Youth

The Council consists of high school juniors and seniors representing AFR youth from across the state. Council members participate in agriculture-based service projects throughout the year and assist in planning many AFR Youth Program activities. They also facilitate AFR events and act as mentors for younger Oklahoma youth.

2019-2020 Youth Advisory Council. (L to R): Cooper Shebester, Jentry Squires, Tate Ott, Reagan Detrick and Keegan Carrera

The AFR Teen and Senior Leadership Summits are held each year at the Heartland Conference Center near Midwest City in central Oklahoma. Each day students attend sessions focusing on leadership, service, teamwork and cooperative skills. Summit is an event to inspire and motivate youth in agriculture about their opportunities and potential.

County/Local Match Scholarships

AFR assists college students on a local level with the County/Local Match Scholarship Program. The state organization matches each participating county up to $1,000, making the total available dollars for scholarships $2,000. Applicant or a member of applicant’s immediate family must be a policyholder of AFR Insurance.

Contact your local AFR agent for more information.

State Scholarships

AFR awards college scholarships annually for young people who have been active participants in the Youth Program. Students can apply for either the Incoming College Freshman Scholarship or the Continuing College Education Scholarship. Scholarship deadline is April 15^th.

Scholarship recipients are selected based on the following criteria:

• Involvement in the Youth Program
• Leadership activities
• Academic achievements
• Applicant or a member of applicant’s immediate family must be a policyholder of AFR Insurance.

This popular AFR event is held in the fall of each year and is available to both members and non-members. Students in grades 4^th – 12^th compete in their respective category at five district contests held across the state. First and second place winners in each category advance to the state speech contest held in Stillwater on the Oklahoma State University campus. More than 350 students participate in this event every year.

The AFR Ag Achievement Contest at the Oklahoma Youth Expo is designed to recognize youth who have an interest in livestock, excel in showmanship and have knowledge of the livestock industry including production, management, processing and end product utilization.

Competition is limited to 4-H and FFA members exhibiting breeding or market beef, sheep, goat or swine at the Oklahoma Youth Expo and who are classified as high school juniors or seniors. Contestants compete in showmanship, written animal science exam and an interview.

Contestants are rewarded for their recognition of high-quality cattle—just as a producer would profit from similar selection within their own herd. AFR is proud to be a continued sponsor of these contests at Connors State College and the Tulsa State Fair.

• Connors State College –  Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 at 5 p.m.
• Tulsa State Fair  – Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019 at 8 a.m.

AFR/OFU Cooperative gives back to policyholders who exhibit livestock by participating in the Oklahoma Youth Expo and Tulsa State Fair premium auctions.

The yearly tradition showcases and celebrates the hard work and success of youth across the state. The auctions reward the exhibitors for their accomplishments and help compensate them for their dedication and time put into their projects. Money received can be used toward college education or put back into the project for future years to come.

The AFR Youth Program captures the creativity of students with our annual AFR Poster Contest. The contest begins in the fall and any 1^st – 4^th grade student is eligible to participate. Order forms are due November 1^st and posters are due December 2^nd. Each year we receive an outstanding response — more than 4,000 posters pour in from across Oklahoma. Top winners will be recognized at the annual AFR Convention in February.