Madisyn Wright, daughter of John and Nichole Wright, Dekalb Junction, was awarded the 20th annual Alton LaVack Memorial Scholarship at the Gouverneur & St. Lawrence County Fair. The family of Alton LaVack, who served as dairy cattle superintendent from 1978 – 2003, established the scholarship to be given to any past or present St. Lawrence County 4-H or FFA youth dairy exhibitor. Ellen Harper presented the $500 college scholarship to Madisyn, in memory of her late husband, at the annual fair exhibitor’s meeting.

Madisyn is a 2022 graduate of Hermon-Dekalb Central School and is currently entering her first year at SUNY Cobleskill. She is majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Secondary Education and Spanish with plans to pursue a career as an agricultural education teacher. She hopes to better promote and educate students on the importance of agriculture, especially the dairy industry. Besides being a member of 4-H and FFA, during high school, Madisyn was involved in varsity softball, junior varsity basketball, varsity soccer, Student Council, Outing Club, National Honor Society, where she served as President, Drama Club, and Horizons 1 & 2. Besides showing her dairy cattle, she listed softball as her favorite activity.

Through her many activities, Madisyn has been actively involved in many community service projects including volunteering at the Gouverneur & St. Lawrence County fairgrounds, where she did cleaning and prepping after events, cleaning cemeteries, doing lawn work and roadside pickup, doing the reading buddies program with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders, and packing meals for those in need.

To raise money for college, she currently works part time at 7Eleven in Canton, Madisyn has had many summer jobs during high school including G&R Auto Parts, Gouverneur, where she worked last summer as a delivery driver.

Since she was a young child, she has shown all dairy breeds at the fair, but she admits she has a special spot in her heart for Milking Shorthorns. When asked if she knew a young family whose children were interested in showing dairy cattle, what would she tell them about the fair and showing cattle? Madisyn replied, “I would tell them about the impact it made on my life. I have grown so much determination, passion, and drive from showing. I have made many connections with other youth and have dedicated myself to my animals. I would tell them about the opportunities it has brought me and my family and the forever memories I have made with them. The satisfaction of walking into the ring with your cow, after all the work put into getting her ready, is amazing, whether you receive blue or red, the feeling is always the same. I would tell them that I wouldn’t want to be involved in any other way. “Showing is about family, making memories, having fun, and doing what you love.”