NEED TO KNOW
Kendall Rae Johnson, a 10-year-old from Georgia, received a full-ride scholarship from South Carolina State University
She is the youngest USDA-certified farmer in the nation
“It’s not every day you meet a 10-year-old who talks about microorganisms, crop counts and longhorn cattle. She’s remarkable,” SC State President Alexander Conyers said
South Carolina State University surprised a pre-teen girl from Georgia with a full-ride scholarship during her recent visit to the college campus.
Kendall Rae Johnson, 10, received a giant scholarship check, valued at $83,800, while meeting SC State President Alexander Conyers.
After he presented the young Atlanta resident with the check — which covers tuition, fees as well as room and board — she excitedly jumped out of her chair and yelled, “Thank you,” as seen in a SC State video.
“We were genuinely inspired by Kendall Rae’s focus and maturity,” Conyers said in a news release. “It’s not every day you meet a 10-year-old who talks about microorganisms, crop counts and longhorn cattle. She’s remarkable.”
The girl is the youngest USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) certified farmer in the country, and because of her knowledge and interest in farming, she earned SC State’s 1890 Agriculture Innovation Scholarship, which is intended to “recruit, retain, train and graduate a career-ready workforce for the agriculture and ag-related industries.”
Johnson, who began growing collard greens at 3, now farms on about an acre of land that has been passed down in the family.
“I like helping the community out with fresh fruits and vegetables,” she told SC State, adding that this includes peaches, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples, beets, carrots, tomatoes and okra. “I also like to travel and learn different farming techniques and how other people do it.”
Johnson’s parents, Ursula and Quentin, joined her in Orangeburg for the visit to SC State, which is a historically black college and university (HBCU).
Read the original article on People
