Grape Creek Graduate Receives Prestigious $18,000 FFA Scholarship

Recent high school graduate Enrique Ramirez-Muñoz received some great news recently. The Texas FFA Foundation presented him with a prestigious $18,000 scholarship students across the state fight hard to receive.

Enrique is a graduate of Grape Creek High School, and graduated in the top 10 percent of his class. An active member of the school's Ag Program and FFA Chapter, he has been involved in a wide array of activities within the organization.

From Chapter Conducting, Wool Evaluation, Creed Speaking, and Ag Mechanics to serving as the FFA Concho District Vice President, Enrique has been a very active member in the FFA.

His senior year also marked the success of his individual Ag mechanics project. Constructing a 16-foot gate, he placed 1st place in his division in the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. He also placed 6th at the San Antonio Ag Mech Show and 2nd at the Houston Ag Mech Show. Enrique was also a member of the Tractor Restoration Team.

“I have a great passion and love for agriculture,” Enrique said. "I want to become a teacher and teach kids skills that help them for the rest of their lives.”

Enrique said he plans to attend West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas this upcoming fall. Planning to major in Agricultural Science & Technology with a Teacher Certification, he hopes to one day provide the same positive influence his Ag teacher, Blake Chudej, has had in his life, both as a student and as an individual.

Being selected as a recipient of the scholarship was not an easy feat. Candidates undergo a series of application reviews and interview sessions in which they are evaluated for their performances and participation in the FFA organization. A total of 145 candidates were evaluated at the State Degree Check in Stephenville, Texas, for the scholarship.

“Whenever Chudej told me I had received the $18,000 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship, I could not believe it,” said Enrique.

Enrique is one of the two Grape Creek Seniors who held the necessary qualifications to apply for the scholarship. Both he and Cole Covey, a fellow graduate of Grape Creek High School, were the first students to ever represent the school in this scholarship competition.

Both students were aided and supported by their Ag Teacher, Mr. Chudej. Overall, the Ag Mechanics courses taught by Mr. Chudej have been very successful. Along with the awards presented to Enrique for his individual project, the restoration team received Grand Champion for their restoration of a 1951 John Deere Model A Tractor at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. The team also placed 3rd in its class in San Antonio and 3rd overall in the Houston Ag Mech Show.

“Receiving the Grand Champion for tractor restoration in the San Angelo Ag Mech Show was when I realized that hard work pays off,” Enrique said. “It was very rewarding to me because I knew that all of the long hours and late nights we spent in the Ag shop had paid off.”

Mr. Chudej and the Grape Creek Ag program were also honored in Houston by becoming recipients of the Dr. Billy Harrell Award. This award is given each year to the AG program and teacher who shows a commitment to the development of agricultural skills and excellence. The award is only presented to one school every year, and is a very prestigious recognition of the effort and hard work the teacher and students have placed in their projects.

“It lets me know as an Ag teacher I’m doing the right things, the kids are doing the right thing and we have good kids in the program,” Chudej said.

Both Mr. Chudej and Principal Roger Henderson believe the success of the Ag program and the selection of Enrique for such an important scholarship is a true testament to the ability and dedication of Grape Creek students and staff.

“It is an exclamation point on a great year for our Ag program," Henderson said.

Enrique added that he is thankful for the opportunity to have represented Grape Creek FFA throughout his high school career, and appreciates all of those people who have supported him.

“Thanks to Chudej for always believing in me even when I didn't believe in myself, to my family for always supporting me and to my friends for being there by my side. With their support, I will be able to achieve my dream of becoming an Ag teacher.”