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Youth Showcase Their Skills During National Holstein Foundation Contests
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. July 2, 2021— Youth put their dairy knowledge to the test during the Holstein Foundation's national Holstein youth competitions held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania last week, as part of the 2021 National Holstein Convention. Youth from around the country engaged in friendly competition in three different contests. "Youth learn life skills as they prepare for contests including critical thinking, decision-making, problem solving, goal setting, and independent thinking, "says Kelli Dunklee, Youth Program Specialist for Holstein Association USA. "Thank you to the many coaches and volunteers who invest their time and knowledge in supporting dairy youth."
Dairy Jeopardy
Junior Division (ages 9 to 13)
Intermediate Division (ages 14 to 17)
Senior Division (ages 18 to 21)
Dairy Bowl
Competing in the Junior Division championship match were the teams from Iowa and New York. Winning first prize was the New York team with members Abbie Ainslie, Kayla Durst, Carolyn Littrell, and Maxwell Pullis and coaches Carol Ainslie and Judy Littrell. Participating on the Iowa team were Alia Domeyer, Isaiah Hammerand, Ethan Palmer, and Adam Scott coached by Jeff Hammerand. Rounding out the top five junior teams were California in third, New Jersey in fourth, and Wisconsin in fifth. After an extremely close competition in the Senior Division between California and Wisconsin that resulted in a tie-breaker match, Wisconsin took home the champion prize. Members of the winning Wisconsin team included Katherine Elwood, Courtney Glenna, Grace Haase and Marie Haase coached by Patti Hurtgen and Gwen Dado. On the second-place Senior team from California were Rachel Mancebo, Mykel Mull, Victoria Paolini, and Emma van Loben Sels, coached by Kirsten Areias. Other teams in the top five included Pennsylvania in third, New York in fourth, and Iowa in fifth. J. George & Anna Smith Sportsmanship awards are given to one Dairy Bowl team in each division who best exemplify the principles of courtesy, friendliness, and team spirit throughout the competition. Each team receives a cash award and plaque. In the Junior Division the award was presented to Utah, with team members Erin Atkinson, Andrew Jenson, Rebecca Jenson, and Trey Leak. In the Senior Division, the honor went to the team from Minnesota with team members Ella Filk, Kiley Lickfelt, Tyler Ratka, and Rachel Visser. Dairy Knowledge Exam The Dairy Knowledge Exam is open to any youth attending the National Junior Holstein Convention who wants to put their brain to the test with a 25-question written test. Like Dairy Bowl, youth are divided into two groups by age. The top three individuals in each division for the Dairy Knowledge Exam were as follows.
Junior Division
Senior Division For more information about Holstein Foundation youth programs, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org, or contact Kelli Dunklee, youth programs specialist, at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124, or by email.
Dairy Producer Scholarship Opportunities for the Young Dairy Leaders Institute
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. June 18, 2021 — The Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI), a cornerstone program of the Holstein Foundation, is a nationally recognized three-phase leadership and communication skills development program for young adults (ages 22-45) working in the dairy industry. Full-time dairy producers that apply for YDLI will be considered for three full-ride scholarships that come with an additional cash bonus upon graduation. Dairy producers working with all breeds of dairy cattle, and allied dairy industry members, are encouraged to apply. YDLI Class 12 will have on-site meetings in Fort Worth, Texas February 15-18, 2022 and February 14-17, 2023. Applications are due August 1, 2021 and may be downloaded from the Holstein Foundation website, www.holsteinfoundation.org. Dairy producers that are Holstein Association USA members applying for YDLI are automatically eligible for scholarships and do not need to fill out a separate application. If selected, the scholarships will cover the registration fee, airfare, hotel and any other travel costs associated with attending both the 2022 and 2023 meetings. Upon successful attendance for both meetings, an additional $1,000 graduation bonus check will be provided to the scholarship recipients to help offset costs of being off the farm. The Horace Backus YDLI Scholarship will be provided to two dairy producers from anywhere in the U.S. This fund was created by Tim Abbott, Frank Conyngham, Joel Hastings and Dave Rama to honor Horace’s legacy and encourage dairy producers to attend YDLI. The Robert L. Cain Memorial Scholarship will be given to one dairy producer in the Southeast region. Cain served as a field representative and then Area Manager for Holstein Association USA for 40 years. "We believe YDLI is extremely beneficial for dairy producers and well worth the time away from the farm," says Jodi Hoynoski, Holstein Foundation Programs Manager. "In addition to these scholarships, dairy producers are encouraged to seek sponsorship from companies they do business with to help offset the cost of attending." Visit www.holsteinfoundation.org to download the YDLI Class 12 application, as well as view more detailed information on the program. With questions or for more information, contact Jodi Hoynoski via email, or 800.952.5200, ext. 4261.
