Suwannee High School (SHS) student Jake Stuckey received a $1,000 grant by mikeroweWORKS Foundation.

The grant purpose is to help FFA members enhance their supervised agricultural experience (SAE), a requirement that all FFA members must compete. An SAE requires FFA members to create and operate an agriculture related business, work at an agriculture related business, or conduct an agricultural research experience.

Stuckey’s SAE was working with his bee keeping. Stuckey has been running his own bee business since he was 12. Stuckey says, “In 2003, I started my business and now I pollinate all throughout the Suwannee Valley.”

Stuckey heard of the grant through word of mouth and decided to apply. Over 2,500 applicants applied for the grant Stuckey won. When asked how Stuckey felt about being selected out of all those applicants, Stuckey simply smiled from ear to ear and said, “Makes me feel like a winner.”

With this money, Stuckey plans to expand his business with more hives and hire an assistant to help with some of the day-to-day upkeep of the beehives. Stuckey says, “I will go from about 15-20 hives to 75-80 hives. Coming up here in a little while, I will have to hire someone too.”

FFA advisor Sarah Trimm says, “The SHS FFA Program is so very proud of Jake and his accomplishment.”