Holstein Association USA is thrilled to announce the 2025 Distinguished Junior Member (DJM) Semifinalists and 2025 Young Distinguished Junior Member (YDJM) Finalists. The National Junior Holstein Association is a dynamic organization for youth under the age of 21, with over 8,000 active members in 48 states.
The Distinguished Junior Member award is the highest achievement for National Junior Holstein Association members. Established in 1922, it’s the longest-running Holstein Youth Program and recognizes the commitment of Junior members to the Holstein breed, the dairy industry, and other agricultural related activities.
“For over a century, we’ve been recognizing deserving Junior members with the DJM award,” says Kelli Dunklee, Event and Program Lead for Holstein Association USA and the Holstein Foundation. “It’s rewarding to see the impact the National Junior Holstein Association has had on our DJM semifinalists and YDJM finalists and we’re excited to see where these outstanding young people are headed in the future.”
Ten young adults ages 17 to 20 were selected as semifinalists. They were judged through an application process including a resume, story of their Junior Holstein work, essay questions, video elements, and more.
The 2025 Distinguished Junior Member Semifinalists are:
Lauren Breunig, Sauk City, WI
Rachel Craun, Bridgewater, VA
Delana Erbsen, Lanark, IL
Evan Hathaway, Barneveld, WI
Alexis Hoefs, New Prague, MN
Katheryn Longenecker, Williamsburg, PA
Brianna Meyer, Chilton, WI
Katelyn Poitras, Brimfield, MA
Garrett Ulness, Valders, WI
Lauryn Young, Buhl, ID
The DJM semifinalists will be interviewed and recognized at the National Holstein Convention being held June 23 to 26, 2025 in Saint Louis, Missouri. The DJM finalists will be announced during the Junior Awards Breakfast on Thursday, June 26.
Eight finalists will also be recognized with Holstein Association USA’s Young Distinguished Junior Member award. The YDJM recognition honors youth ages 9 to 16, who demonstrate a firsthand working knowledge of the dairy industry. Applicants must be involved in the Junior Holstein Association and other agricultural activities, be role models for other youth, and good spokespeople for the dairy industry.
The 2025 Young Distinguished Junior Member Finalists are:
Justin Brandel, Lake Mills, WI
Gavin Carncross, Lodi, WI
Chloe Chapman, Keyes, CA
Elyse Mead, Biglerville, PA
Abby Meyer, Chilton, WI
Hannah Scott, Westgate, IA
Olivia VanEvera, Cobleskill, NY
Grant Yoder, Belleville, PA
For more information about the DJM and YDJM contests or other Holstein youth programs, visit www.holsteinusa.com/juniors/
