MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota State University hosted the 12th annual Ag Bowl Scholarship Invitational Feb. 3, with over 1,100 FFA students from across the state visiting the campus.
The Ag Bowl Scholarship Invitational brings FFA students to campus to compete in Career Development Events (CDEs) formatted to the Minnesota FFA-certified rules. The top FFA chapter receives $500, the second-place team, $300, and a randomly-selected third team, $200. Members of the winning team are also awarded $500 in SMSU scholarships, and each member on the second-place team receives a $250 SMSU scholarship. Individual CDE winners receive SMSU scholarship dollars, too — $500 for first-place winners, and $250 for runners-up.
2023 Ag Bowl Scholarship CDE results and SMSU scholarships were awarded to the following from this area:
Best Informed Greenhand: Second place: Rylee Benda, Jackson County Central, $250 scholarship.
Creed Speaking: Second place: Alivia Fruechte, Pipestone, $250 scholarship.
Crops: First place: Rachel Tusa, Jackson County Central, $500 scholarship.
Floriculture: First place: Sophia Nelson, Murray County Central, $500 scholarship; Second place: Jenna Boeke, Pipestone Area, $250 scholarship.
Forestry: Second place: Paige Wilson, Mountain Lake, $250 scholarship.
Meats (ID only): First place: Aurora Winsel, Pipestone Area, $500 scholarship.
Prepared Public Speaking: First place: Chloe Olivier, Pipestone Area, $500 scholarship.
Soil: First place: Colton Carter, Westbrook – Walnut Grove, $500 scholarship.
Southwest Minnesota State University hosted its inaugural Ag Bowl in the fall of 2007 to celebrate agriculture in Minnesota. Over its 13 years, Ag Bowl has grown significantly — namely with the addition of the Ag Bowl Scholarship Invitational in 2012 to expose FFA members to agricultural academic opportunities available at SMSU.
Congressman Brad Finstad and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach were part of the opening program and visited with FFA students and advisors during their visit.
For complete results, visit
smsufoundation.org/agbowl/absi-results-2023.html
.
