URBANA, Ill. — From historic courthouses to farm fields and favorite outdoor destinations, Illinois 4-H youth turned their hometowns into miniature masterpieces for the November 4-H Creating with Building Bricks Challenge, themed “Hometown Pride.” The monthly contest challenges invite youth to showcase creativity, design skills, and storytelling using plastic building bricks such as LEGO or MEGABLOKS.
In the 8–10-year-old division, Elizabeth Fuller, 9, of the Four Corner Clovers 4-H Club in Logan County, earned top honors with her brick-built rendition of the Mount Pulaski Courthouse, located in the center of her hometown. Fuller shared that Abraham Lincoln practiced law there before becoming president, making the beloved courthouse both a local landmark and a piece of United States history.
The 11–13-year-old division winner, Ezekiel Anderson, 13, of Shelby County’s Strasburg Tailtwisters 4-H Club, highlighted the importance of agriculture in his rural community with a build centered on farming in the Strasburg area. His creation humorously nods to a classic farm-country debate — the rivalry between red and green tractors — declaring confidently that “red is better.”
In the 14–18-year-old division, George Kapasouris, 15, of the Whirlybirds 4-H Club in DuPage County, impressed judges with his depiction of the Morton Arboretum, a cherished place for his family known for picnics, mazes, and endless outdoor adventures. His build captured the natural beauty and recreation opportunities the Arboretum offers visitors year-round.
“Judging all these builds and reading about each one took us on a sightseeing journey all around the state,” said Amy Henschen, 4-H senior program lead. “The creativity and details the kids included really highlighted so much of what makes our state great: agriculture, history, recreation, nature, and above all, community.”
The monthly challenges support the new Creating with Building Bricks project, which helps youth express themselves creatively while building life skills such as problem solving and design thinking.
“Building bricks are such a fun medium for kids to express their creativity and build life skills like problem solving,” Henschen said. “We’re so excited to see what our Illinois 4-Hers build in the last month of this contest and in our new Creating with Building Bricks project.”
The challenge continues through the end of winter break. December's theme is Habitats — small, diorama-style rooms that feature minifigures and storytelling in miniature. Families are also invited to participate together in a Winter Wonderland challenge, encouraging young builders and adults alike to get creative over winter break.
Winners receive a build-it-yourself brick medal along with a small keepsake.
For more information on the Creating with Building Bricks project or how to participate in upcoming challenges, visit go.illinois.edu/4HBuildSeries.
About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and 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.
Writer: Carissa Nelson, Media Communications Manager, carissa7@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.