Stephenson County 4-H members proudly showcased their talents at the Illinois State Fair on Saturday, August 9, bringing home top honors and representing their community with excellence.
A total of 44 projects from Stephenson County were exhibited in Springfield. Of these entries, nine youth were named Champion in their project area, seven earned Reserve Champion, and three received the prestigious Inspire Award.
The Inspire Award is a judge’s choice honor presented to projects that left a lasting impression on the judges through creativity, quality, or the story behind the work.
Stephenson County 4-H State Fair Winners:
Champion: Cassie Boyer – Babysitting Display; Gunner Winning – Cooking 101: Coffee Cake; Addyson Ackerson – Cooking 301: Dinner Rolls; Myla Binger – Cooking 301: Cake; Ella Gunderson – Photography 3; Welden Snetcher – Tractor B; Emily Graybill – Food Decorating: Advanced; Kaleb Ottman – Weather and Climate Science 2.
Reserve Champion: Carson Williams – Clothing Embellishment Applied; Helen Wenger – Entolmology 3; Alaina Dinderman – Science Fun with Dairy Foods; Alyssa Kempel – Food Preservation Canning; Jasmine Brinkmeier – Floriculture A; Elizabeth Lamm – Visual Arts: 3-D Design/Mixed Media; Merida Shore – Visual Arts: Fiber Non-Original.
Inspire Award: Colette Brinkmeier – Babysitting Display; Bennett Ogden-Moles – Civic Engagement 1; Liliana Smith – Photography 1.
“We are incredibly proud of all of our 4-H members who exhibited at the State Fair,” said Jen Schultz, Stephenson County 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator with University of Illinois Extension. “These results are a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and learning that happens in 4-H year-round.”
4-H members qualify to exhibit at the Illinois State Fair by first earning a State Fair delegate spot at their county-level 4-H show. Projects cover over 75 different areas—from visual arts, woodworking, and photography to foods, clothing, and natural resources—giving youth the opportunity to explore their interests while developing important life skills.
For more information about Stephenson County 4-H or how to get involved in future events, contact Jen Schultz at the University of Illinois Extension–Stephenson County office at (815) 235-4125 or 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 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.