Scholarship winners Tate Overton, Hope Blair, and Hayden Lovell. Photo credit: Helena Agri-Enterprises.
Helena Agri-Enterprises has awarded three Illinois high school graduates Homegrown Scholarships valued at $1,000 each to support their pursuit of higher education in agriculture.
The Homegrown Scholarship program is available to graduating high school seniors in 15 states who plan to enroll in agriculture-related degree programs. Helena said the scholarship is part of its ongoing effort to support the next generation of agricultural professionals.
Illinois recipients for 2026 include:
- Tate Overton of Mattoon, a graduate of Mattoon High School who will attend Lake Land Community College to study diesel and ag power technology.
- Hayden Lovell of Ashmore, a graduate of Casey-Westfield Junior-Senior High School who will attend Lake Land Community College to study agribusiness.
- Hope Blair of Pekin, a graduate of Pekin Community High School who will attend Oklahoma State University to study agribusiness farm and ranch management.
The scholarship program is open to graduating seniors in select counties of Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, as well as the states of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Applicants must submit a 300-word essay describing their positive impact on their community and a 500-word essay outlining their passion for agriculture and future plans to contribute to the industry. Scholarship recipients are selected by Helena location management across the region.
Applications for the 2027 Homegrown Scholarship program are expected to become available in early 2027 through agricultural educators and local FFA chapters in participating states and counties.
In addition to the scholarship program, Helena offers summer internship opportunities for college students throughout the Midwest. Information about future internships is expected to be released this fall.
Source: Helena Agri-Enterprises, "Three Illinois Students Among Regional Ag Scholarship Winners in 2026"