05/15/2026
At the Meridian Awards Program, we had the opportunity to celebrate some incredible students and the support our community continues to show for education and agriculture.
The Meridian-Macon Ag Foundation awarded its very first $1,000 scholarships to Katelyn Clapp and Ashton Hawbaker. It was exciting to see the beginning of what will hopefully become a long tradition of supporting Meridian FFA members and agricultural students.
Additional $1,000 scholarships were also awarded in honor of Tom Ritter and Eric Brown through the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation. Congratulations to Kameron Marksberry and Julia Meisenhelter on receiving those honors. We were also told these scholarships are expected to continue for the next ten years, which is an amazing investment in future students.
A huge thank you to the anonymous donor, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation, and everyone involved with the Meridian-Macon Ag Foundation for believing in students and supporting opportunities for our future.
Congratulations as well to Katelyn and Grace for earning numerous scholarships throughout the evening. It was great seeing so many Meridian students recognized for their hard work and accomplishments.
