The Kane County Fair board of directors in St. Charles has announced that Madyson Block of Sycamore, James Dorn of St. Charles, and Olivia Rose Lafrance of Elgin have been named as its 2024 scholarship recipients.
Each student, who has been an active member of a local 4-H Club, will receive $750 per year for four years, or a cumulative total of $3,000, as they continue and complete their higher education.
“We are pleased to renew our long-standing tradition of awarding annual scholarships to worthy young students who are active in the 4-H community,” said Larry Breon, chairman of the Kane County Fair board of directors. “We are pleased to provide monetary assistance to these three outstanding students.
They not only have achieved high academic excellence, but they give back to their communities and are very involved in their 4-H clubs and at the Kane County Fair. We wish them the best in achieving their dreams.”
• Block graduated from Sycamore High School and was a member of the National Honor Society and high honor roll and earned a G.P.A. of 3.922. She was a member of the Burlington AG 4-H Club and held a number of leadership rolls including president, secretary, and treasurer.
She will attend Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois, and plans to transfer to Iowa State University in pursuit of agricultural studies. She is highly regarded as a life long supporter of and participant in the Northern Illinois agricultural community, displaying competency, preparedness, leadership, and dedication. “The 4-H motto, ‘to make the best better’, has clearly shown its impact in my daily experience and life,” Block says.
• Dorn is a recent graduate of St. Charles North High School, where he held a 4.81 G.P.A. He plans on obtaining a degree in Communication from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. He was a member of the Burlington Ag 4-H Club and notes his most defining aspects of his 4-H journey was his involvement in showing dairy cows at the Kane County Fairgrounds. “This experience was not just about competition,” he said, “but about pushing myself to excel in every aspect of my endeavors.”
Dorn is regarded as a natural leader with an infectious personality who leads by example.
• Lafrance graduated from South Elgin High School with a weighted G.P.A. of 4.451 and a member of the Mighty Titans 4-H Club. She was a member of the National Honor Society, an Illinois State Scholar, and very involved at her school and with 4-H. She plans on attending the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign to pursue a degree in psychology.
She has been regarded as a standout student with strong academic performance, dedication to learning, and a passion for psychology. “4-H has helped me grow to become a better me,” said Lafrance. “Through the collaboration with other members on service projects and volunteering activities, I found my voice.”
Since the launching of its Kane County Fair 4-H scholarship program over 14 years ago, many Kane County area 4-H students have been awarded financial assistance to further their education.
For information, contact the Kane County Fair at (630) 584-6926.