The RAAA Junior Activities Committee is pleased to name each of the following four Junior Red Angus (JRA) members as a recipient of the $1,000 college scholarship.

Lanham Brown, son of Donnell and Kelli Brown, of Throckmorton, Texas, will be a freshman animal science major at Texas Tech University this fall. A JRA member for 15 years, Brown has been a participant in multiple state and national Red Angus programs while becoming a well-rounded student and athlete. “Agriculture is more than a lifestyle; it is my passion and career choice. The love for cattle and horses runs deep in my family’s heritage and I hope to carry on the sixth generation to be in the Texas ranching business,” said Brown. He hopes to return to his ranching heritage and expand his knowledge within the Red Angus breed after college.

Morgan Cortez, daughter of Pete and Holly Cortez, of American Falls, Idaho, will be a sophomore this fall at Casper College studying agricultural business. A JRA member for five years, Cortez has been actively involved within the Northwest Red Angus Association. “In the future I hope that I will be able to partake in opportunities that will allow me to develop qualities that will further enhance my education and influence in the Red Angus community as well as the beef industry as a whole,” stated Cortez. A current member of the Casper College livestock judging team, Cortez has shown exemplarily efforts in promoting and communicating the benefits of the Red Angus breed.

Jaclyn Ketchum, daughter of Bruce and Tena Ketchum, of Plevna, Mont., will be a sophomore this fall at Kansas State University studying animal science. A JRA member for nine years, Ketchum has surrounded herself with numerous achievements within both the JRA and Montana Junior Red Angus Association. “The experiences I have had through Red Angus that have improved my leadership, advocacy and people skills will help me achieve my present and future goals.” Ketchum hopes to return to her family’s Red Angus operation after college and work the land she grew up on.

Kacey Koester, the daughter of Steve and Tracey Koester, of Steele, N.D., will be a freshman this fall at North Dakota State University studying animal science. From long hours of working on her family’s Red Angus ranch, assisting at a local veterinary clinic and being an active high school student, Koester has shown paramount characteristics of effective leadership within a young individual. “By participating in Red Angus activities, I have made lifetime friendships that will be very helpful in my future. The JRA has provided me with leadership and communication skills,” stated Koester. Her future plans are to work towards her goal of becoming a veterinarian, while continuing to work on her family’s Red Angus ranch.

Scholarships are awarded annually to active JRA members planning to attend a two-year or four-year university. Applicants completed an extensive application process and four $1,000 scholarships were awarded.

For more information on the JRA Scholarship program or other JRA events, visit www.RedAngus.org.

The Red Angus Association of America (RAAA) serves the beef industry by enhancing and promoting the competitive advantages of Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced cattle. The RAAA provides commercial producers with the most objectively described cattle in the industry by seeking and implementing new technologies based on sound scientific principles that measure traits of economic importance. For more information, visit www.RedAngus.org.