribusiness at the University of Delaware. Mr. Ivory graduated this year from Caesar Rodney High School, where he was a member of the Blue-Gold Club, the Sportsmanship Club and the National Honor Society. He played several sports, including basketball, cross-country and track, and acted as captain. He was also involved with Calvary United Methodist Church.

The New Castle County winners are:

• Olivia Daniels won a New Castle County Farm Bureau Scholarship. The Galena, Maryland, resident will receive $500 as she studies environmental science at Bridgewater College. She graduated in 2022 from Kent County (Maryland) High School, where she was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and the Interact Club. She also was on the varsity soccer team (as captain in 2021), the varsity lacrosse team (as captain in 2022) and the National FFA Organization, for which she was the reporter and treasurer. Outside of school, Ms. Daniels was active in her local 4-H club and her church’s youth group. At Bridgewater, she was a member of the lacrosse team and the Flory Honors Program.
• Emerson Hickey won a New Castle County Farm Bureau Scholarship. The Middletown resident will receive $500 as she heads to the University of Delaware to study marketing. She graduated this year from Middletown High School, where she was a member of the Best Buddies program and HOSA Future Health Professionals. She was on the cheer squad, for which she was the JV captain for one year and earned an Outstanding Leadership Award. Ms. Hickey was also active in the school’s FFA chapter, acting as its reporter for a year and earning Greenhand and Chapter degrees. She participated in 4-H, as well, serving as the club president for two years, and was active in her church’s youth group.
• Sydney Phipps won the New Castle County Women’s Committee Scholarship. The Wilmington resident will receive $1,000 for her veterinary and biomedical sciences studies at Penn State University. She graduated from The Charter School of Wilmington in 2023 and spent her youth working on the family farm. Through school, she volunteered with the Ronald McDonald House Club, the Helping Paws Club, the Red Cross Club, the Bikes for Mozambique Club, the Make-a-Wish Club and the National Honor Society. She was also a 10-year member of New Castle County 4-H’s Sheep Club, for which she was president for five years.