Scholarships

Open to graduating high school students from Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, or Texas, the contest asks students to create a video that in three minutes or less, shines a light on U.S. rice: a versatile, tasty, home-grown grain. Educate, entertain, and tell us why rice is special — to you, to your state, or to the world!

Three guaranteed scholarship prizes, sponsored by the American Commodity Company, totaling $10,000 will be awarded. The grand-prize winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship and a trip with a chaperone to the annual USA Rice Outlook Conference, the second-place winner receives a $3,000 scholarship, and third place receives $2,000.

Entries are judged on creativity, quality, and effectiveness in telling a story about U.S.-grown rice.

Each year the Missouri Pet Breeders Association awards 4 scholarships in the amount of $500.00 each to students pursuing a degree or certification in fields related to and supportive of agriculture.

Eligibility Requirements
• Each recipient must be enrolled as a full-time student (12 hours minimum per semester) starting in the fall of the year the scholarship is awarded.
• Applicant must have a minimum academic GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• Applicants receiving their high school degree through the HiSET program must be in the upper 50th percentile on a standardized equivalency exam.
• Individuals previously awarded this scholarship may reapply if they meet the eligibility requirements.
• Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from a school teacher, counselor or administrator.
• Each applicant must submit a copy of his/her high school transcript or HiSET diploma.
• Applicants must submit an essay of 500 words or more, telling about themselves and their goals for the future.
• Applicants must submit the enclosed scholarship application with a current photo.

Scholarship Award
The award will be paid directly to the winning student’s account at the school he/she will be attending upon verification of enrollment. Upon accepting the scholarship, the student agrees to remain enrolled full time, and maintain a satisfactory grade point average.

FCS Financial believes in the future of our next generation. For that reason, the Board of Directors began the FCS Financial Scholarship Program in 2004 to support higher education for children or grandchildren of FCS Financial customers. Each year up to 35 scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each are provided to eligible Missouri high school seniors. Since its inception, more than $875,000 and 705 scholarships have been awarded through the program.