The Rock Island Rotary Club and the Rock Island County Extension & 4-H Education Foundation awarded the 2020 Bert Blood Memorial Scholarships to the following Rock Island County 4-H high school seniors and 4-H alumni enrolled in college or trade school.
Hunter Johnson received a $1,500 scholarship. He is the son of Scott and Jamie Johnson of Reynolds, Ill. Hunter will graduate this spring from Rockridge High School. He is an 11 year member of the Rockridge Royals 4-H Club where he is currently serving as President. Hunter participated in many 4-H activities on state and county levels including the state Livestock Conference and the Farm Forensics Livestock Mystery Conference. His 4-H projects included Beef, Corn, Soybeans, Horticulture, Cooking, Woodworking and Visual Arts. He plans to attend Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College to major in Animal Science. Hunter credits 4-H with helping him learn about the business side of livestock and giving him the goals to further his education in agriculture.
Mia Freyermuth received a $1,000 scholarship. She is the daughter of Todd and Liane Freyermuth of Illinois City. Mia will graduate this spring from Rockridge High School. She is a 10 year member of the Prairie Ramblers 4-H Club where she has served as club secretary. She has participated in many 4-H activities including attending the World Pork Expo. Her 4-H projects have included Swine, Goats, Cows, Photography, Cake Decorating, Sheep, and Sewing. Mia plans to attend Illinois Central College to study Ag Business/Animal Science. Mia credits 4-H with helping her develop the stamina to get the job done. No matter the conditions, she had to show up – whether in the barn or the show ring – to ensure her animals were cared for and her 4-H projects completed to the best of her abilities.
Brianna Gorham received a $500 4-H alumni scholarship. She is the daughter of Keith and Jodie Gorham of Illinois City, Ill. She will be entering her senior year at Iowa State University majoring in Agriculture Business, Economics and International Agriculture. She is an active member of Iowa State University’s collegiate 4-H club. Brianna credits 4-H with helping hone her skills in public speaking, transforming her from a shy youth into a confident college senior who loves to present!
Nathan Parchert received a $500 4-H alumni scholarship. He is the son of Tom and Carol Parchert of Illinois City, Ill. He will be entering his junior year at Iowa State University where he is majoring in Agriculture Business. Nathan credits his 11 years in 4-H as giving him a deeper understanding of the value of agriculture and the importance of promoting the industry to others.
The Rock Island Rotary Club has been awarding the scholarships since 1973. They were started in honor of Albert M. “Bert” Blood, a long time Rock Island businessman who organized the Rotary Club’s annual Rural/Urban program up to his death in 1972 at age 101. Bert worked hard to ensure that Rock Island Rotary Club kept in touch with their dependence on rural production and supply. As tuition costs increased, the Rock Island County Extension & 4-H Education Foundation partnered with the Rotary Club to fund the scholarships. There is now a total of $4,750 available to qualifying applicants each year.