A Cloudland High School student recently received some recognition for her hard work in the field of agriculture.

Katie Clawson, a junior at CHS, was awarded a $1,000 Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) grant from Caterpillar through the Future Farmers of America national organization. Clawson is the daughter of Jason and Angela Clawson and is an active member of her school’s FFA Chapter.

Clawson was one of two students in the state of Tennessee to be selected as a recipient of an SAE grant through FFA National and several corporate sponsors, according to CHS FFA Advisor Lauren Turbyfill. The grant cycle was open to FFA members across the country with only 152 grants being awarded nationwide.

The grant Clawson received from the heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar will be applied to her Supervised Agricultural Experience project in Nursery Operations.

“Supervised Agricultural Experience” is a term coined by the FFA to describe work experience the students gain in any field of agricultural studies, such as foods, fibers, and natural resources. As part of the FFA program, the students can choose to be placed with an employer or have the opportunity to begin an entrepreneurial venture.

“Katie is an entrepreneur who has a passion for nursery/landscape plants and shrubs,” Turbyfill said.

The grant will help Clawson complete her SAE project, which is a requirement a student must complete if they are working toward earning their State FFA Degree, and later their National FFA Degree.

“Katie is a very driven and motivated young lady who works diligently in our FFA Chapter to see that tasks are completed, without even being asked to do so,” Turbyfill said. “She is dedicated and very passionate about ensuring that her life and career involve agriculture.

“We are very excited that she is the first Cloudland FFA recipient of an SAE Grant,” Turbyfill continued. “To my knowledge, the first in Carter County!”