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Pictured, left to right, are Kelly Potes of ChoiceOne Bank; Melissa Johnson of Breckenridge Insurance Company; Mike Dietrich, who chairs the Michigan Apple Committee; Kelley Chase, the 2024 Michigan Apple Queen; Clayton Riley; Claire Rasch; Ella Heystek; and Kim Kropf, vice chair of the Michigan Apple Committee.
Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press.
GRAND RAPIDS – Hart High School senior Clayton Riley is one three students in the state to receive the first-ever Michigan Apple Growers scholarship.
Clayton is the son of apple growers Andy and Sarah Ann Riley of Mears. The 17-year-old plans to attend Michigan Technological University.
The scholarship awards were presented Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the 21st Annual Michigan Apple Growers Luncheon in Grand Rapids.
The other two scholarship recipients are Ella Heystek, 21, of St. Johns, and Claire Rasch, 17, of Grand Rapids.
Ella is a student at Kalamazoo College and is the niece of Michigan apple growers. Claire, a senior at Kenowa Hills High School, plans to attend Washington State University next year and is the daughter of Michigan Apple growers.
Each recipient received a $7,000 scholarship — $5,000 from Michigan Apple Committee, $1,000 from ChoiceOne Bank and $1,000 from Breckenridge Insurance Company.
They will represent the Michigan apple industry through social media and other communication channels for one year.
“On behalf of the Michigan Apple Committee, we congratulate these exemplary scholarship recipients and are confident they will advance their educations and continue to make us proud as the future of the Michigan apple industry,” said Mike Dietrich, chair of the Michigan Apple Committee.
The Michigan Apple Committee received a total of 13 applications for the scholarship, which included essays and video submissions that were scored by a panel of experienced professional spokespeople who work outside the Michigan apple industry.
“This scholarship is such a great opportunity for students, which we believe is why we had a large number of applications with incredible submissions,” said Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee. “Our board championed this investment into the future of the Michigan apple industry and is appreciative of the supporting sponsorships from ChoiceOne Bank and Breckenridge Insurance Company to enhance the scholarship award.”
The scholarship program replaces the Michigan Apple Queen program and is open to men and women aged 17-23 with strong connections to the Michigan apple industry. The programmatic change was announced in September after the Michigan Apple Committee Board of Directors voted to replace the queen program in favor of a scholarship available to both males and females.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to marketing, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit www.MichiganApples.com.
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