Kentucky NORML Leader Among the First Class of Higher Potential Scholarship Awards Winners

We’re excited to announce that a Kentucky resident is among the first class of the DaySavers Higher Potential Scholarship Award Winners, a first-of-its-kind initiative to help forge the next generation of cannabis industry leadership.

Consisting of more than 200 prizes totaling more than $25,000, the Higher Potential Scholarship provides opportunities for current and future members of the industry, all donated by 25 different brands, businesses and organizations inside the cannabis space.

This week, Lauren Bratcher of Cave City, Kentucky, was named a Top Award Recipient and awarded two passes to MJBizCon, the biggest cannabis industry convention in the country, as well as a media package consisting of unique coverage opportunities.

Bratcher is the Deputy Director of Kentucky NORML and president of the Common Good Network. She organized the Southern Canna Fest and worked to launch patient registration clinics. Her goal is to network with other industry leaders and work with partners from mature markets to avoid repeating mistakes and ensure our patients are not left behind.

“I will use the connections I build to bring sponsorships, mentorships, and educational partnerships into Kentucky, expanding opportunities in one of the poorest and most underserved regions in the country,” she wrote in her application essay.

Winners come from 30 different states and were selected based on their application and personal essay detailing their background, interests, passion and journey in the cannabis space.

The Higher Potential Scholarship Initiative is part of DaySavers’ broader mission to advance cannabis education, equity and industry innovation. Founding sponsors include Custom Cones USA, the DaySavers family of brands, Ganjier, SUNY Niagara and Cannabis & Tech Today, among others.

“These awards will help provide potentially life-changing access to education about one of the fastest-growing and most exciting industries in the country, impacting both the lives of the students and the business of cannabis in general,” said James Valentine, DaySavers’ Communications & Content Marketing Manager and Scholarship Administrator. “This is an investment in people and in the future of the industry.”

Other Higher Potential Scholarship recipients received:

• Education & Resources: Tuition-free seats in cannabis programs from Ganjier, SUNY Niagara, Operator Academy, Green CulturED, Veterinary Cannabis Society, and resources from DaySavers, Sage Advice, Women Employed in Cannabis, and CannaSiteCo.
• Mentorship: One-on-one developmental mentorships and experiences with industry leaders Dr. Miyabe Shields and Dr. Riley Kirk (Co-Founders of Network of Applied Pharmacognosy), Harrison Bard and Fredrik Rading (Co-Founders of Custom Cones USA), Jessica Ferranti (Founder & CEO of The Mycelia Group), Erin Kirk, Esq. (Connecticut Cannabis Ombudsman), Ashley Manta (Creator of CannaSexual), Trinity Madison (Founder & CEO of Camp Laughing Grass), Ishqa Hillman (Founder & Host of The Canna Boss Babes), and M. Omari Jackson (Founder & CEO of Ganjactivist).
• Industry Access: Event access and editorial opportunities through Marijuana Venture, Cannabis & Tech Today, NECANN, IgniteIt Cannabis, CannaCon, The Cannabis Alliance, Fill-a Blunts, and Smoke Temple.