Congratulations to Chloe Calhoun!

 

Chloe Calhoun, 2020 graduate of Le Mars Community School District is a recipient of the Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) Scholarship Program.

 

Chloe applied to the Plymouth SWCD and was chosen to represent Region 1 of the Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI).  Ramona Nitz, Region 1 Director then chose Chloe to represent Region 1 and was submitted to CDI for state completion.  John Whitaker, CDI Executive Director announced that Chloe was chosen from all the state of Iowa applicants.  Chloe will receive $3,000.00 for her 1st Place honor.

 

Chloe was active with the Student Council, Cross country, track, band, individual speech, large group speech, symphony, honor roll, Thespians, Spanish Club, Calculus Club, English Club, National Honor Society, and tutoring.

 

Chloe is active with 4-H County Council, Grant Clover Clovers 4-H Club serving most officer positions, 4-H Royalty, YMCA swim team, Le Mars Sesquicentennial Queen, Bible school teach, and working at the Well’s Visitor Center and Ice Cream Parlor.

 

Chloe has chosen to major in food science.  One of her goals is to work in the area of research and develop of new foods or meat, with the intention to explore areas of food safety, food quality, product development and meat science.  Another goal is to work in a company to provide input to policies that align with sustainable food practices, such as animal well-being or soil conservation.

 

Chloe quoted the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, for the definition of conservation, “to plan management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect such as water or wildlife”.  Without available water and fertile soil, crops cannot grow to provide food for humans and livestock. 

 

Chloe has family that farms and have provided examples of dams to stop water runoff and provide drinking water for livestock and prevention pasture erosion, and planting filed windbreaks to help with wind erosion.

 

Chloe is adamant that conserving water and soil is crucial to feed a growing global population and she believes everyone in the food chain, including consumers and food manufacturers can play a role in some way.  Soil and water conservation can be considered at ay level, whether the farmer implements conservation practices of the food manufacturer implements them. 

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Again, congratulations to Chloe Calhoun, the 2020 CDI region 1 and State award winner!