Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, center, awarded six Kentucky high school student-athletes 2026 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, Peyton Zinner, Ella Smallwood, Alyssa Benningfield, Commissioner Shell, Clayton Lester, Lucas Campbell, and Zaden Housekeeper.
2026 KHSAA-KDA Ag Athletes of the Year announced
Ag commissioner honors winners at Sweet 16 tournament
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 24, 2026) – Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell awarded six Kentucky high school student-athletes involved in agriculture the 2026 Kentucky High School Athletic Association-Kentucky Department of Agriculture Ag Athletes of the Year awards.
“The definitive traits that make you an outstanding athlete – teamwork, leadership, and resilience – are the same ones that provide 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 lead 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 2026 Ag Athletes of the Year were named at a ceremony during the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament on March 20 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: Alyssa Benningfield, Taylor County High School ($2,000)
• Outstanding Ag Athlete of the Year: Clayton Lester, University Heights Academy in Christian County ($2,000)
• Lucas Campbell, Fleming County High School
• Zaden Housekeeper, Williamsburg Independent in Whitley County
• Ella Smallwood, Menifee County High School
• Peyton Zinner, Western Hills High School in Franklin County
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 or the new “Friends of Agriculture” special plate. Last year, Kentucky farmers donated $995,440.74 to the Ag Tag Program. The scholarships are just one way the funds are used to support Kentucky’s agriculture youth.