Twelve area students receive Agri-Business Club scholarships

The Jefferson County Agri-Business Club last month awarded scholarships to 12 students, according to a recent news release.

This year’s recipients include six students enrolled in college and six students who are high school seniors, the release stated.

Scholarship recipients include: Tyce Bettenhausen, Cambridge; Ava Wilson, Cottage Grove; Julian Bos and Melia Schueler, both of Fort Atkinson; Emily Zilisch, Jefferson; Laura Traver, Johnson Creek; Jena Lenz and Ashley Brandel, both of Lake Mills; Ian Spoke, Waterloo and  Brandon Boyd, Maryann Gudenkauf and Luis Avila Vette, all of Watertown. 

The students were recognized and awarded their scholarships during the club’s April meeting.

According to the release, the club has formed a tradition of awarding scholarships to students pursuing careers in agriculture through post-secondary education.

The club raises funds throughout the course of each year, with two primary fundraising sources identified as the organization’s food stand operated annually at the Jefferson County Fair, and a campaign to sell cheese conducted each year in advance of the Christmas holiday season. 

Recipients of the scholarships are selected from those who submit an application, including school transcripts and a letter of recommendation, the release noted, adding that the application form additionally seeks information about school activities, leadership, and work experience, and requires the applicant to answer two essay questions about agriculture.

During the club’s April meeting, the scholarship recipients each introduced themselves and presented information about their agricultural activities and future plans.

This year, according to the release, the club’s fundraising initiatives netting enough resources to give each recipient on award of $7,500.

The club also administers the Jones Dairy Farm Scholarship and the Will Larsen Agricultural Education Scholarship, which provided an additional $1,250 of scholarship funding, the release noted.

The Jones Dairy Farm Scholarship, which is in its second year, was established using proceeds from ticket sale revenues earned through the Jones Dairy Farm’s Yellow Barn Centennial Celebration in 2022.

The Will Larsen Agriculture Education Scholarship, named after the late Jefferson High School agriculture teacher and founding Agri-Business Club member, and FFA advisor at Jefferson High School, has been established by his friends and family. This is the second year the scholarship has been awarded. Larsen died in 2022, the release stated. The memorial scholarship is awarded to a student who is pursing an education degree with plans to be an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor.

A brief bio about each student follows.

Cambridge

Bettenhausen, according to the release, was a member of Lake Ripley 4-H, where his projects included beef, swine, crops, and photography. He served as vice president for two years. In Cambridge FFA, he served as president and vice president. Bettenhausen was chairman of the parliamentary procedure team and also participated in agronomy and livestock judging.

At Cambridge High School, he participated in football, wrestling, and baseball.

Additionally, he milked cows at A and D Olson Farm and worked at Bettenhausen Beef Farm, where he cared for cattle and performed field work.

Bettenhausen plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he will study agricultural business. Upon graduation, he plans to work in ag sales.

Cottage Grove

Wilson attends Lakeside Lutheran High School, and plans to attend UW-River Falls, where she will major in agriculture education, with future plans of  becoming a teacher.

Wilson serves as the secretary of the Richwood Ranger 4-H Club and will be showing beef this year. She also, as a member of the Lakeside Lutheran FFA, has shown sheep. In high school, she played basketball and soccer. Wilson is a member of National Honor Society and the Lakeside Acapella Choir. She also performs music at her church.

Wilson “gained valuable skills,” the release noted, when she worked at the H.M. Clause Research Station. This summer marks the third year she has worked with the station’s crop research projects.

Fort Atkinson

Bos plans to attend Fox Valley Technical College where he will study diesel technology and farm mechanics. He has participated in the youth apprenticeship program with Griffin Dodge and Harold’s Muffler for two years.

He was a member of Rock River Clovers 4-H Club, where he earned gold and emerald awards. His projects included photography, poultry, woodworking, archery, diorama, home environment, fishing, and wildlife.

As a Fort Atkinson High School student, Bos was a member of the golf and archery teams. He earned  second place in the Fort Atkinson Archery Tournament, and he served as Fort Atkinson FFA’s sentinel, and earned his state FFA degree. Additionally, Bos participated as a member of two state-qualifying wildlife judging teams.

