Who is Kendall Rae Johnson? All about 10-year-old Georgia farmer as she receives full scholarship to HBCU

Kendall Rae Johnson, who is just 10 years old, is already making her mark on agriculture. She is therefore being awarded a full scholarship by South Carolina State University, the HBCU announced recently (via Yahoo News).

Kendall Rae Johnson resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She was named the youngest certified farmer in Georgia at six, and has developed into a youthful voice for agriculture, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.

Kendall Rae has been gardening since she was three years old, planting cucumbers, collard greens, tomatoes, and peppers with her great-grandmother Laura "Kate" Williams. The two of them planted their crops on the patio of her great-grandmother's home.

Meet Kendall Rae Johnson, who at just 6-years old, the youngest certified farmer in the state of Georgia!!



With the guidance of her mother, Kendall has started her own farming business called aGROWKulture and has joined several farming organizations such as Georgia Grown, a… pic.twitter.com/e30N5ZHISs

— A'ja Smith (@AjaSmith_) February 29, 2024

According to a report by The Vision Conference, at four years old, her parents built her a bigger garden bed, as she was eager to tend to her crops. She created her own urban farming business called aGROWKulture Urban Farm, where she grows vegetables and fruits.

In 2023, the state of Georgia declared March 23 to be "Kendall Rae Johnson Day" in recognition of her work as a farmer and contribution to agriculture and youth empowerment.

Kendall Rae is also the founder of a nonprofit: Kendall Rae’s Green Heart. This organization focuses on educating other young people about growing food sustainably and agricultural related business practices.

A look into the recent scholarship provided to Kendall Rae Johnson

Recently, Kendall and her family attended a national college tour through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Virginia State University. The national tour included multiple campuses, but there was one campus that changed her life: South Carolina State University.

After they toured the school's agricultural research farms and spoke with faculty members, Kendall was surprised with an $83,500, full ride scholarship that covered tuition, fees, and room and board by a representative of SC State University. SC State University president Alexander Conyers commented on Kendall's maturity and passion.

"We were genuinely inspired by Kendall Rae’s focus and maturity. It’s not every day you meet a 10-year-old who talks about microorganisms, crop counts and longhorn cattle. She’s remarkable," he said according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

🌱 From porch plants to a full-ride scholarship!



At just 10 years old, Kendall Rae Johnson, America’s youngest USDA-certified farmer, was surprised with a full scholarship offer. 🐶🎓



🔗: https://t.co/2UYsnprkFu pic.twitter.com/ivWjKtEPEy

— SC State 1890 (@SCState1890) July 31, 2025

The unexpected scholarship was the exciting moment of the visit; however, Kendall Rae Johnson also expressed her enthusiasm in getting to ride a tractor at the university's farm.

In addition to the nonprofit and farming activities, Kendall Rae is also a published author. Her book, I'm Growing Places, is recommended to children in pre-K through 5th grade and seeks to teach the significance of growing sustainable food. She also hosts community events in Atlanta where she advocates green living and supports other young growers.