The 2020 Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame inductees, Tori Booker, left, and Erin Slagell, right, each received a $5,000 scholarship sponsored by Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma. (Photo by Todd Johnson, Agricultural Communications Services)

Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma raises 4-H scholarships

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma increased its annual gift from $5,000 to $10,000 to honor Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame Scholarship winners.

The Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame is the most prestigious award a 4-H member can earn on the state level. Annually, two outstanding 4-H members are inducted into the Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame and earn a $2,500 scholarship sponsored by Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma. In 2020, to further recognize the time and effort exemplified by the Hall of Fame inductees, executive management of the Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma increased the amount of the scholarships from $2,500 to $5,000 per recipient.

Since 1980, Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma has generously sponsored the Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame scholarships, amounting to more than $160,000 to support the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation and Oklahoma Youth Development Program.

“Farm Credit has been a great partner for the Hall of Fame scholarship, which recognizes the top Oklahoma 4-H members each year,” said Jered Davidson, Oklahoma 4-H Foundation Board of Directors president. “This prestigious honor is now accompanied by the largest scholarship offered to Oklahoma 4-H members to reward the efforts of those working so hard to achieve their goals.”

Milford H. Jenkins, Oklahoma 4-H Foundation executive director, said increasing the Hall of Fame scholarships has been a goal of the Foundation for several years.

“We were delighted by Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma’s decision to double their annual charitable gift for our Hall of Fame scholarships,” Jenkins said. “4-H youth are fortunate to have supporters like Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma who believe in our mission and recognize the value of investing in our state and nation’s most valuable resource, the next generation of leaders.”

The increase of the Hall of Fame scholarships marks a new chapter of the longstanding partnership between the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation and Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma.

“Farm Credit hopes that when 4-H students could choose to do something other than

work on projects or volunteer in their community, the increased scholarship amount will provide encouragement to continue to be a leader, to be a positive influence,” said Patrick Zeka, president and CEO of Oklahoma AgCredit, on behalf of Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma.

On July 22, 2020, the first recipients of the newly increased 4-H Hall of Fame scholarships were recognized during the virtual Oklahoma 4-H Honor Night Assembly. Erin Slagell, Custer County 4-H member, and Tori Booker, Jackson County 4-H member, were honored as the 2020 Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame inductees.

In 2020, 90 Oklahoma 4-H members received $101,200 in academic scholarships through the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation and $27,900 through the Pickens Legacy Scholarships housed in the OSU Foundation. Additionally, $21,200 in travel awards also were awarded to 49 4-H members. This amounts to an incredible $150,300 invested in the lives and education of Oklahoma 4-H youth.

The Oklahoma 4-H Foundation supports the mission of Oklahoma 4-H by allocating private fund development to support programs, scholarships, awards and activities. To learn more about the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation, visit www.oklahoma4hfoundation.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Emily Gerstenkorn | Oklahoma 4-H Foundation | 405-744-5390 | emily.gerstenkorn@okstate.edu