LEWISTOWN, Ill. - University of Illinois Extension, Fulton County 4-H recently honored thirty-two 4-H members for their outstanding accomplishments in the 4-H program. The Achievement Program and Volunteer Recognition Event was held Sunday, October 19, at the Donaldson Community Center in Canton, where these 4-Hers and several club leaders and volunteers were recognized.
The Secretary of the Year Award goes to the club secretary who has kept the best record of club events, attendance, and minutes of the meetings. Kaylee Asher of the Smithfield Up and Coming 4-H Club was named the winner.
The Treasurer of the Year Award goes to the club treasurer who has kept the best financial records for his or her club. This year the winner was Aaliyah Naff of the Pleasant Spacemakers 4-H Club.
The Reporter of the Year Award goes to the club reporter who has prepared the best scrapbook of the club events. Receiving this award was Briley Nelson of the Pleasant Spacemakers 4-H Club.
One of the highest honors that a young 4-H member can receive is to be named one of the Outstanding First Year 4-H Members in the county. The outstanding member receiving this award was Knox Braun.
In the livestock projects, one outstanding member was chosen for each species and presented with a plaque. The winner for Best of Beef was Aliyah Janssen; Best of Goat, Alexander Wetterauer; Best of Horse, Briley Mercer; Best of Poultry, Eli DeCounter; Best of Rabbit, Emmitt Buban; and Best of Swine, Eli DeCounter. The Best Head of Five Cattle award was presented to the Fairview Huskies 4-H Club.
In the non-livestock projects, outstanding members were honored as follows: Best of Communications and Business – Aaliyah Naff; Best of Crops and Horticulture – Brayton McCoy; Best of Family Life – Aliyah Janssen; Best of Foods – Dalen Bradford; Best of Mechanical Sciences – Zack Miller; Best of Natural Resources – Skylar Naff; Best of Sewing and Textiles – Briley Mercer; Best of Small Animals – Aaliyah Naff; and Best of the Arts – Aliyah Janssen.
The County Community Service Award is given to the club doing the most work in community involvement and service. The 2025 recipient of this award is the Pleasant Spacemakers 4-H Club. Honorable mention went to the Smithfield Up and Coming 4-H Club.
The County Health and Safety Club Honors the club doing the most work in the last year in Health and Safety. The recipient for 2025 was the Pleasant Spacemakers 4-H Club.
4-H members receiving project awards included Kaylee Asher, Dalen Bradford, Knox Braun, Emmitt Buban, Jasper Buban, Collin Christy, Grant Christy, Eli DeCounter, Aliyah Janssen, Benton Janssen, John Keene, Connor Kotewa, Declan Kotewa, Lehman Martin, Taylor Martin, Brayton McCoy, Briley Mercer, Max Mercer, Zack Miller, Holden Myers, Aaliyah Naff, Skylar Naff, Lillie Ray, Cole Ricker, Brady Robinson, Miles Robinson, Caroline Spangler, Thomas Stevenson, Riley Weinmann, Alex Wetterauer, David Wetterauer, and Luke Wetterauer.
4-H Clubs that participated in National 4-H Week received recognition. First place went to the Pleasant Spacemakers 4-H Club, and second place went to the Smithfield Up and Coming 4-H Club. Receiving Honorable Mention were the Busy Bees, Jolly Workers, and Fairview Huskies 4-H Clubs.
Club leaders were recognized for their milestone years of service. One year – Bonita Leady, Hillary Pasley, and Dezaray Sheets; five years – Tera Grebner; ten years – Gina Stevenson; fifteen years – Crista Hartstirn, Robyn Hendel, Mary Ellen Nolan, and Dusty Stephenson. All leaders were presented with certificates of achievement and pins.
Each year, Illinois 4-H honors volunteers who have a track record of exemplary service to 4-H or outstanding career and community achievement and are nominated by either county University of Illinois Extension staff or by the Illinois 4-H Foundation Board. This year’s recipient from Fulton County, Crista Hartstirn, was honored by her peers and 4-H members during the Volunteer Recognition. Congratulations, Crista!
4-H is the youth program of University of Illinois Extension. To find out how young people ages 8-18 can become members of 4-H, call Krista Gray at University of Illinois Extension, Fulton County Office, at 309-547-3711.
Photo caption – Fulton County 4-H “Best of” category award winners
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.