Noah Graham of Patterson, Missouri, is the 2023 recipient of the Charles E. Kruse Scholarship. The Clearwater High School graduate will use the $1,000 scholarship to study agricultural systems technology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is the son of Matt and Britt Graham.

Graham maintains a GPA of 4.0 while continuing a high level of involvement in his school and community. “My parents have always encouraged me to pitch in when needed,” he said. “Being a good neighbor has impacted my life by opening my eyes to what it means to live in a community…being active in our community, I have become more selfless and have developed a more sympathetic mindset.”

He is involved in well over a dozen organizations at Clearwater High School and has led several, including the student council and FFA. During his sophomore year, Graham worked closely with a new vocational agriculture instructor to develop a new FFA program. He is very involved in his church and the Wayne County Farm Bureau. He grew up attending Farm Bureau meetings with his parents and most recently was a presenter for the Wayne County Farm Bureau Ag in the Park program for second grade students.

Graham plans to earn a master’s degree in his chosen field with a goal of doing so debt free. After obtaining his education he wants to return to the family farm. “My largest goal is to make my family’s farm as efficient as possible to help both us and planet earth,” he said.

The Charles E. Kruse scholarship is funded through the Missouri Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and is awarded to one student annually. The scholarship recipient must be a Missouri Farm Bureau member, plan to attend a 4-year college or university, declare a major in an agricultural field, and demonstrate leadership and good citizenship through participation in extracurricular activities and community involvement.

Kruse served as Missouri Farm Bureau’s president from 1992 to 2010 and is also a past state director of agriculture. A fourth-generation farmer, Kruse and his wife, Pam, live in Dexter.