'To make the best better:' Dickinson County 4-H Achievement Celebration focused on the best doing better
Nov. 24—Following their drive-by awards pick up last year, 4-H Youth Development Agent Jill Martinson couldn't wait to fill an auditorium with 4-H children and adults once again to celebrate a year of good work.
"This is nice to be able to get back together again, we're still different, because we're not at Sterl Hall, which is our traditional location," Martinson said. "So we're still doing things a little different, but it's an exciting change and an exciting thing to try."
For all the people being awarded for their achievements and passion for 4-H, Martinson wanted to share a special message to those kids..
"Congratulations," Martinson said. "I'm just so proud of our 4-H youth and the work that they've been so resilient in facing things."
What does 4-H mean to you?
Some of the 4-H students wanted to share what 4-H means to them and how their projects were for the year.
Josslyn "Joss" DePew, from the Fragrant Hilltoppers, found herself working with her dog and siblings. Through the Clover Buds, DePew got to work, mentor and just spend time with younger siblings younger than 7 years old.
"I guess 4-H is a way of life," DePew said. "There are a lot of people that started when they're really little and young. For example, my mom, she was in 4-H and now is an agent in several counties.
Kaylee Livingston, from the Fragrant Hilltoppers, found herself working with beef breeding and market as her main project. She even took fourth place at the fair.
"It was good," Livingston said. "It was the most I've ever shown and it was a lot of work, but it was worth it in the end for sure."
"4-H to me means a lot because my mom was also in the 4-H project and she got to do beef," Livingston added. "That's where I learned everything, it's like a huge part of my life because every day I'm outside working with my animals and just the bond I have with those animals is the best."
Mackenzie Hall, from the Jolly Jayhawkers, worked on creative arts as her projects this year with fashion design, crafts, food and performing arts.
"4-H means to me, I can be creative because honestly, I'm not that creative," Hall said. "I can just try different things out and go from there, to explore and see what I can do."
Adeline Laughlin, from the Jolly Jayhawkers, worked on many projects this year but her favorite was raising pigs and showing her pig Rex at the fair.
"4-H kind of means helping people and getting people outside and not on the couch watching TV," Laughlin said.
Abigail Zerbe, from the Solomon Wranglers, found herself working on multiple projects from photography to raising calves for auction. However, she finds her most important work comes from her leadership roles in her club.
"You got to take roles as a younger member because I'm only 13 and I've been the reporter since I was about 9," Zerbe said. I became a secretary last year and I'm only 13. But I'm one of the oldest in the group, since we don't have a big group, so you have to learn how to take roles at a young age."
Kyle Ryan, from the Solomon Wranglers, found himself working on horticultural projects and raising market steer for auction.
"4-H means a lot to me, like you have to be a great leader to be in 4-H," Ryan said. "You have to lead meetings if you're president."
Awards by club
(Any awards not printed here will be printed in a future edition.)
