URBANA, Ill. — An Illinois 4-H team earned top honors while competing in the Poultry Judging Contest at the 2025 National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference, held Nov. 20 in Louisville, Kentucky. The four-member team placed 11th overall among 24 states competing in the contest.
The Illinois team included Kari Wier of DuPage County, Olivia Whitlock of Adams County, Mariah Mintle of Adams County, and Lydia Worsham of DeWitt County. A total of 88 contestants participated in the poultry judging contest, representing states competing as teams and individuals.
Individually, Kari Wier placed 18th overall and 8th in the Market Eggs division, while Lydia Worsham earned a third-place finish in Market Eggs. As a team, Illinois placed second in the Market Eggs division, contributing to its strong overall showing.
The National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference recognizes senior 4-H members who are 14 years of age as of Jan. 1 and have demonstrated excellence in state-level poultry learning experiences. The conference offers national contests and educational opportunities designed to introduce youth to poultry science and the poultry industry.
The poultry judging contest teaches participants to make decisions in an orderly manner, apply reasoning skills, and clearly communicate their choices. Youth also learn to use USDA grading criteria to evaluate the quality of ready-to-cook poultry and eggs.
In addition to poultry judging, the conference includes events such as the Egg Chef Challenge, Avian Bowl, and chicken and turkey barbecue contests, each designed to build technical knowledge, food safety awareness, communication skills, and leadership development related to poultry and egg products.
Financial support for the Illinois team was provided by the Department of Animal Sciences, the Illinois State 4-H Office, and the Illinois 4-H Foundation.
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.
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.