Benton Community Student Alex Ludeking  receives scholarship

Tori Hlas, second from left, was awarded a scholarship from the 4-H Foundation.

Alex is awarded $1,500 Ralph and Agnes Dostal 4-H Scholarship

Hlas is awarded $1,000 from Campbell Determan 4-H Scholarship

Ames - Alex Ludeking, from Benton County, was awarded the Ralph and Agnes Dostal 4-H Scholarship through the Iowa 4-H Foundation at the recognition ceremony on Sunday, June 5 in Ames.

Tori Hlas was awarded the Campbell Determan Scholarship

Ninety-five Iowa 4-H scholarships valued at over $124,000 were awarded as a part of the Foundation’s scholarship recognition ceremony. Over 454 applications were submitted and scholarships have been awarded to recipients from 50 counties across the state of Iowa with a wide variety of 4-H experiences.

4-H allowed Alex to experience the world and accomplish more than he had ever dreamed possible. Three pinnacle experiences for Alex were touring our nation’s capital through Citizenship Washington Focus, serving as a delegate to the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, and participating on the Livestock judging teams.

Alex will attend Iowa State to study Aerospace Engineering in the fall. “These experiences throughout my 4-H career have helped me to develop strong leadership, public speaking, citizenship, and decision-making skills,” says Ludeking.

Tori will attend Iowa State University to study Agriculture Studies. Tori recognizes that her biggest 4-H accomplishment has been mentoring younger members because she loves to make the best better. Tori’s 4-H experiences have helped her build character and gain leadership skills where she has practiced them through workshops and animal round-up.

“I battled shyness as a young kid and felt like I didn’t always have the confidence to express myself, but being in 4-H helped me build up the courage and confidence needed to fulfill my true potential,” says Hlas.

“Iowa 4-H Foundation scholarships acknowledge the hard work and dedication of young people who have used their 4-H skills and experiences to ‘make the best better’ for others,” said Emily Saveraid, Executive Director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation. “We also are thankful for the many scholarship donors who fund these important opportunities for Iowa 4-H’ers.”

The Ralph and Agnes Dostal Scholarship is provided by Linda and David Dostal of Cambridge, Wisconsin. This scholarship was made in honor of Ralph and Agnes Dostal of Tama County.

Tori’s scholarship is provided by the Determan Family for an upperclassman that has earned at least 60 hours of credit and is attending a land grant university. The awardee must be pursuing a degree in an agriculture or hospitality management field of study and have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Preference is given to applicants who demonstrate state 4-H activities and campus-level activities while in college.

The Iowa 4-H Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides the private financial resources to develop and deliver quality 4-H youth programs throughout the state of Iowa. These opportunities help young people enhance their ability to use critical thinking, leadership, communication, and social skills – tools that will give them a competitive edge in their future endeavors. More information at www.iowa4hfoundation.org.

Alex Ludeking (center) received a 4-H scholarship in a ceremony in Ames.