Two state awards and eleven district awards issued
Two New York high school seniors have received the distinct honor of being named recipients of New York Farm Bureau’s 2026 Agricultural Youth Scholarship. NYFB also named eleven district scholarship winners in the statewide competition.
To qualify for scholarships, applicants must have a student or family membership in Farm Bureau. A panel of judges selects the winners based on their essay submissions and applications, which include community and agricultural engagement. District winners then compete for state scholarships.
The first-place state winner is Carter Kuipers of Byron, NY. He received a $3,000 scholarship from New York Farm Bureau, along with $250 as the District 2 winner. He is a member of Genesee County Farm Bureau and is a senior at Byron-Bergen Senior High School. Kuipers plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill to study agricultural power machinery with a career goal related to diesel technology. His agricultural experience includes working on his family’s farms, where he cares for animals and maintains equipment. He has been an active member of FFA, including serving as the 2022-2025 Chapter Secretary, and has received many FFA awards and recognitions. Kuipers has been an active participant in the 4-H Beef and Dairy Club for the past decade. Outside of agricultural activities, he is a sectional champion of his school’s swim team and a member of the clay target team, while also finding time to volunteer with his local church.
The second-place state winner is Mason Hill of Candor, NY. He received a $2,000 scholarship from New York Farm Bureau, along with $250 as the District 4 winner. He is a member of Tioga County Farm Bureau and a senior at Owego Free Academy. Hill plans to attend Cornell University to study animal science with a career goal related to beef farming. His experience in agriculture encompasses managing all aspects of production, including raising Lowline Angus cattle on his family’s beef farm. He has worked with a wide variety of livestock species through the Broome-Tioga BOCES Animal Science Program. Over the past four years, he has been an active member of FFA, serving as president, vice president, and treasurer, in addition to receiving many awards and recognitions. Hill has also served as team captain for his school’s varsity football team, is an active member of National Honor Society, and is a devoted volunteer, completing more than 60 hours of community service.
Each district winner receives a $250 scholarship. The 2026 district winners, excluding Districts 2 and 4 as listed above, are:
District 1: Olivia Shawley of Randolph, NY, is a member of Cattaraugus County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Oklahoma State University to study agricultural communications with a career goal related to agricultural advocacy.
District 3: Mallory Brown of Auburn, NY, is a member of Cayuga County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend SUNY Morrisville to study horticulture and landscape design with a career goal related to conservation.
District 5: Brycen Aukema of Castle Creek, NY, is a member of Broome County Farm Bureau. He plans to attend the University of Wisconsin to study dairy science with a career goal related to dairy owning and herding.
District 6: Jocelyn Widrick of Chaumont, NY, is a member of Jefferson County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Maine Maritime Academy to study marine engineering operations with a career goal related to engineering.
District 7: Gavin Yestemski of Plattsburgh, NY, is a member of Clinton County Farm Bureau. He plans to attend Paul Smith’s College to study environmental science with a career goal related to becoming a forest ranger.
District 8: Aiden Swezey of Fort Ann, NY, is a member of Washington County Farm Bureau. He plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Morrisville, or Cornell University to study agribusiness or agricultural science with a career goal related to becoming a beef farmer.
District 9: Benjamin Walrath of Warnerville, NY, is a member of Schoharie County Farm Bureau. He plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill to study wildlife management with a career goal related to becoming a wildlife conservation officer.
District 10: Riley Mahaffey of Amenia, NY, is a member of Dutchess County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Cornell University to study agribusiness with a related career goal.
District 11: William Dupree of Water Mill, NY, is a member of Long Island Farm Bureau. He plans to attend Cornell University to study agricultural sciences with a career goal related to agriculture.
