Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors: Lucy Evans from Georgia and John Bruner from Pennsylvania. The scholarships were presented to the recipients at the National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational held in Grand Island, Neb., from June 23-27. Jon Zinnel, director of community relations for Federal Ammunition, announced the winners during the opening ceremonies.
In addition to the scholarships, Federal was there to celebrate the 4-H Shooting Sports Program successes and welcome more than 700 athletes from nearly 40 states. Federal remains the longest-tenured sponsor of the program, which introduces hundreds of thousands of new shooting sports enthusiasts to a wide array of shooting disciplines. Each year, the county programs offer safe and controlled shooting sports programs led by certified instructors. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the annual championships.
“Both Lucy and John had an impressive resume of community service and giving back to their communities and the shooting sports community,” Zinnel said. “I started in the shooting sports industry when I, too, served as a national 4-H shooting sports ambassador. All the national ambassadors are tremendous citizens, which is a testament to the great programs the organization offers to youth across the country.”
The Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarship program, an annual initiative, was established to honor the memory of the legendary exhibition shooter Tom Knapp. Before his passing in April 2013, Knapp left an indelible mark on the shooting sports community. In 2016, Federal Ammunition and Champion Traps & Targets, in collaboration with the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee, continued this esteemed scholarship program.
Knapp, a passionate advocate for nurturing the next generation, was a respected Champion and Federal Ammunition ambassador. With the support of Knapp’s wife, Colleen, Champion extended Tom’s licensed products program to fund an endowed scholarship that annually awards $2,500 to two national 4-H ambassadors.
