OREGON, Ill. - Forty-seven youth from Ogle County recently competed at the state level at the 4-H General Project Show held August 11 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Seven competitors placed first earning the Grand Champion title, while 4 were named Reserve Grand Champions, and 5 members earned an Inspire award!
The best of the best were on display at the 4-H General Project Show of the Illinois State Fair. Award-winning 4-H members from across Illinois competed at the county level before advancing to the state level.
The following youth exhibited in this year’s General Project Show:
- Nolan Adams - Vegetable Plate Participant
- Kaitlyn Adams - Scrapbooking-Intermediate Participant and Inspire Award
- Isaiah Akins - Visual Arts: Metal Participant and Grand Champion
- Bethany Akins - Wildlife 2 Participant and Reserve Grand Champion
- Immanuel Arellano - Visual Arts Paper 3D Participant
- Elizabeth Armbruster - Theatre Arts 1 Participant
- Keira Armbruster - Photography 1 Participant
- Lucas Armbruster - 4-H Cooking 401: Focaccia Bread Participant and Inspire Award
- Alex Booker - Outdoor Adventures 1-3 Participant and Reserve Grand Champion
- Katelyn Bowers - Photography 3 Participant and Inspire Award
- Tessa Bruns - Vegetable/Fruit Display Participant
- Emily Buttel - Floriculture D Participant and Inspire Award
- Delaney Byers - Wildlife 1 Participant and Reserve Grand Champion
- Lauren Carlson - Woodworking 4 Participant and Grand Champion
- Carson Conderman - Metal Participant
- Ali Danekas - Animal Science 2 Participant and Grand Champion
- Charli DeShazo - Animal Science 1 Participant
- Alayna Doane - Food Decorating-Intermediate Participant
- Aleeya Dykstra - Food Decorating-Beginning Participant
- Sophia Ebert - 4-H Cooking 101 Cookies Participant
- Colton Gehrke – Geology Participant and Reserve Grand Champion
- Hannah Harvey - Food Preservation: Canning Participant
- Trent Heller - UAV Display Participant and Grand Champion
- Jenna Heller - 4-H Cooking 101: Coffeecake Participant
- Cora Herring - Tractor B Participant and Grand Champion
- Andrew Hickman - Entomology 1 Participant
- Lily Hongsermeier - 4-H Cooking 201: Nut Bread Participant
- Kodi Hubbard - Sportsfishing 1 Participant
- Mallory King - Shopping in Style: Beginning Participant
- Edward Koziol - Electricity 2 Participant
- Eli Lotz - Woodworking 2 Participant
- Allissa Martin – Visual Arts: Chalk/Carbon/Pigment Participant
- Cora Mickley - Photography 1 Participant
- Lydia Sherburne - Robotics 1 Intermediate Participant and Grand Champion
- Joshua Snow - Theatre Arts 1 Participant
- Kathryn Snow - Sports Nutrition Participant
- Cole Somers - Family Heritage Participant
- Sawyer Stockton - Clothing 1-Sewn Clothing Participant
- Mackenzie Taylor - 4-H Cooking 301: Tea Ring Participant
- Preston Taylor - Electricity 3 Participant
- David Wehler - Advance Visual Programming Participant
- Maxx Wiltfang – Visual Arts: Chalk/Carbon/Pigment Participant and Grand Champion
- Eralynn Wiltfang - Model Rocketry Participant
- Addison Yordy - Veterinary Science Participant
- Mason Zabran - Tractor A Participant
- Landon Zabran - Heritage Arts Participant and Inspire Award
- Ulta Zabran - Shopping in Style: Beginning Participant
In 4-H, project areas represent the culmination of individual learning paths where youth are able to show off their skills and expertise in front of thousands of fairgoers. Youth also participate in conference judging as a part of the experience. This brings members and volunteer judges together to evaluate project exhibits. It involves one-on-one, face-to-face communication in which the volunteer judge and exhibitor talk directly with each other. This technique provides a unique opportunity for 4-H'ers to learn from their experiences and knowledge of the volunteer judge.
Competing at the state level is a great educational experience for youth. Youth are able to compete at a state level, meet with youth across the state, and take the next step in their learning journey by meeting with a volunteer who has expertise in their project area.
Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities. Illinois Extension is part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.