By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Four college students majoring in agricultural education received the Mia Balko Student Teaching Scholarship from Texas Farm Bureau (TFB).
The scholarship recipients include Christian Floyd, Katelyn Grantham, Kerra James and Taylor Sanders. All four students attend Tarleton State University in Stephenville.
“These four students are passionate about agricultural education and inspiring the next generation to learn more about agriculture and pursue ag-related careers,” McKenna Bush, TFB youth outreach coordinator, said. “We are proud to play a role in their future endeavors of connecting students to agriculture.”
College students from TFB member-families who are pursuing a degree in agricultural education applied for the $1,500 scholarship in the spring. The funds will be used during the fall semester of off-campus student teaching.
As a student teacher, there’s not typically time to have another job due to classroom responsibilities, Bush noted.
“Student teachers work alongside an experienced teacher for a semester as part of the agricultural education experience. They prepare lessons, teach classes and supervise various FFA projects and contest trainings. It’s an invaluable part of the learning experience for future agricultural science teachers,” Bush said. “That schedule doesn’t allow them to have another job, so this scholarship aims to alleviate some of the financial burden for these students who are preparing for careers in agricultural education.”
The scholarship was renamed the Mia Balko Student Teaching Scholarship in 2021 after the late Mia Balko, who was a former agricultural science teacher and director of Youth Outreach for TFB.
There are about 2,400 full-time agricultural science teachers in Texas and over 1,100 active FFA chapters.
“Agricultural science teachers are in demand, and TFB wants to do our part helping students prepare to fill those roles,” Bush said.
Four scholarships will also be awarded in the fall to ag education seniors going into their student teaching semester in spring 2023.
Details will be available later this year on texasfarmbureau.org/scholarships.