Kankakee Times

The Kankakee County Farm Bureau Foundation is offering scholarships to students who wish to pursue a higher education in agriculture.

According to an The Daily Journal,  the foundation will provide each graduating high school senior in the program a scholarship in the amount of $1,500 this year. Since its creation, the foundation has awarded $109,900 in scholarships to Kankakee County students seeking a higher education in agriculture. Scholarships are made possible by contributions from Farm Bureau members, businesses and other organizations.

Kankakee County students of the 2021 high school graduating class wishing to pursue a higher education in agriculture can find scholarship applications at the Kankakee County Farm Bureau office or from their school guidance counselors. Completed applications must be turned in at the Farm Bureau office (or postmarked) by March 31.

Renewable scholarships, including Kevin Yohnka Memorial scholarships, are available for 2020 scholarship recipients in a denomination matching the recipient’s first year scholarship amount. Applicants applying for a renewable scholarship must submit an essay to The foundation detailing the experiences of their first semester. Essays should be no longer than one page and must be submitted (or postmarked) by March 1, 2022. 

The foundation has also made financial assistance available to those in agriculturally related workshops, conferences, classes, study sessions, and other programs. To be eligible, applicants must attend or apply to an agriculturally related program. Applications for financial assistance must be submitted at least one month in advance of the educational program the applicant is seeking financial assistance for and must include the program syllabus, contact information for the sponsoring agency or instructor, and costs associated with participation.

Priority will be given to Kankakee County residents or individuals with ties to Kankakee County or Kankakee County Farm Bureau family members. The foundation will judge criteria including program relevance to agriculture, program quality, and the applicant’s demonstrated interest in agriculture to determine eligibility.