Bloomington, Ill. — August 2025 DeKalb County 4-H members made a powerful statement at the Illinois 4-H State Air Rifle Shoot, held at Central Illinois Precision Shooters in Bloomington. With seven of the top ten individual scores, DeKalb County emerged as the clear frontrunner in this year’s competition.
Participants competed in National Standard Three Position and Standing Sporter events, firing 60 precision shots from 10 meters. The top three individual scores were:
- Lille Harper, DeKalb County – 958
- Mark Pritchard, DeKalb County – 893
- Reese Harper, DeKalb County – 879
These impressive performances reflect not only technical skill but also the values at the heart of the Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports Program. More than just marksmanship, the program emphasizes responsibility, goal setting, self-confidence, sportsmanship, and team camaraderie—life skills that prepare youth for success beyond the range.
Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports is offered through local Extension offices and includes disciplines such as archery, shotgun, pistol, and rifle. The program is supported by over 600 certified adult volunteers, all trained using the national 4-H curriculum, and serves more than 3,000 youth statewide.
As DeKalb County celebrates its outstanding showing, the event stands as a testament to the power of positive youth development through hands-on learning and mentorship.
About Illinois 4-H:
Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.
For Further Information, Contact:
Writer: Curt Sinclair, University of Illinois Extension 4-H Youth Development Specialist, sinclair@illinois.edu
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.