Ten children of Hormel Foods Corp.

Tuesday, April 25, 2000

Ten children of Hormel Foods Corp. employees have been selected to receive undergraduate college scholarships sponsored by the Austin-based consumer-branded meat and food processor.

A four-year Merit Scholarship sponsored by the corporation will be presented to Jamie L. Dirkschneider, Fremont, Neb. Four-year special scholarships were awarded to the following high school students who will enter college this fall: Amanda L. Bremner, Andrea N. Farnsworth, Katie A. Hanson, Erin M. Heimer and Amanda M. Lyons, all from Austin; Lincoln J. Hahn, Fairmont; Julie L. Halvorson, Chatfield; Erin L. Passold, Fremont, Neb.; and Trisha A. Stanger, Melrose.

For the 34th consecutive year, Hormel Foods provided funds for scholarships to be awarded to the children of current, retired or deceased employees of the corporation and its subsidiaries. Recipients are required to attend accredited undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States.

Winners of the Hormel Foods scholarships were selected by the National Merit Scholarship Corp., an independent, non-profit organization in Evanston, Ill., that helps academically talented students obtain college scholarships. Financial assistance is provided to high school students who meet stringent NMSC requirements. Criteria included scores of the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, scholastic abilities, involvement in school and community activities and leadership qualities.

Funds have been provided each year by the corporation since the scholarship program was established in 1966. To date, scholarships have been awarded to 177 children of company employees.

Local students receiving scholarships include:

n Amanda Bremner has been an exceptional student at Austin High School.

Ranked fourth in a class of more than 265 students with a 4.07 weighted GPA, Bremner is a member of the National Honor Society, Youth Leadership Group and Key Club. She has been captain of the Math League, participated in the mock trial program and was a regional History Day finalist.

Bremner is captain of the speech team and was a conference champion in the extemporaneous speaking event last year. She also is captain of the debate team and was a quarter finalist in the state debate tournament and a national qualifier. An editor with the Sentinel school newspaper and the Austinian yearbook, she has been active with the Austinaires singing group ensemble.

In the community, Bremner is active with her church, has been a volunteer at the Victim’s Crisis Center and has worked part time as a lifeguard and swimming instructor during the school year and summers.

Bremner, who intends to major in philosophy and education at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, is the daughter of Rick and Eileen Bremner. Rick is a manager of office services at the company’s corporate offices in Austin and Eileen is a homemaker.

n Andrea Farnsworth has been involved with numerous activities while a student at Austin High School.

Farnsworth, a member of the National Honor Society, has been co-chair of the NHS student committee and is an academic letter winner. She is active with the Principal’s Student Advisory Committee and received an outstanding achievement award in Spanish.

President of the Distributive Education Clubs of America chapter, Farnsworth captured first place in the DECA state contest and will compete in the national competition. She is co-editor of the Sentinel school newspaper, is a member of the treble choir and was a letter winner with the swimming team at Montevideo High School.

n Katie Hanson had been involved in a variety of extracurricular activities while attending Austin High School.

Hanson belongs to the National Honor Society and is an academic letter winner. She has been an editor of the Sentinel school newspaper and received an artist-of-the-month award.

Selected to the Big 9 Conference select band, Hanson has played in a jazz ensemble and the Austin Community Band. She also has taken part in theater productions at Riverland Community College in Austin.

Hanson has been active at her church, serving as vice president of the youth group, worship committee member and accompanist for the choir. She has worked part time at the Austin Public Library as a student assistant.

Hanson, daughter of Don and Alice Hanson, is enrolled at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where she intends to earn a master of library sciences degree. Don is an employee at the corporation’s Austin plant and Alice is library assistant at the Austin Public Library. Another daughter, Jennifer, was a Hormel Foods scholarship recipient for 1994-98.

n Aaron Heimer has excelled in academics as well as music and sports at Austin High School.

Ranked second in his class, Heimer has a 4.13 weighted grade-point average. He was inducted into the National Honor Society as a junior, is a four-year AHS academic letter winner and has received the Big 9 conference academic excellence award for four years.

Heimer has participated two years in the Math League and in various drama productions. He has been a member of the school orchestra three years and is a four-year starter on varsity soccer. He was captain of the soccer squad and was selected for Big 9 all-conference MVP honors.

In the community, Heimer has participated in Cherish the Children and Dads Make a Difference programs. In addition to working part time at Target, he has served as a referee at youth soccer events for the city of Austin and the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Aaron, the son of Jim and Nancy Heimer, plans to attend the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, majoring in premedicine. Jim and Nancy are both employed in Hormel’s Research and Development Division in Austin.

n Amanda Lyons has been very active at Austin High School.

Lyons, president of the Student Council, also has been president of the southeast division of student councils. She is a member of the National Honor Society and an editor of the Sentinel school newspaper. A math tutor, she has taken accelerated math courses through the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Math Program

Lyons has received numerous honors, including the Bausch & Lomb honorary science award, Spanish award and community service award. She was also named a scholar athlete.

She was captain of the gymnastics team and was selected for the all-conference, all-state and all-state select teams.

Lyons has been a volunteer with Cherish the Children, an after-school program for elementary children run by high school students, and with Kids Korner, a day-care program. She has served as a gymnastics coach for elementary and middle school children and as a summer day camp counselor at the Austin YMCA.

She’s the daughter of Larry and Jackie Lyons, and is enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, where she plans to pursue a degree in engineering. Larry is director of personnel at the company’s corporate offices and Jackie is a teacher’s aide with Austin Public Schools.