WIX® Filters Provides Six National FFA Scholarships to Students

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

WIX Filters, a member of the Affinia Group family of brands, has again this year awarded six scholarships to graduating high school students via the National FFA Organization in honor of their academic achievements, FFA participation, school and community activities, and future goals.

“Selected from more than 8,000 applicants from across the country, recipients of FFA Scholarships are on the right path to be tomorrow’s business, agriculture and community leaders,” said Jeff Blocher, brand manager for WIX Filters, which has been providing scholarships through the National FFA Foundation since 1985. “WIX Filters is proud to provide more than $50,000 a year in educational support through our various partnerships with the FFA, including this scholarship program and our annual WIX/FFA box top program.”

Scholarships are made available through the National FFA Foundation by business and industry sponsors to reward and encourage excellence and enable students to pursue their educational goals. WIX Filters has helped the FFA raise funds for 26 consecutive years and has donated more than $500,000 since 2000 to local FFA chapters and students through its annual scholarship and box top programs.

This year’s scholarship recipients are: Micah Zehr of Fairbury, Ill.; Dylan Kraus of Maple Hill, Kan.; Justin Kolb of Meadow, S.D.; Cory Blaes of Cherryvale, Kan; Jake Bonham of Washington, Ohio; and Chadd Petrick of Anamosa, Iowa. The scholarships are part of 1,443 awarded through the National FFA Scholarship Program this year.

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 506,199 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,429 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a Federal Charter granted by the 81st Congress of the United States, and is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.

Since 1939, Wix® Filters has been an innovator in filtration products. WIX designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment. WIX, a member of the Affinia family of brands, is the number one filter in NASCAR and an exclusive NASCAR Performance Product. Its NASCAR relationship also includes the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award, which recognizes the drivers leading the most laps in each race. For more information, visit www.wixfilters.com.

Affinia Group Inc. is an innovative global leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and marketing of industrial grade products and services, including extensive offerings of aftermarket parts for automotive and heavy-duty vehicles. With approximately $1.8 billion in annual revenue, Affinia has operations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and India. For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com.

Wray Ward