Young Dairy Leaders Institute Accepting Applications for Class 12
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. May 10, 2021 — The Holstein Foundation is delighted to reintroduce the Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) after a year hiatus with a new location and refreshed agenda. Applications for YDLI Class 12 are due August 1, 2021 and can be found at www.holsteinfoundation.org. YDLI is the cornerstone program of the Holstein Foundation. The nationally recognized leadership and communication skills development program is open to young adults ages 22 to 45 working in the dairy industry. After postponing YDLI for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holstein Foundation created a task force to evaluate all aspects the program as if they were starting with a blank state. The minor but relevant changes made to YDLI ensure it will remain a top-notch dairy leadership program long into the future. Several core components that have made YDLI a success for the past 25 years will remain. "This next class of YDLI could be the best one yet. If you’re even thinking about applying for this class, you should," said Josh Hushon, Holstein Foundation board of trustees chairman. "Over the past year, we’ve revamped the curriculum to better prepare the future leaders of the dairy industry. This next group will be the first to benefit from that work and I am confident they will." YDLI's three-phase approach will reflect updates to the course content and schedule. Phase I is the first face to face meeting February 15-18, 2022. Phase II is a series of self-driven projects completed in the participants’ home communities. Phase III is a second in-person meeting one year later, February 14-17, 2023. YDLI Class 12 will also have a new location in Fort Worth, Texas, meeting at a hotel in the heart of the famed Stockyards area. The Phase I and III meetings will focus heavily on interpersonal communication skills, and topics like team culture, influence, enabling change, and embracing diversity. Phase II will be individually customized with projects and timeline to achieve personal goals and include virtual meetings and reports. Phase III builds on the skills learned over the first two phases and is planned to include a hard-hitting hot industry topics session. YDLI seeks to attract the brightest and most engaged young adults in the industry and boasts over 600 alumni since the program’s inception in 1993. By October 1, top tier applicants will be selected for the class from across North America, diverse in their backgrounds and roles within the industry. English-speaking international applicants are considered. If selected as a YDLI class member, participants will need to invest the time required to complete projects. Class members pay a registration fee, and their travel and hotel costs. Some scholarships are available for full-time dairy producers that apply. The majority of the program is funded by the Holstein Foundation, thanks to several generous sponsors. To learn more about costs or sponsorship opportunities, as well as find the YDLI application, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org. With questions, contact Jodi Hoynoski at jhoynoski@holstein.com Fischer and Iager Join Holstein Foundation Board of Trustees BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, January 29, 2021 —The Holstein Foundation is pleased to welcome David Fischer and Matthew Iager, DVM, to their board of trustees. The board oversees the direction of the Holstein Foundation’s youth and young adult education and leadership development programs.
Fischer spent 40 years in his career as a County Agricultural Advisor and State-wide Dairy Educator with University of Illinois Extension. He retired in 2010 and continued as Illinois 4-H Dairy Program Coordinator/Coach until 2020. Fischer has been recognized statewide and nationally for his involvement and commitment to dairy youth programing. His youth dairy judging and dairy quiz bowl programs have been highly successful, and Fischer has judged several state youth dairy cattle shows, including the National FFA Dairy Judging Contest. He currently serves as a moderator for the National Holstein Dairy Bowl contests and as a member of the National 4-H Dairy Judging Management Committee. "Having worked with dairy youth for nearly 50 years, I am continually impressed by their energy, knowledge, work ethic, and interest to make a difference in their future. As a member of the Holstein Foundation Board of Trustees, I look forward to helping dairy youth reach their goals through the many opportunities provided by the Foundation," Fischer said.
Iager serves on the board of directors and is the current president-elect of National Dairy Shrine. He is a past president of the American Embryo Transfer Association and Maryland Holstein Association. He served on the alumni board at the Veterinary School at Virginia Tech and is the current treasurer for Maryland Dairy Shrine. He has served as a delegate to the National Holstein Convention and received the Distinguished Service Award given by the Maryland Holstein Association. "The Holstein Foundation is committed to serving young dairy leaders and fostering those relationships for a brighter future. I am happy to serve an industry that continues to give back to our youth," Iager said. For more information on the Holstein Foundation and the programs offered, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org or contact Jodi Hoynoski at 800.952.5200 ext. 4261 or by email. |
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The Holstein Foundation, headquartered in Brattleboro, Vt., is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1989. The Foundation's cornerstone program for young adults is the renowned Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI). Current programs targeting youth ages 9-21 include the popular Dairy Bowl and Dairy Jeopardy competitions. The Holstein Foundation also focuses on youth education and outreach activities, offering free workbooks, a yearly newsletter, and ribbons for local shows, just to name a few. |
Dave Fischer was raised on a Holstein dairy farm in Southern Illinois and was
active in the 4-H dairy project and Junior Holstein club. He received his Bachelor of
Science degree in Animal/Dairy Science at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and Master
of Science in Environmental Sciences with an emphasis on livestock waste management from
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. 
Dr. Iager grew up in Fulton, Maryland at Maple Lawn Farms, a
Registered Holstein® dairy farm. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science
from Delaware Valley University and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. Iager is a dairy
veterinarian specializing in embryo transfer with Mid-Maryland Dairy Veterinarians in
Hagerstown, Maryland. He, along with his wife, Laura, and children, Noah and Brooke, own and
operate MD-West-View Genetics, a certified donor facility that exports embryos worldwide.