Several Stephenson County 4-H members recently showcased their skills at the Illinois State 4-H Meats Judging Contest held Friday, March 6, at the University of Illinois Meat Science Laboratory in Urbana.
Competing in the senior division, Brogan Keltner of Pearl City earned an impressive second-place finish as an individual, demonstrating strong knowledge and evaluation skills in meat judging.
In the junior division, six Stephenson County 4-H members competed at the state level for the first time. Chloe Jean Schmidt of Pearl City placed 8th individually in the junior division. The junior team of Chloe Jean Schmidt (Pearl City), Cara Brinkmeier (Pearl City), and Piper Heath (Orangeville) placed 4th overall. Additional junior participants representing Stephenson County included Blair Schultz (Orangeville) and Colette Brinkmeier (Pearl City).
These youth have devoted significant time to developing their skills through the Stephenson County 4-H Livestock Judging Club, which meets weekly at the Stephenson County Extension Office. The group is led by dedicated 4-H volunteers Shelly Secker and Chet Brinkmeier, who guide members as they practice evaluating livestock and meat cuts while learning to justify their decisions. The Club is open to all youth. For more information, call the Stephenson County 4-H Extension Office at (815) 235-4125.
The 4-H Meats Judging Contest provides youth with the opportunity to evaluate different meat cuts, identify quality characteristics, and learn about industry standards. Participants develop valuable skills such as critical thinking, decision-making, and attention to detail while gaining a better understanding of meat quality, food safety, and consumer expectations.
Through experiences like meats judging, 4-H members build confidence and practical knowledge that can be applied to future careers in agriculture, food science, and animal science, while also becoming more informed consumers.
Stephenson County 4-H is proud of the hard work and dedication shown by these members as they represented their county at the state level.
University of Illinois Extension staff and volunteers deliver 4-H programs that help youth learn by doing. From exhibiting projects at the Stephenson County 4-H Shows to organizing community service projects, youth are learning leadership, teamwork, resilience, and communication—skills that will serve them in school, careers, and life. To learn more about Stephenson County 4-H or to get involved, contact University of Illinois Extension – Stephenson County at 815-235-4125 or email js80@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 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.