Schueler was a member of Rock River Clovers 4-H and Fort Atkinson FFA. With a high school GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.95, she is today a freshman at Taylor University on an equine rehabilitation track. In college, she is on the equestrian team and is a member of Basics.

Schueler worked at Lone Star Stables and has her own horse, which was the subject of her supervised agricultural experience (SAE) project. In FFA, she was on the dairy judging and horse judging teams. Exhibiting dairy cattle and horses at the county fair were part of Schueler’s summers for years, the release stated. She served as 4-H club secretary and reporter. In high school, Schueler was on the swim team and ran track. She was also a four-year member of show choir. These activities helped Melia earn an academic letter and vocal music letter, the release noted.

Jefferson

Zilisch is a sophomore at Iowa State University where she is studying dairy science and agronomy, with plans to pursue as an agronomist. She is the public relations officer in the Iowa State dairy science club and is in the agronomy club. At college, she also is active in intramural sports.

Zilisch was the Jefferson FFA president for two years and also served as chapter historian. She also helped with the Jefferson County Agri-Business Club 4^th Grade Farm Tour. She played volleyball for four years, gymnastics for three years, and track and field for four years. She earned her varsity letter in all three sports.

During her time in high school, Zilisch milked cows and fed calves at Magritz Dairy LLC. In her free time, she volunteered at St. Vincent’s de Paul thrift store and at her church’s fall festival.

Johnson Creek

Traver is a seven-year member of Farmington 4-H, where she served as president. She carried the dog project, earning high marks in showmanship, during both county- and statewide shows.

While at Jefferson High School, Traver was in FFA, forensics, and on the tennis team, earning a varsity letter. She worked at Jefferson County Parks as a groundskeeper and at Jelli’s Market as a strawberry picker.

Traver is attending UW-Stevens Point, where she is majoring in forestry, with an emphasis in ecosystem restoration and management, with a minor in soils. She is a member of the school’s tennis team and is a peer tutor.

Lake Mills

Lenz was a member of the Hubbleton Hustlers 4-H, where she participated in such projects as poultry and woodworking. She held the offices of treasurer and reporter.

As a member of the Jefferson FFA, Lenz served as vice president and reporter. While in high school, she was a member of the golf and swim teams, a four-year track athlete, and a four-year basketball player and two-year team captain.

Lenz plans to attend UW-River Falls, where she plans to pursue an agriculture education major and an agribusiness minor. Her goal is to become an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, the release read. In addition to her Jefferson County Agri-Business Club scholarship, Lenz is the recipient of the Will Larsen Agriculture Education Scholarship.

Lenz has work at Bennett’s Greenhouse and as a member of the grounds staff at Evergreen Cemetery. In addition, she worked on two dairy farms: Hasel Farms and Straussdale Farms.

Brandel is a member of South Side Eagles 4-H where she has participated in dairy, sheep, horse, and beef projects. She will graduate from Lake Mills High School this spring, and next will attend UW-River Falls, where she plans to major in dairy science. Future plans include working in the dairy cattle reproduction industry.

Brandel has served as Lake Mills FFA sentinel, and for two years, as vice president. She participated as a member of the dairy judging team and earned her state FFA degree. In 4-H, she served as vice president, secretary, and reporter. Brandel also served on the Jefferson County 4-H dairy judging team.

Brandel was a four-year member of Lake Mills High School basketball team and was named a “Dairy Athlete of the Month” by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

As a member of the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, she competed in dairy bowl and serves on the junior activities committee. She was the recipient of a Distinguished Junior Member award and Progressive Breeder Awards for her Holsteins.

Brandel works at Straussdale Holsteins where she milks cows, feeds calves, and works with the show string. Additionally, she worked for Ocean-View Genetics during the summer where she milked cows, fed animals, and worked with the show animals.

Waterloo

Spoke was a 10-year member of the Portland Boosters 4-H Club, where he carried dairy and beef as his projects. As a Waterloo FFA member, he was Star Greenhand and Star Chapter Farmer. He also participated in the FFA creed and extemporaneous speaking contests.

