Wright, Poock awarded dairy scholarships
The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors Foundation has awarded two 2022 scholarships to Blake Wright of Verona, Missouri and Maria Joy Poock of Boonville, Missouri.
Blake was raised on a dairy farm where his duties include calf and heifer management and milking cows. He will graduate from the University of Missouri Columbia in May 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management with a Public Policy concentration. Upon graduation, Blake would like to work in ag policy sector. Recently, Blake completed a Missouri Senate Internship with Senator Jeanie Riddle. He is also active in the Missouri and National Holstein Associations; 4-H and FFA, several collegiate groups at MU. Blake has received many honors including serving at a delegate at the National 4-H Congress; competing on the 4-H Dairy Judging team in 2018, where he traveled abroad and placed second at the Royal Highland Dairy Judging Contest in Edinburg, Scotland; and was the High Individual at the Luxembourg National Dairy Judging Contest. Blake is the son of Larry and Jodi Wright.
Maria Joy raises Jersey heifers and is very active in the Missouri and the American Jersey Cattle Associations. She is currently a senior majoring in animal sciences at the College of the Ozarks. After graduation, she hopes to continue working in the dairy industry with breeding for A2A2 and polled cattle. Maria Joy is also very active in the dairy and agricultural industry. She has served as a counselor for the 4-H Dairy Cow Camp for five years; involved with Get AgEd and 4-H Teen Council Mini-Me and served as a Dairy Ambassador for Missouri with the Midwest Dairy Association. Maria Joy spoke at the Fuel Up to Play60 event at the Kansas City Chief’s stadium where she was given the chance to educate 8–12-year-old children on dairy farming. Most recently, Maria Joy was chosen as the 2022 second alternate National Jersey Queen and is the reigning Missouri Jersey queen. During college, she has interned at Fischer-Clark Dairy in Hatley, Wisconsin and Marcoot Jersey Creamery; and received the Fred Stout On-Farm Experience for 2022. Maria Joy is the daughter of Dr. Scott and Angie Poock.
The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors Foundation annually presents a scholarship of up to $2,500 to encourage one or more upper class Missouri college students who have demonstrated the potential to become future leaders and contributors to the Missouri dairy industry. This scholarship is funded by the generosity of F&H, Hiland Dairy, and the Emory Vieten and Dr. John Campbell families.
The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors Foundation was established in 1988 to recognize and honor individuals whose leadership and outstanding contributions over their lifetime have significantly improved the Missouri dairy industry.