On Saturday, November 2, over 150 volunteers, members, and families gathered at Highland Community College for the annual Stephenson County 4-H Award and Volunteer Recognition Event.  Together, they enjoyed an awards ceremony, program updates, and a sweet treat from Megan Marie’s Bakery. The 4-H Awards event is an annual occasion where 4-H members are awarded for their outstanding accomplishments, 4-H Fair Choice Awards are handed out, and our 4-H volunteers are recognized for their valuable contributions to the Stephenson County 4-H Program.

Twelve 4-H Ambassadors helped Brenda Heimann, Stephenson County’s 4-H Program Coordinator, emcee the awards ceremony and help with desserts: Aaliyah Whitney, Cara Brinkmeier, and Sarah McPeek of Pearl City, Chloe Jean Schmidt, Connor Bausman & Carson Williams of Freeport, Abby and Matthew Busker & Kinzy DeHaven of Ridott, Mya Mitchell of Dakota, Jordan Heimann of Warren, and Ava Atwater, German Valley. “These young leaders did a fantastic job at the ceremony and showed incredible growth in their leadership skills from over this past year,” stated Brenda Heimann. “The enthusiasm these young leaders bring to 4-H events is contagious and helps encourage more members to get involved in 4-H activities and programs.”

Highlighted award winners include:

• 4-H Club of the Year: Country Cuzins 4-H Club
• 4-H Youth Volunteer of the Year: Jordan Heimann of Lena Lucky Clovers
• 4-H Adult Volunteer of the Year: Jeremy Longamore of Snappy Snazzers 
• 4-H Alumni Award: Dorothy Wire of Lena Lucky Clovers
• 4-H Family of the Year: Schmidt Family: Mike, Lisa, and Chloe Jean of the Pearl Valley Rangers
• Top 1st Year 4-H’ers (8):  Serenity Hunt and Reese Nicholas of Country Cuzins, Colette Brinkmeier of Pearl Valley Rangers, and Annabelle Birr, Rowan Baker, Hannah Lerdahl, Joseph Manning, and Cora Schultz of Snappy Snazzers
• Program Book Cover: Elizabeth Lamm of Freeport Fantastics
• Scrapbook of the Year: Country Cuzins
• EEC Electricity Award – Elmer Heid of the Pearl Valley Rangers
• Photographer – Jeremy Longamore, Snappy Snazzers
• Illinois Holstein-Friesan Association Award: Sarah McPeek of Pearl Valley Rangers, Abby & Rachel Busker of Country Cuzins
• 10 Year 4-H Members: Jasmine Brinkmeier, Natalie Mora, and Cole Weber of Country Cuzins, Ella Gunderson, Alyssa Kempel, and Brynn Lamm of Florence Crickets, Adam Gillingham of German Valley Golden Eagles, Odin Stabenow of Lena Lucky Clovers, Jorja Johnson, Pearl City Hornets, Hannah Pecoraro, Pearl Valley Rangers, and Makayla Mock, Gavin Roth, and Whitney Sullivan of Snappy Snazzers.
• 11 Year 4-H Members: Sarah Kempel of Florence Crickets, Logan Miller of German Valley Golden Eagles, Brea Musser of Pearl City Hornets, Jordan Johnson and Levi Sheffey of Pearl Valley Rangers.

Besides the county awards, Illinois 4-H has an Experience Level Recognition program for 4-H members that youth ages 8-18 can achieve. Members need to complete different experiences at the individual, club, county, multi-county, state, national, or international levels within one of the four dimensions: Participation, Community Service, Leadership, and Project Learning. The medals that can be earned at the county level are bronze, silver, and gold. Medals that proceed to state recognition are emeralds and diamonds. This year, Stephenson County had five bronze medal winners: Addy Ackerson, Elizabeth Lamm, Elowen Lamm, Makayla Mock, and Gunner Winning. To win a bronze medal, youth must complete at least one experience in the four dimensions listed above.

Our silver medal winners were: Alyse Cahoon, Kinzy DeHaven, Amery Dinderman, Ava Fellows, Mason Fellows, Natalie Fellows, Macall Heath-Ils, Piper Heath, Grace Maskell, Paige McPeek,  Mya Mitchell, Reese Nicholas, Gavin Roth, Chloe Jean Schmidt, Ian Smith, Lily Smith, Whitney Sullivan, and Carson Williams.  These youth had to complete two experiences in each of the four dimensions, with at least two of those experiences being beyond the individual and club level.

Our gold medal winners had to complete four experiences in each dimension, and two of those experiences must be outside of their club and county. The youth who win this award are very active not just in their 4-H clubs in Stephenson County, but they also attend and get involved with 4-H on a state and multi-county level. We had eight youths who won gold medals this year: Abby Busker, Rachel Busker, Aidan Dinderman, Kylie Manning, Sarah McPeek, Blair Schultz, Shelby Stone, and Lauren Witte.

This past year, Stephenson County had 2 youths exceed the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award levels, so their Experience Awards were sent on to the Illinois State 4-H Office to be judged for either a Diamond or Emerald Award. In order to earn one of these top State Awards, youth must have more than 4 experiences in 4-H beyond their club or county. Jordan Heiman of Lena Lucky Clovers earned her Diamond Clover Award in Leadership and Alaina Dinderman earned her Emerald Award in Project Learning (Dairy).

We also take this time and recognize our incredible 4-H Volunteers. Our 4-H volunteers are what help make our 4-H program the huge success that it is today. In Stephenson County, we have 73 4-H volunteers who give of their time to be 4-H leaders, and superintendents for our 4-H shows, lead a special interest club, or help lead workshops. These volunteers give willingly of their time to help youth find their spark in 4-H!

If you would like to learn more about 4-H or the Ambassador program, please call our Stephenson County Extension office at 815-235-4125 or check out our website.

About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. 4-H programs are offered in every Illinois county by University of Illinois Extension. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 250,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming. 4-H is a community of seven million young people around the world learning leadership, citizenship, & life skills. For more information, contact the University of Illinois Extension-Stephenson County at 815-235-4125.