2013 NCACAA Youth Scholarship Winners

Callie Copeland is the daughter of Jeff and Jackie Copeland from Chowan County. Callie will be studying Environmental Design at North Carolina State University in the fall. Callie said that her farming background gives her an advantage in designing farm production units. She is excited to serve her home and community by creating buildings, which make better use of our natural resources. When asked how her Extension Agent father, Jeff Copeland has impacted her life, she says, “While my father served as an agriculture agent, I gained an appreciation for him helping other people. I recognize the positive impact my father had in the community and I hope to do the same with my degree from NC State. My father’s love and appreciation for agriculture taught me to value farm production. We have always had livestock and caring for another living animal has impacted my life by teaching me valuable skills like responsibility and time management. The past two seasons, my father has grown pumpkins and gourds. Working in the field planting, chopping, and picking has taught me about sales and marketing and has given me valuable work skills.”

Kaylyn Groce is the daughter of Sam and Julie Groce from Chatham County. She will study Agriculture Education at Oklahoma State University in the fall. She aspires to be a high school Agriculture Education instructor because her family has instilled in her the traditions, values, and importance of agricultural life. The experiences she has gained by living on a farm, raising beef cattle, and being active in leadership positions in FFA and 4-H, as well as being involved in local, state, and national agriculture organizations, has provided her with the foundation to help share her love of agriculture with others, especially young people. When asked how her Agent father, Sam Groce has impacted her life, she says, “My father has hauled me to agricultural events and meetings with him ever since I can remember. He also was the first person to get me started in 4-H at the age of seven when he gave me the responsibility of raising an orphan beef heifer calf named Helga. He helped me to study to earn a spot on my FFA chapter’s Floriculture team. My father’s encouragement and love of agriculture have been big influences as to why I want to become an Agriculture Education instructor. I can’t imagine being involved in any other industry other than agriculture. Helga is now 10 years old and a part of my own small beef cattle herd and it all started with my Dad!”