The National FFA Organization recently awarded a $1,000 Rose Acre Farms scholarship to Jacquelyn Leissa, a graduate of Putnam County High School and formerly of Newton High FFA. Leissa plans to use the funds to pursue a degree in animal science at Berry College.
This scholarship is one of 1,446 awarded through the National FFA Scholarship Program this year. Currently, 132 corporate sponsors generously contribute more than $1.9 million to support this program. National FFA Foundation scholarships have been awarded for 26 years through sponsorships with industries and businesses.
Scholarship recipients were selected from 8,305 applicants from across the country. Selections were based on the applicant’s academic record, FFA and other school and community activities, supervised agricultural experience program in agricultural education and future goals.
Leissa has won numerous FFA honors in Putnam and Newton counties, was nominated to the Governor’s Honors Program 2007-2008 class for agriculture, was a member of the Newton County 4-H 2009-2010 Beef Cattle Showteam, and an honors student. In addition to being a JV and varsity cheerleader and participating in FFA, she was a member of the Beta Club and Amicae Jr. Civitan. She also has participated in numerous volunteer capacities for organizations such as Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity and the Great America Cleanup.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 506,199 student members — all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture — as part of 7,429 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The National FFA organization operates under a Federal Charter granted by the 81st Congress of the United States. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction of FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs.
