State winners announced for Farm Bureau essay contest

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Layne Sanders of Greensburg and Jordan Cadle of Orleans are the state winners of the 2010 youth essay contest sponsored by Sen. Richard Lugar, Indiana Farm Bureau Inc. and Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.

A total of 632 eighth graders from 42 counties participated in this year’s contest. Sanders attends Greensburg Junior High and is daughter of Scott and Beth Sanders. Cadle attends Paoli Jr./Sr. High and is the son of Danny and Katie Cadle.

As state winners, both students will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

“Farmers Looking at a Bright Future” was the theme, according to IFB 2nd Vice President Isabella Chism. Chism chairs the Women’s Leadership Committee, which is in charge of the annual contest. The contest began in 1985 and is designed to increase young Hoosiers’ awareness of the significance of Indiana agriculture, how it relates to the supply of food and fuel and to their health.

The winners were announced at IFB's annual Spring Conference, held March 12 and 13 in Indianapolis.

One boy and girl were chosen as finalists from each of Indiana Farm Bureau’s 10 districts, and the state winners were chosen from that pool of 20 finalists. Each of the finalists wins a $50 U.S. Savings Bond. The other finalists are:

• District 1: Luke Kepler of Argos, who attends Argos Jr. High School and is the son of Mark and Roberta Kepler; Alexandra Magallon of Highland, who attends Our Lady of Grace and is the daughter of Melecio and Sonia Magallon.
• District 2: Ashley Kain of Orland, Prairie Heights Community, daughter of Dan and Tabby Kain; Curtis Mourey of Fort Wayne, St. Joseph Hessen Cassel School, son of Greg and Michelle Mourey.
• District 3: Pamela Kuechenmeister of Lake Village, North Newton Jr./Sr. High, daughter of Jan and Ken Honkisz; Colton Underwood of West Lafayette, Battle Ground Middle School, son of Kevin and Sherry Underwood.
• District 4: Collin Saxman of Portland, East Jay Middle School, son of Misty and Bill Saxman; Kathleen Jacobs of Huntington, Riverview Middle School, daughter of Paul and Heidi Jacobs.
• District 5: Deena Hesselgrave of Gosport, Cloverdale Middle School, daughter of Tina Lundsford; Joe Littiken of Quincy, also of Cloverdale Middle School, son of Jim and Jane Littiken.
• District 6: Carson Bailey of Richmond, Seton Catholic School, son of Paul and Diane Bailey; Annie Chalfant of Parker City, Twelve-Seven Learning Center, daughter of Tom and Mollie Chalfant.
• District 7: Hannah Kocher of Linton, Linton Stockton Junior High, daughter of Jamie and Marti Kocher; Seth Black of Terre Haute, Honey Creek Middle School, son of Steven and Angela Black.
• District 8: The other winner from this district, in addition to Sanders, was Tyler Combs of Columbus, Central Middle School, son of Brian and Sandy Combs.
• District 9: Jennifer Riedford of Owensville, Fort Branch Community, daughter of Mark and Maria Riedford. The other winner from this district was Cadle.
• District 10: Tess Stoops of Vevay, Switzerland County Middle School, daughter of Beverly and Anthony Stoops; Trey Embrey of New Albany, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, son of Allison and William Embrey.