MELVIN, Ill — 4-H youth put their passion and hard work on display at the Ford County Fair 4-H Project Show on June 24. 

In 4-H, projects are a way for members to learn about what interests them. Projects spark members to follow their passions, interests, and talents on a new path to career development, enjoyment, and belonging. 

“These projects are important because they let kids experiment with different areas like animal science, robotics, or art, and show how these activities can lead to real-world careers like veterinary medicine, engineering, or graphic design,” said 4-H Program Coordinator Sara Seyfert.

Project shows serve as learning opportunities for youth to interact with subject matter experts who serve as judges and provide guidance as youth work toward mastery in their project area.

“The judging helps kids get better at what they do,” says Seyfert. “They learn a lot from the feedback, and it connects them with experienced leaders in subjects they’re passionate about who provide guidance and support to help them with what they’re interested in.”

Youth who are awarded blue ribbons will have the opportunity to exhibit and compete at the state level during the Illinois State Fair 4-H General Project Show, August 12-14, in Springfield.

This year’s State Fair delegates and champions from Ford County include:

• Animal Science, Victoria Meyer, Melvin Adventurers, Reserve Champion, State Fair Alternate 
• Animal Science, Morgan Loschen, Walltown, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Communications, AlexandriaMeyer, Melvin Adventurers, Champion 
• Computer Science, Alexander Pollard, Melvin Adventurers, Champion 
• Cooking 101 Cookies, Brogan Veatch, Walltown, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Cooking 201 Biscuits, Jake Bleich, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Cooking 201 Nut Bread, Alexandria Meyer, Melvin Adventurers, State Fair Delegate 
• Cooking 301 Cake, Lily Giroux, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Cooking 301 Dinner Rolls, Elizabeth Giroux, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Cooking 401 Sponge Cake, Nick Giroux, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Crops, JR McMillan, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Crops, JR McMillan, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Electricity, Abner Foster, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Electricity, JR McMillan, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Entomology-Beekeeping, Oscar Pollard, Melvin Adventurers, Champion 
• Geology, BroganVeatch, Walltown, Champion 
• Health, ElizabethGiroux, Seek and Discover, Champion 
• Health, Lily Giroux, Seek and Discover, Reserve Champion 
• Horticulture: Floriculture, Pollard Ruby, Melvin Adventurers, Champion 
• Horticulture: Floriculture, Tenley Kurtenbach, Prairie Pacers, Reserve Champion 
• Horticulture: Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, Kloey Walls, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Intercultural, CaylynnEmbry, Prairie Fire, Champion 
• Interior Design, Natalie Aberle, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Leadership, ElizabethGiroux, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Leadership, Lily Giroux, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Natural Resources, Nora Hawn, Melvin Adventurers, Reserve Champion 
• Natural Resources, JR McMillan, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Photography 1, AdalynnWelborn, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Photography 2, TenleyKurtenbach, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Tractor, JR McMillan, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Tractor, HawkenKurtenbach, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Visual Arts - Chalk/Carbon/Pigment Division A on Canvas, Paper or Glass, Abner Foster, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Visual Arts - Chalk/Carbon/Pigment Division A on Canvas, Paper or Glass, PollardRuby, Melvin Adventurers, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Visual Arts - Computer-Generated Art, Oscar Pollard, Melvin Adventurers, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Visual Arts - Fiber, Pollard Ruby, Melvin Adventurers, Reserve Champion, State Fair Alternate 
• Visual Arts - Fiber, Lana Rachiell, Seek and Discover, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Visual Arts - Heritage Arts, Ella Strebeck, Walltown, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Visual Arts - Paper, Benjamin Strebeck, Walltown, State Fair Delegate, Grand Champion of Visual Arts 
• Visual Arts - Plastic Block Art, JR McMillan, Prairie Pacers, Champion 
• Visual Arts - Plastic Block Art, Keegan Hanson, Walltown, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 
• Visual Arts - Scrapbooking-Advanced, Logan Loschen, Walltown, State Fair Delegate, Champion, Grand Champion 
• Visual Arts Food Decorating-Beginning / Cupcakes, Tenley Kurtenbach, Prairie Pacers, State Fair Delegate, Champion 
• Woodworking 2, BenStrebeck, Walltown, State Fair Alternate 
• Woodworking 3, JakeBleich, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Champion
• Woodworking 4, LaneBeyers, Prairie Fire, State Fair Delegate, Reserve Champion 

If you’re interested in learning more about 4-H in Ford County, contact Sara Seyfert at sseyfert@illinois.edu or call our office at 815-268-4051.

About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and is administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H grows true leaders, youth who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. The hands-on approach in 4-H gives young people guidance, tools, and encouragement and then puts them in the driver’s seat to make great things happen. Independent research confirms the unparalleled impact of the 4-H experience, demonstrating that young people are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, two times more likely to make healthier choices, two times more likely to be civically active, and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.