40 March 27, 2014 2014 LOGAN COUNTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
Chamber awards eight ag scholarships for 2014
T
his year eight young men from Logan County were selected as recipients of the Lincoln/
Logan County Chamber of Commerce Ag Scholarship. A total of 18 students applied for
the scholarships this year. Those who won the awards this year went through an application
process as well as face-to-face interviews with the scholarship committee.
Chase is a junior at the University of Illinois,
majoring in crop sciences with a concentration in
crop agribusiness. He is the son of Rick and Debby
Aylesworth of Mount Pulaski
and a graduate of Mount
Pulaski High School.
Prior to college, Chase was
involved with his local 4-H
club for 11 years and was
a four-year member of the
Mount Pulaski FFA. In col-
lege, he is a member of the
Hoof and Horn Club and the Field and Furrow
Club.
Chase’s goal is to acquire a great deal of knowledge
regarding both products and problems associated
with crop production. He said his interest in agri-
culture is also tied to a sense of belonging and com-
munity that is found in the agricultural industry.
“I appreciate the tight community within the ag-
ricultural industry,” Chase said. “In my mind, no
other career choice would allow me to interact so
freely with people who share the same values and
interests as myself.”
Cole Baker is a graduate of Hartsburg-Emden High
School and is currently enrolled at Lincoln Land
Community College. He intends to further his
education after Lincoln Land
by attending Illinois State
University.
His chosen major is agriculture
education with a double
minor in ag business and ag
communications.
Cole is a Logan County native
from Emden. His parents are
Randy Baker and Jerry and Dara Entwistle.
While in high school, Cole was a member of the Logan
County 4-H Ambassadors and Hollanders 4-H. He was
also a member of the Hartsburg-Emden FFA and the
Illinois Junior Hereford Association. At Lincoln Land,
he is the vice president of the Lincoln Land Ag Club.
Cole said he believes that agriculture is a very broad
field and that what he learns in ag can easily cross over
to other careers as well. He noted that agriculture is an
ever-changing field with new developments daily, from
new livestock vaccines to new technology and new
developments in crop sciences.
Cole said his choice to become an ag educator was
influenced by his high school ag teacher.
“I feel that my ag teacher, Betsy Pech, had some part
in my decision,” Cole said. “I have been pondering
the decision to go into agriculture education for
some time. After being Section 14 FFA president and
working with high school students, I felt that ag ed was
for me.”
A
G
S
CHOLARSHIPS
Chase Aylesworth
Cole Baker
