Arrington Krull has grown up among farmers. As a member of the family that owns and runs Krull Farms in Milford, Indiana, and a long-time 4-H club enthusiast, she knows what it means to work with animals and to love doing it.

When Arrington was in eighth grade, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and epilepsy. Before her diagnosis, no one expected her to have a learning disorder, because she was always an avid reader. New challenges presented themselves in the classroom as she entered high school, but Arrington wasn’t ready to back down.

“We had to fight very hard to get accommodations for me because I’m a high-performing student,” said Arrington.

She went on to take AP and high honors English classes all through high school. Despite the struggles she’s encountered, Arrington has committed the extra time needed to writing and focusing on schoolwork.

According to Arrington, it took a while for her school to accept that she had a learning disorder and was as successful as she was. She took advantage of high school tutoring and received one of KREMC’s John H. Anglin scholarships for students of higher education.

“It’s pretty cool to have KREMC’s support as a local community pillar!” she reflected. Arrington expressed gratitude to the electric cooperative for providing electricity to farmers at a reasonable cost, and she’s excited to watch Kosciusko Connect provide quality internet for the county. She’s seen KREMC sponsoring meaningful causes in the local area and has worked alongside KREMC employees at the county fair in years past.

Last May, Arrington graduated from Wawasee High School and started attending Purdue University this fall, for ag management with a minor in agronomy.

Because of her love for 4-H and the family farm, this path of study was perfect for Arrington. KREMC is honored to support her as she studies diligently and continues to make an impact in our community’s 4-H environment.

Leading up to college, Arrington was excited for the new possibilities.

“Purdue has a lot of great resources for me,” she said, explaining that there’s software for her to use that will assist her in reading and taking notes. In her words, Arrington wants to be a sort of “guinea pig” for Purdue, to teach the teachers how to use their curriculum in creative ways for students with learning disorders.

Arrington wouldn’t be who she is today without the support of her closest allies. Namely, her mom and dad have led the way for her perseverance. They both have dyslexia and haven’t let it stop them from succeeding.

“They’ve shown me how to be successful,” said Arrington.

Her dad runs Krull Farms as the sixth generation of the family to own it, and her mom is a thriving library director and consultant. For Arrington, watching her parents work through their difficulties and endure unique challenges has laid a foundation of family strength.

Her FFA advisor, Miss Maria Roberts, has also encouraged Arrington in running for state office and guiding her through her time involved in FFA. Arrington’s school principal, Mr. Snyder, helped her gain the academic support from the school that she needed.

Each of Arrington’s advocates has played a part in helping her walk fully and passionately in the path she’s discovering for herself.

“I always knew I was college-bound,” Arrington claimed, explaining that Purdue has been her dream school since her kindergarten years.

It would be difficult to find a farming community in the area that doesn’t know Arrington Krull. She’s been involved in the farm bureau, made connections through FFA and 4-H, and ran her own goat herd as part of an FFA project. In high school, she owned around 75 goats of her own and still has a good portion of them even after graduation.

At Purdue, Arrington is looking forward to finding new learning communities. She’s living with an ag-business study group and hopes to rush into the goat club, Sigma Alpha.

Not unlike her high school years, Arrington wants to push herself to be the best she can be in college.

“I’ve always had the goal of being a very successful person when I get older. I’m taking steps to get there and I’m really happy about it!”

For now, college is the next big step, and she’s excited to see what opportunities open up next.

Eventually, Arrington wants to take over the family farm, but she knows there may be new dreams to chase before that time. She’s planning on working somewhere in Indiana to grow more familiar with her field and see what specifications she wants to expert. She also hopes to run the hog operation and crops operation at her family farm, besides helping with the business side of things.

“I really like dealing with numbers. I find it very calming and relaxing,” Arrington explained. “People don’t realize that farming is a lot more than planting and raising. It’s sitting at a computer for hours on end doing numbers or trading or planning your next move.”

Despite the youth’s local involvement in 4-H, Arrington has seen family farms go under because kids don’t want to take over the businesses after their parents. For Arrington, running her family business is a given, and she’s resolved to maintain it.

“I can see what has sprung up over the years and what we’ve done to improve. It’s cool to see what we’ve taken out of the old and made better,” she said.

At Krull Farms, each new generation makes a brand-new difference. Arrington has ideas of her own for the family farm’s future, and she’s looking forward to putting them into action.

“I want to make us more sustainable and more productive. There are always ways to do that while also keeping the legacy alive,” she said.

Until then, Arrington will be studying, building up storehouses of knowledge, skills, and learning opportunities that will shape her and teach her for years to come.

“I’m really happy to receive this scholarship!” Arrington said, “It’s taken a lot of the financial stress out of college, and allowed me to focus more on my academics and getting the supplies I need to be a good student.”

To learn more about KREMC’s scholarships, visit our Youth Programs page.