ALBION, Ill. – Each fall, Edwards County 4-H and Illinois Extension recognize 4-H members for their achievements over the past 4-H year and 4-H leaders for their years of service as volunteers. The following awards were presented for the 2025-2026 program year.
4-H Club Leader Recognition
4-H club leaders were recognized for milestones in years of service to the local 4-H program:
Jordan Duncan: 5 years, Little Wabash Ramblers 4-H club
Jordan Root: 10 years, Yankees 4-H club
Don and Kathy St. Ledger: 30 years, Ellery Panthers 4-H club
4-H General Project and Livestock Project Awards
The Clean Pen Awards recognize those who kept exceptionally clean animal pens during the summer 4-H shows. Farm Credit of Illinois sponsors these awards.
Beef: Chase and Hallie Shelton
Goats: Brooklyn Kitchene
Swine: Clay and Cole Smith
Sheep: Brooklyn Kitchene
Zoey Bare was selected for this year’s Best Food Science Project, sponsored by the Chicagoland Food Science Foundation.
The Conservation Award, sponsored by the Edwards County Soil and Water Conservation District, recognizes an outstanding project related to natural resources or conservation. This year’s award was presented to Gracie Fenton.
The following plaques were donated by Illinois Extension. Projects were selected by judges at the 4-H General Project Show and the unit-wide Public Speaking Competition:
4-H Clothing Best Constructed Garment: Lucy Harrison
Fashion Revue: Aleya Bare
4-H Speech Contest: Niyah Hawkins, original works speech
4-H Member Awards
Those earning 10-year pins for their 4-H membership were Zeb Ankenbrand, Aleya Bare, Parker Biggs, Cheyenne Duncan, Wyatt Greathouse, Allison Groff, Owen Lynch, Brayden Sanford, Chase Shelton, and Emily Spray.
4-H members who have reached the end of their 4-H career and therefore earned the Alumni pin were Aleya Bare, Cy Nelson, J.W. Simms-Reisner, and Chase Shelton.
Earning recognition for their record-keeping duties as club secretaries were Lillian Bare, Madison Miller, Hayley Perry, Hallie Shelton, Gracie Fenton, and Liam McKinney. The award for best club secretary, sponsored by Edwards County 4-H, was presented to Madison Miller.
Hayley Perry received this year’s I Dare You Award, sponsored by Illinois Extension. The award is presented to a youth who shows leadership potential and must be nominated by their club leader.
The Leadership Award was presented to the following members for their ability to inspire and lead others: Aleya Bare, Parker Biggs, Cheyenne Duncan, Wyatt Greathouse, Cy Nelson, Owen Lynch, Brayden Sanford, J.W. Simms-Reisner, and Emily Spray.
Aleya Bare and Emily Spray received the Community Service Award for their work spearheading community projects in Edwards County.
The 4-H Cream of the Crop Award is presented to members who exemplify 4-H values. The award is sponsored by the Edwards County Soil and Water Conservation District and was presented to Aleya Bare, Sarafina Henson, Hayley Perry, and Emily Spray.
The Jan Schuh Memorial Scholarship is presented by the Yankees 4-H club in memory of Jan Schuh, who served as an Edwards County 4-H club leader. This year's scholarship recipients are Emily Spray and Parker Biggs.
The final four awards presented by Edwards County 4-H were as follows:
4-H Novice Member of the Year, sponsored by Edwards County Farm Bureau: Kalesi Vallette
4-H Junior Member of the Year, sponsored by Edwards County Farm Bureau: Kylar VanMatre
4-H Member of the Year, sponsored by Farm Credit: Aleya Bare
Club of the Year, sponsored by Wayne-White Electric Cooperative: Ellery Panthers
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 500 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 five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.