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ELKHORN — A dedicated group of young fair exhibitors — passionate about sharing their knowledge of agriculture — have been named this year’s recipients of the Community State Bank LEAD Scholarship.
Twelve area students will receive scholarships totaling $9,000. The recipients are Brianna Dahme, Aubrey Ganhs, Paige Kollwelter, Callie Lohse, Tai Lin-Zimmerman, Sarah Reed, Payten Schoenbeck, Elizabeth Strause, Jacob Strause, Michael Strause, Connor Weeks and Tyler Weeks.
The LEAD (Leadership, Expectation, Achievement, Dedication) Scholarship was developed by Community State Bank in partnership with the Walworth County Fair Meat Animal Sale Committee.
It recognizes exhibitors that are committed to serving their community.
“The number of exceptional applications we received this year was outstanding,” CSB VP | Market President Bryan Iwicki said. “Walworth County has some amazing young adults that are going to do great things.”
The LEAD Scholarship is for Walworth County Fair exhibitors. Applicants must be a graduating high school senior or a post-secondary education student enrolled in the 2026-27 school year.
A selection committee chose recipients based on an essay or video describing how they meet the LEAD criteria. Here is a closer look at this year’s award recipients:
Residence: Elkhorn
High School: Elkhorn Area
Fair Exhibit: Swine
Did you Know?: A longtime member of the Elkhorn 4-H Club, Dahme grew up loving the pig barn and showing swine. “It was amazing to see how one barn could create such a strong sense of community,” Dahme said. “The pig barn wasn’t just a place to show animals — it was a place where people connected, learned, and grew together.”
Residence: Elkhorn
High School: Elkhorn Area
College: Carroll University (Nursing Major)
Fair Exhibit: Cattle and Swine
Did you Know?: Aubrey serves as Chair of the FFA Agventures program, designed to teach and spark an interest about agriculture to the younger generation. “These experiences have taught me that you do not have to grow up on a farm to be interested in agriculture. Sometimes, all someone needs is the opportunity to ask questions and experience something new.”
Residence: Whitewater
High School: Whitewater
Fair Exhibit: Steer
Did you Know?: Paige is the Whitewater FFA President, a Walworth County Junior Beef Board Member and served as a 2026 Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Ambassador. “Each day, I got the opportunity to educate people and connect them to where their food comes from,” Kollwelter said. The Kollwelter family hosted the 2025 Walworth County Dairy Breakfast.
Residence: Walworth
High School: Big Foot
College: Gateway Technical College
Fair Exhibit: Swine
Did you Know?: A longtime member of the Big Foot Pioneers 4-H Club, Callie received the 2026 State FFA Agricultural Proficiency Award for Agriscience Research - Animal Systems. Lohse recently wrapped up her sixth year showing Swine at the Fair. “Looking back on my final year, I realized that the most valuable things I gained were not ribbons, but the lessons and relationships built through the experience,” Lohse said. She’s pursuing a degree in Business Management.
Residence: Whitewater
College: Beloit College
Fair Exhibit: Ducks, Turkeys
Did you Know?: Tai was the 2026 Reserve Grand Champion and the 2025 Walworth County Fair Grand Champion for ducks. He’s been a member of the Richmond 4-H Club for eight years and participates in numerous volunteer organizations including 4-H, church, music and community. Tai has autism and continuously works on his social and daily living skills. "Participating in activities, volunteering, and being involved in my community are important to me because they help me continue developing my independence and social skills, while also allowing me to contribute to others.”
Residence: Delavan
High School: Elkhorn Area
College: UW-Whitewater
Fair Exhibit: Beef, Steer
Did you Know?: Reed served as Vice President of the Elkhorn FFA and was team captain of the Elkhorn Equestrian Team. She is attending school to become an elementary education teacher. I hope to help my students understand that they are part of agriculture, even if they have never stepped foot on a farm,” Reed said. “People go to the grocery store and fill their carts, or their online carts, with meat, produce, clothing, and many other items. It is easy to overlook how these products reached their final stage.”
Residence: Elkhorn
Fair Exhibit: Dairy Goats
Did you Know?: The fourth-generation agriculturist received the Wisconsin FFA State Degree. She served as the Elkhorn FFA President and has been a 4-H member for the past 11 years, holding nearly every officer position. Payten exhibited at the Fair for the past decade and helped educate local residents at the Discovery Barn. “The Fair has helped foster my passion and my want to spend my life working and advocating for the agriculture industry,” Schoenbeck said.
Residence: Delavan
High School: Elkhorn Area
Fair Exhibit: Beef Cattle, Swine, Meat Chickens, Meat ducks.
Did you Know?: A four-year FFA member, Strause served nine years in Walworth County 4-H. She’s won many accolades, including the Rick Clapper Excellence in Achievement Award. Elizabeth strives to educate those still learning the importance of agriculture. “Agriculture affects you, no matter where you live: the food you eat, clothes you wear, and products you use all trace back to agriculture,” Strause said. “I would urge them to visit farms, ask questions, and learn from the leaders of our industry to better understand the farm-to-table system.”
Residence: Delavan
High School: Elkhorn Area
Fair Exhibit: Steer, Chickens, Ducks
Did you Know?: Jacob won the AOB Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair. “Achieving this goal has been a dream of mine since I was eight years old and first starting showing cattle,” Strause said. “The livestock project has shaped my character and work ethic more than anything else. It has taught me that success does not happen overnight. It takes hard work, patience, dedication, and a willingness to keep going when things do not go your way.” Jacob served as an FFA officer for four years and was the Sugar Creek 4-H Club President for three years.
Residence: Delavan
High School: Elkhorn Area
Fair Exhibit: Beef, Swine and Poultry
Did you Know?: A longtime 4-H member and four-year participant of FFA Agventures, Strause won the 2026 Walworth County Beef Merit Award. “The livestock shows teach young people to be responsible, to work hard, and to have respect for agriculture,” Strause said. “The livestock shows bring together people from different generations and contribute to ensuring that Walworth County's agricultural heritage lasts into the future.”
Residence: Walworth
High School: Big Foot
College: UW-Platteville
Fair Exhibit: Swine/Market Goats
Did you Know?: Big Foot FFA, Walworth County Fair 2017-23, Rick Clapper Excellence in Achievement Award 2024 Walworth County Fair Swine Barn. “Through farming we grow our future. For some kids growing up in a city, it can be easy to think that their hamburger, glass of chocolate milk, or even the ingredients in their peanut butter and jelly sandwich just come from the grocery store. We don’t always stop to think about the people, animals, land, and hard work that went into producing that food.”
Residence: Walworth
High School: Big Foot
Fair Exhibit: Swine, Goats
Did you Know?: A member of the Big Foot FFA and local 4-H chapter, Weeks volunteered at Agriscience Camp with the goal of educating others. “It is our job as FFA members to help them understand how important agriculture is and where the food they eat comes from,” Weeks said. Tyler hopes to someday pursue an aviation degree with the goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot. “The experiences I have gained through FFA, 4-H, volunteering, and working on my family's grain farm have helped prepare me for this future,” Weeks said.
