Aurora Cooperative Announces 2020 Scholarship Winners

Aurora, Neb. – The Aurora Cooperative is pleased to announce its 2020 scholarship winners. Each year the Aurora Cooperative awards scholarships to students pursuing a college education and career in agriculture. This year $10,000 in scholarships was awarded to 15 students. The top five scholarship winners each received $1,000 with the remaining 10 students receiving $500 each. The Aurora Cooperative is honored to help each of these outstanding young people further their education and achieve their goals within the agricultural field.

The students receiving $1,000 are as follows: Blaine Bonifas, son of Greg and Barb Bonifas of Aurora, NE; Jennica Dannehl, daughter of Calvin and Sandra Dannehl of Bertrand, NE; Kalynn Meyer, daughter of Andy and Peggy Meyer of Superior, NE; Kyra Meyer, daughter of Brandon and Kami Meyer of Blue Hill, NE; and Hannah Preissler, daughter of Dan and Tammie Preissler of Giltner, NE.

Students receiving $500 are as follows: Ragen Alfs, daughter of Bryan and Kari Alfs of Shickley, NE; Ryan Brown, son of Scott and Laurie Brown of Gothenburg, NE; Cole Consbruck, son of Eugene and Laurie Consbruck of Doniphan, NE;  Lucy Day, daughter of Chad and Sarah Day of Yuma, CO; Raegan Fiala, daughter of Lance and Dana Fiala of Geneva, NE; Justin Stengel, son of Corey and Brenda Stengel of Shickley, NE; James Wetovick, son of Rod and Penny Wetovick of Fullerton, NE; Allison Wilkens, daughter of Mike and Kimberly Wilkens of Gibbon, NE; Gage Wright, son of Wryan and Cris Wright of Hastings, NE; and Brendan Wruble, son of Gerald and Shari Wruble of Clarks, NE.

As part of the application, each student was asked to write an essay titled, “How I Plan to Contribute to Agriculture.” Below is a small excerpt from the top five students’ essays.

“I plan to major in Agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My career goals are to become an agronomist and work with farmers to produce the grain needed to feed our world. I am planning to use the knowledge I gain while in college to help the producers feed our world in the most efficient manner possible. It is vital that we have producers that are working at their highest potential while protecting our natural resources. I see my role as being the individual who can coordinate with all stakeholders and come up with progressive, innovative ways to meet the needs of our ever-changing world.” – Blain Bonifas

“I am trying my best to be an “AgVocate” for the agriculture industry. After I graduate from high school, I plan to attend Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Oklahoma to study Equine Science. I grew up with horses, and I enjoy showing and learning more about them. Although horses are not as commonly used as they were several years ago, horses still play a huge role in agriculture. Horses serve their purpose as livestock but in a different way. Ranchers use horses to round up cattle and to check pens in feedlots. Compared to cattle, horses do not have much profit from just owning them. Educating the public about the importance of horses and agriculture is something that I will continue to do.”– Jennica Dannehl

“Acquiring an Agriculture Engineering degree would give me the opportunity to come back to a small town that relies heavily on farming and ranching and utilize my knowledge and skills to advance the agriculture technology in the area. I would look to solve current and futuristic environmental issues, design new machinery, manage a farm equipment company and/or start my own business that works directly with area farmers to improve their operations.” – Kalynn Meyer

“I plan to study for a degree in Agricultural Communication and hoping for a job in animal health. I also have my own herd of purebred angus cattle and I would like to continue contributing to agriculture as a producer. To me this is the ultimate way to be involved on a personal level as well as contribute to our world’s food supply. With fewer and fewer young people coming back to the family farm it is important to me to keep this option open because nothing else is possible without the next generation.” – Kyra Meyer

“It is my hope to go to college to get a degree in Agricultural Environmental Science Communications, then I intend to join a company and be an advocate for them. It’s very important that companies have people who are able to communicate with others what they are trying to get done. I love talking to people and I have a background in ag so I think I will be a great asset in any company that needs someone to help reach a platform of people. By being able to communicate what companies want people to know I think that it can make a big difference in the agricultural world. Communication is the key to success and through this communication people all over can get a better understanding of what is happening in agriculture today and that can allow people to support what is going on around them.  – Hannah Preissler

About Aurora Cooperative – Established in 1908, Aurora Cooperative is driven by one fundamental belief: By joining together, farmers can accomplish things they cannot accomplish alone. That belief hasn’t changed in more than 100 years, and it’s why every decision and every investment we make is focused on what’s best for the farmers who own this company. To learn more about The Aurora Cooperative, visit their website at www.auroracoop.com.