Seaboard Foods has awarded grants to three high school agricultural education programs to buy equipment for their ag mechanics classes, with a matching donation by CoBank.
The recipients, which received grants totaling $22,500, included:
- $10,000 to Beaver FFA Chapter in Beaver, Oklahoma;
- $5,000 to Hennessey FFA Chapter in Hennessey, Oklahoma; and
- $7,500 to Elkhart FFA Chapter in Elkhart, Kansas.
The grants were initiated by Seaboard Foods and matched in part by CoBank’s Sharing Success grant program.
This year’s recipients were selected for their dedication to advancing agricultural education and commitment to building hands-on trade skills for students.
Beaver FFA Advisor Ashley Harrison attended Seaboard Foods’ “Educator Learning Experience” in May and heard how the company could partner with educators in the classroom, including through the grants program.
“Receiving the grant has opened many doors for the students to gain hands-on experiences and opportunities that they may not have received otherwise,” Harrison said.
Hennessey FFA Advisor Jorge Huizer and Brain Runkle of Elkhart FFA each expressed gratitude for the grants from Seaboard Foods and CoBank and the positive impact they will have.
“With the influx of new and returning members, the demand for welding/fabrication experience has increased substantially,” Huizer said. “However, these experiences come with high costs and equipment wear and tear that leads to tool and equipment replacement often.
“The support that Seaboard Foods provided will allow us to expedite the purchase of needed equipment and welding consumables for students to practice and demonstrate skills learned in the shop/classroom laboratories.”
Read more seafood news from The Shelby Report.
Students Explore Industry Through Seaboard Foods’ Winternship
