Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, center, awarded six Kentucky high school student-athletes 2025 Kentucky High School Athletic Association-Kentucky Department of Agriculture Ag Athletes of the Year awards during the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament at Rupp Arena Friday night in Lexington. Pictured are, from left, Kenton Johnson, Jackson Major, Aiden Manley, Commissioner Shell, Abby Knarr, Harper Richey, and Laney Pease. (Kentucky Department of Agriculture)
2025 KHSAA-KDA Ag Athletes of the Year announced
Ag commissioner honors winners at Sweet 16 tournament
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 31, 2025) – Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell awarded six Kentucky high school student-athletes involved in agriculture the 2025 Kentucky High School Athletic Association-Kentucky Department of Agriculture Ag Athletes of the Year awards.
“Being part of high school athletics teaches you teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Those are the same skills and strengths you need to find success in agriculture,” Commissioner Shell said. “These same skills can also translate to a successful academic career. At the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, we recognize a solid educational foundation can translate to great success in life, whether that education is through a four-year institution or a trade school. We are pleased to join our partners at the KHSAA to reward scholarships to the Commonwealth’s best young athletes and agriculturists.”
The 2025 Ag Athletes of the Year were named at a ceremony during the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament on March 28 at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Two $2,000 scholarships and four $1,000 scholarships were awarded. The honorees were:
• Outstanding Ag Athlete of the Year: Abby Knarr, Williamstown Independent High School ($2,000)
• Outstanding Ag Athlete of the Year: Aiden Manley, Menifee County High School ($2,000)
• Kenton Johnson, Mason County High School
• Jackson Major, Fulton County High School
• Laney Pease, Fleming County High School
• Harper Richey, Caldwell County High School
The one-time scholarships, payable to an institution of higher learning, are awarded to high school seniors involved in athletics and agriculture who plan on continuing their education at a two- or four-year institution or trade school.
The scholarships are supported by the “Ag Tag” Fund, which is financed by voluntary donations from Kentucky motorists when they buy or renew their farm vehicle license plates. Last year, Kentucky farmers donated $931,201.81 to the Ag Tag Program. The scholarships are just one way the funds are used to support Kentucky’s agriculture youth.