Scholarships Available From AgStar

To celebrate agricultural education, AgStar has launched a purple ribbon video contest, asking participants to showcase their life as a fair showman. AgStar will announce the winners of the contest at the Grand Opening/Dedication of the AgStar Arena at the Minnesota State Fair on August 23.

The winners of the three age groups, aged 14-21, will receive a $500 scholarship. Contestants will compete for “likes” on Facebook.

Steve Pomerenke, associate vice president of financial services at AgStar, said that AgStar recognizes the importance of reaching out to organizations such as 4-H and FFA, who are heavily involved in their county fair and the Minnesota State Fair. “The 4-H & FFA organizations are an important training ground for the next generation of agricultural leaders. The young people in 4-H & FFA learn life skills that will be invaluable to their future careers. They develop communication skills, a strong work ethic, responsibility, the ability to work as a team, and decision making skills. AgStar Financial Services believes in the future of agriculture and 4-H & FFA members will play a large role in agriculture’s future,” stated Pomerenke.

To enter the contest, contestants will produce a video that shows their preparation of their animal for the fair.

Contestants will be divided into three age groups:

• 14-15 years old

• 16-18 years old

• 19-21 years old

Videos should be no longer than two minutes. Videos must be submitted by August 12, 2012. Voting takes place August 13-19, 2012. For complete contest rules, go to: http://agstar.com/Pages/Rules.aspx.  Wisconsin residents in AgStar’s service area are also eligible to enter the contest.