Holstein Association USA has selected the 2024 Distinguished Junior Member (DJM) Semifinalists and 2024 Young Distinguished Junior Member (YDJM) Finalists. The National Junior Holstein Association is a dynamic organization for youth under the age of 21, with over 8,000 active members in 48 states.
Distinguished Junior Member
The Distinguished Junior Member award is the highest achievement for National Junior Holstein Association members. Established in 1922, it’s the longest-running Holstein Youth Program and recognizes the commitment of Junior members to the Holstein breed, the dairy industry, and also other agricultural related activities.
“We’ve been bestowing this honor upon deserving recipients for over a century and seeing the program continue with today’s youth is promising for the future of the dairy industry,” says Kelli Dunklee, Event and Program Lead for Holstein Association USA and the Holstein Foundation.
Four young adults ages 17 to 20 from Wisconsin were selected as semifinalists. They were judged through an application process including a resume, story of their Junior Holstein work, essay questions, video elements, as well as more.
The 2024 Distinguished Junior Member Semifinalists are:
- Courtney Glenna, Amery, Wisconsin
- Jacob Harbaugh, Marion, Wisconsin
- Samuel Mess, Rosendale, Wisconsin
- Clarissa Ulness, Valders, Wisconsin
The DJM semifinalists will be interviewed and recognized at the National Holstein Convention being held June 24 to 27, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Six DJM finalists will be announced during the Junior Awards Breakfast on Thursday, June 27.
Young Distinguished Junior Members
Three Wisconsin finalists will also be recognized with Holstein Association USA’s Young Distinguished Junior Member award. The YDJM recognition honors youth ages 9 to 16, who demonstrate a firsthand working knowledge of the dairy industry. Applicants must be involved in the Junior Holstein Association and also other agricultural activities, be role models for other youth, and good spokespeople for the dairy industry.
The 2024 Young Distinguished Junior Member Finalists are:
- Katie Brandel, Lake Mills, Wisconsin
- Ella Raatz, Colby, Wisconsin
- Cameron Ryan, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
For more information about the DJM and YDJM contests or also other Holstein youth programs, visit www.holsteinusa.com/juniors.
