PEKIN, Ill - To be selected for a state 4-H scholarship is quite an honor, as the competition is steep. University of Illinois Extension, Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit is proud to announce that four local 4-H members were selected to receive $1,000 career achievement scholarships as well as one 4-H Sustaining the Future Award.
Local career achievement scholarship winners include:
- Hannah Johnson, Fulton County, category Personal Growth
- Emma Salverson, Peoria County, category Healthy Living & Nutrition
- Jorgi Dupureur, Tazewell County, category Creative & Performing Arts & Communications
- Lauren Haas, Tazewell County, category STEM & Robotics
4-H Sustaining the Future Award winner:
- Ashleigh Janssen, Tazewell County
The Illinois 4-H Foundation provided forty-five $1,000 scholarships to young adults across the state. The scholarships were awarded to five Illinois 4-H members in each of the nine focus categories and were based on merit and a demonstrated standard of 4-H excellence.
“These youth exhibit excellence and mastery in these interest areas,” says Lisa Diaz, University of Illinois Extension assistant dean and 4-H director. “These awards celebrate the hard work, dedication, growth, and leadership these youth have exhibited.”
Scholarship applicants wrote essays that showcase how their time in
4-H has impacted them. The local winners pointed out important points from their 4-H experience such as growing in leadership and communication skills, providing new friends, trying new things, and being exposed to areas for college majors and future careers.
The 4-H Sustaining the Future Award winner, Ashleigh Janssen, received her honor by exemplifying outstanding leadership within the agriculture industry and demonstrating a desire to remain engaged. This award was sponsored by Illinois Farm Bureau and Affiliates Youth Education in Agriculture Committee. Ashleigh has been invited to attend the Premier 20 Leadership Conference in April, as part of her recognition.
These five exceptional young ladies have a combined 42 years of 4-H experience. They have been active members and served in various leadership roles within their clubs, as well as at county, unit, and state-wide events. Along with their impressive 4-H careers, all five have remained active in other organizations. Congratulations to Hannah, Emma, Jorgi, Lauren, and Ashleigh for continuing “to make the best better.”
About University of Illinois Extension: University of Illinois Extension is the flagship outreach effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offering educational programs to residents of all of Illinois' 102 counties — and far beyond. Extension provides practical education you can trust to help people, businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future. U of I Extension offers educational programs in five broad areas: energy and environmental stewardship, food safety and security, economic development and workforce preparedness, family health, financial security, and wellness, and youth development.
About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.