12 recipients from various high schools to receive funds to help execute Supervised Agricultural Experiences
NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Bob Evans Farmhouse Kitchen™ has announced the 12 recipients for the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Grant in partnership with the National FFA Organization. These SAE Grants, awarded to high school students across the entire Midwest from Ohio to Illinois and beyond, will provide further advancements in the farming community through special agricultural projects and experiences.
As the home of "America's Farm Fresh," these SAE Grants and the partnership between Bob Evans and the National FFA Organization (originally established as Future Farmers of America), continue the tradition of giving back to the community that helped launch the restaurant. In 2025, the two organizations are proud to celebrate five years of grant support, impacting the future of high school students, their agricultural ventures and the farming community.
"We're thrilled to be able to continue this partnership with the National FFA Organization," said Mickey Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Bob Evans Restaurants. "Last year, we saw our 12 recipients grow steadily in each of their projects alongside their respective FFA chapters, and we can't wait to see what's in store for this year's new recipients."
This year, each of the 12 Bob Evans grant recipients will receive $1,000 to help them achieve their goals and plans outlined in their SAE Grant application. Each student's goal directly involves their experiential learning project and is aimed at learning more about agriculture best practices, marketing their produce and taking the appropriate steps to running a business. For example, students plan to use their awarded funds to expand and update their barns or available farming land, add drip irrigation systems to keep their soil fertile, purchase new equipment for agricultural communication programs and more. As in years past, the recipients are leaning into creating new opportunities for growth within their various agricultural experiences and projects – further pushing the farming community of the future to new heights.
"Every year, announcing our SAE Grant recipients is always one of our most exciting endeavors," said Bob Holtcamp, President and CMO of Bob Evans Restaurants. "To be able to directly affect the future of the farming community is something our entire brand holds dear. Year over year, we get to see how these students grow, not only in their actual agricultural projects but their business mindsets, which further sets them up for future careers and opportunities."
The Bob Evans 2024 SAE Grant recipients were selected from more than 1,200 applications nationwide:
- Abigail Walters from Baltimore, Ohio
- Brady Matherly from Bethlehem, Kentucky
- Bronson Schilling from Peotone, Illinois
- Charles Roegge from Concord, Illinois
- Jace Wright from Ferdinand, Indiana
- Kale Barhorst from Jackson Center, Ohio
- Lauren Argotte from Lebanon, Indiana
- Lylah Minott from Moweaqua, Illinois
- Mabry Metzger from Moweaqua, Illinois
- Melanie Henson from Thompsonville, Illinois
- Morgan Bisel from Corvallis, Montana
- Nicole Budzik from Atglen, Pennsylvania
To raise funds for next year's SAE Grants, Bob Evans will hold its "Egg Crack, Give Back" fundraiser – an annual celebration that takes place each year during National FFA Week. More information will be released later this month on how to participate at your local Bob Evans restaurant.
For more information on Bob Evan's commitment to FFA, please visit BobEvans.com/FFA. For more information about FFA, please visit www.FFA.org.
About Bob Evans Restaurants, LLC
Rooted in the agricultural heritage of founder Bob Evans, whose humble Farmhouse Kitchen laid the foundation for our restaurants over 70 years ago, Bob Evans continues to embody the spirit of farm-fresh ingredients and hospitality today. Today's Bob Evans Farmhouse Kitchen remains true to tradition, utilizing fresh ingredients and fresh preparation in every dish across our nearly 450 locations in 18 states. From the classic Farmer's Choice Breakfast to the slow-roasted, hand-carved turkey dinner, each bite reflects our dedication to delivering America's Farm Fresh at every meal, every day. For more information and restaurant locations, visit BobEvans.com, download the Bob Evans app on iOS and Android, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
About the National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,027,200 student members as part of 9,235 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook and Twitter.
About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations, and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders, and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees composed of educators, business leaders, individual donors, and FFA Alumni, the foundation is a separately registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.
Media Contact
Kyle Staten, Fahlgren Mortine, 1 6143831626, [email protected]
SOURCE Bob Evans Farmhouse Kitchen
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