Friends Scholarship Recipient
Brock Barnett, a 2026 graduate of PCM High School, is the recipient of the 2026 Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Scholarship. He plans to major in agricultural engineering with an emphasis in conservation practices at Iowa State University this fall. Excerpts from his scholarship application demonstrate his commitment to conservation:
“I have developed a deep understanding of how essential environmental conservation is to both agriculture and everyday life. These experiences have shown me that the success of farming, and ultimately the well-being of people, depends on how responsibly we care for our natural resources. I have come to understand that agricultural practices directly impact water quality, and that farmers play a critical role in both the problem and solution. This realization has motivated me to be a part of improving those practices.”
Brock participated in Future Farmers of America (FFA), football, wrestling, soccer, PCM Shooting Sports Club, and National Honor Society in high school. He was also active in the Jasper County Farmhands 4-H club and installed floating wetlands at the PCM High School under the direction of Jasper County Conservation.
The Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Board of Directors has established a scholarship to support young people in local communities with an interest and drive to study and begin careers in a natural resource field. The “Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Scholarship” supports one graduating high school senior with $1,000 per year for tuition, books, and other college educational expenses. The Friends group hopes that this scholarship will help launch the career of a young conservationist embarking upon a course of study in an environmental conservation, natural resource management, environmental science, or related field.