In 4-H, Spoke served as vice president and reporter. In high school, he was active in sports, including football and wrestling. He was honorable mention all-conference lineman and a sectional qualifier in wrestling. He also played trumpet in the high school band.

Spoke will attend South Dakota State University, where he plans to major in agriculture science and dairy production. He works on the family farm, Northcrest Dairy, where he feeds calves and handles a variety of chores.

Watertown

Boyd is the recipient of the Jones Dairy Farm Scholarship.

He is finishing his freshman year at UW-Madison, where he is majoring in agronomy and agricultural business management. He is a member of Collegiate Farm Bureau, Badger Dairy Club, Badger Crops Club, and ¼ Scale Tractor Pulling Club. Boyd also is involved with the crop judging team and the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He competed in the Young Farmers and Agriculturists Collegiate Discussion Meet and placed third at the local level.

Boyd graduated from Watertown High School as valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA and was inducted into the National Honor Society. In high school, he was involved with the trap shooting team, solo and ensemble, and marching band.

Boyd was in the Lebanon Luckie 4-H Club for eight years and served as president, vice president, treasurer, and reporter and earned the Wisconsin 4-H Key Award. He participated in avian quiz bowl and poultry judging.

He served as Watertown FFA’s vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Boyd earned his Wisconsin State FFA Degree and state gold proficiency awards for diversified crop production placement and diversified livestock production entrepreneurship. He also served on the state of Wisconsin’s Agricultural Youth Council.

Boyd is a member of his church’s brass choir and has played trumpet for seven years. He umpires youth baseball and also works at Boyd Family Farm, Tietz Family Farms, and Rural Mutual Insurance.

Gudenkauf graduated from Watertown High School, and is today a sophomore at UW-Madison, where she is majoring in dairy science and agronomy. She aims to have a career in dairy consulting and sales.

Gudenkauf served as the Watertown FFA president, treasurer, and sentinel. Her first FFA supervised agricultural experience (SAE) was dairy production placement. She started feeding calves and milking cows and advanced to mixing feed, eventually earning a gold proficiency award in this area. She has been working at the UW-Madison Swine Research and Teaching Center since July 2021, preparing college research projects as well as caring for 1,200 head of swine. This project has expanded her knowledge and makes her excited to learn more about the agriculture industry, the release read.

Gudenkauf participated in several FFA speaking contests. She placed second in the district and third in the section in the FFA creed speaking contest in 2019. Additionally, she placed second in the district in extemporaneous speaking and her team won the district parliamentary procedure contest for three years.

She played varsity volleyball, was a team captain, and earned first team all-conference. Other activities included Watertown FFA trap shooting team and Watertown forensics.

Avila Vette graduated from Watertown High School and today attends the UW-Platteville, majoring in soil and crop science. He is on the collegiate soils judging team and is a member of the Pioneer Dairy Club and Horticulture Club. His team earned third place at the Region 3 Soils Judging Contest.

As a member of the Watertown FFA, Avila Vette participated in creed speaking, soil judging, and parliamentary procedure. He served as chapter sentinel and reporter. He placed first in the parliamentary procedure and employment skills contests. Additionally, he was on the first place team at World Dairy Expo’s Forage Judging Contest. His FFA SAE project was Grain and forage production, in addition to vegetable production. He maintains a garden and sells to local customers.

Avila Vette carried several projects in the Lebanon Luckies 4-H Club and played youth baseball. Additionally, he is active in his church and serves as a confirmation mentor.

Avila Vette feeds cattle on his grandfather and uncle’s farm, and, when not at school, he helps with the planting and harvesting of corn, oats, alfalfa, and wheat. At UW-Platteville, he is a resident assistant, where he oversees the agricultural living learning community, which includes freshmen agriculture majors.

About the club

According to the release, the mission of the Jefferson County Agri-Business Club is to promote an active interest in agribusiness and serve the community as a future resource. The club’s goal is to promote the agribusiness community to the local and state population through education, media, visits to local agribusinesses, fundraisers, scholarships, and providing funding to organizations that promote the ag community. To learn more about the organization, visit its website: www.jeffersoncountyagribusinessclub.com.