A $1,000 grant has been awarded each to Tyler Lloyd and Savannah Traverse of the Schoharie Valley FFA Chapter by sponsors AmerisourceBergen & Farm Credit towards expanding or starting their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects.
SAE grants are designed to help FFA members create or expand Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects, a requirement that all FFA members must complete. An SAE requires FFA members to create and operate an agriculture related business, work at an agriculture-related business or conduct an agricultural research experience. Upon completion, FFA members must submit a comprehensive report regarding their career development experience.
Tyler Lloyd, an 11th grade member, is utilizing his funds from AmerisourceBergen to launch a Dairy Entrepreneurship Program, with a goal of marketing elite holstein genetics and continuing to work as a cattle fitter at dairy shows. Tyler has been involved in the dairy industry for over 8 years, participating in the Schoharie Dairy Experience Program, leasing calves and showing at the local, state and regional levels. Tyler serves as the Schoharie Valley FFA president, is a captain of the joint Schoharie-Duanesburg wrestling team, a student at the Capital Region BOCES Welding I program and also is a co-owner of a landscaping company as a separate entrepreneurship project.
Savannah Traverse, a 10th grade member, is using her funding from Farm Credit to expand into Entrepreneurship through her existing Canine project where she plans to offer dog training and renovate a barn into a kennel to provide local dog boarding services. Savannah began training dogs at a young age and has continued to expand her knowledge and skills through agility trials and showing dogs at local and regional events. Savannah serves as the Schoharie Valley FFA Co-Vice President, is a three season athlete, serving as a captain of the varsity volleyball and basketball teams this year, and also has a diversified livestock SAE project with horses, sheep and poultry in addition to leasing and showing dairy cattle through the Dairy Experience Program. As part of the Farm Credit grant, the Schoharie Valley FFA will also receive $1000 for the program and activities through a matching grant.
This year 32 different sponsors made 39 different types of SAE Grants available. A full list of sponsors can be found on the National FFA Organization website on the SAE Grants webpage. Tyler & Savannah’s applications were selected from among 1,086 applications nationwide, where they were two of six total members in NY to receive a national award.
Congratulations to them both!
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 735,000 student members as part of 8,817 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.