CHAPMAN SHAMROCKS
Purple club seal
Outstanding club project: Fill the Box
Rylee Harris
Cloverbud member
Gus Moody
Silver achievement pin
Ike Moody
Clover achievement pin
Jed Moody
Silver Guard achievement pin
Mac Moody
Cloverbud member
Claire Rock
Silver Guard achievement pin
Elle Spohn
Member achievement pin
DETROIT RAMBLERS
Purple club seal
Outstanding club project: Enterprise Estates Patio Community
Gabriel Boyd
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbon — STEM project
Purple ribbons — communications, environmental science, horse, pets projects
Junior project champion — communications, environmental science, horse, pets projects
Eli Elliott
Bronze achievement pin
Ryleigh Farson
Silver achievement pin
Blue ribbon — beef project
Nolin Hartman
First year project leader
Angela Holt
Five year organizational leader
Anna Holt
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbons — bucket calf, foods & nutrition, and STEM projects
Purple ribbon — swine project
Eyler Holt
Silver achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD — first year member
Blue ribbons — bucket calf, clothing & textiles, geology, & photography projects
Purple ribbon — foods & nutrition, swine project
Intermediate county medal winner — photography project
Intermediate county project champion — swine project
Connor Overturf
Emerald achievement pin
Kaesen Phillips
Bronze achievement pin
Kynlie Phillips
Emerald achievement pin
Charlie Purdue
Bronze achievement pin
Layton Randle
First year project leader
Thomas Randle
First year project leader
Chloe Steele
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbon — civic engagement project
Bentley Strickland
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — dog care & training project
FRAGRANT HILLTOPPERS
Purple club seal
Outstanding club project: Chapman Valley Manor Bird Feeder Enrichment & Collecting Pop Tabs for the Ronald McDonald House
Jennifer Bartlett
First year volunteer leader
Jordan Bartlett
Silver guard achievement pin
Kolbie Bartlett
First year volunteer leader
Silver guard achievement pin
Asher DePew
Member achievement pin
Purple ribbons — civic engagement & wildlife projects
Junior county project champion — civic engagement & wildlife
Josslyn DePew
First year project leader
Silver achievement pin
First year Leadership SQUAD member
Purple ribbons — civic engagement, dog care & training, fiber arts, & leadership projects
Intermediate county project champion — civic engagement, dog care & training, fiber arts, & leadership
Josey Freeman
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition project
Purple ribbon — beef project
Micah Gfeller
Clover achievement pin
Sydney Gfeller
Bronze achievement pin
Tyrell Gfeller
First year project leader
Kaden Hitz
First year project leader
Junior leader achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Grant Heintz
First year project leader
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Renatta Heintz
First year project leader
Blue ribbon — clothing & textile, entomology, fiber arts, foods & nutrition, & photography projects
Senior county project champion — clothing & textiles, entomology, fiber arts, & photography
Senior county project medal winner — foods & nutrition project
Shannon Heintz
Five year county project leader
Callie Jones
Gold guard achievement pin
Purple Power Pack 4-H camp counselor
Blue ribbon — dog care & training project
Purple ribbon — foods & nutrition
Senior county project champion — dog care & training, foods & nutrition
Lawson Jones
First year project leader
Caylin Kelly
Cloverbud member
Cheyenne Kelly
Member achievement pin
Shae Kelly
Cloverbud member
Lorelai Kuntz
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbon — beef project
Mason Kuntz
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbon — STEM project
Justin Lefert
Five year project leader
Reatta Lefert
Cloverbud member
Roper Lefert
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — swine project
Junior county project champion — swine
Lucas Lehman
Purple ribbon — meat goat project
Brayden Lexow
Junior leader achievement pin
Logan Lexow
First year volunteer leader
Kaylee Livingston
Junior leader achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbons — dog care & training & leadership projects
Purple ribbons — beef & visual arts projects
Intermediate county project medal — visual arts project
Jill Martinson
Five year project leader
Lawson Norton
Cloverbud member
Madelynn Norton
First year project leader
Clover achievement pin
Emil Pickerign
Clover achievement pin
Layla Pickerign
Silver guard achievement pin
Carly Rothfuss
Silver guard achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — dog care & training & horse projects
Senior county project champion — horse
Campbell Stoffer
Cloverbud member
Christine Stoffer---
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbons — foods & nutrition & swine projects
Purple ribbons — clothing & textiles & sheep projects
Jason Stoffer
First year project leader
Katherine Stoffer
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbons — foods & nutrition, sheep, & swine projects
Matthew Stoffer
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbons — clothing & textiles, foods & nutrition, sheep, & swine projects
Aubrie Zook
Cloverbud member
Brinley Zook
Emerald achievement pin
Kaylin Zook
Clover achievement pin
HOLLAND SUNFLOWERS
Purple club seal
Allison Abeldt
Gold achievement pin
Blue ribbon — sheep project
Purple ribbon — dairy project
Senior county project champion — dairy, sheep
Brandon Abeldt
Emerald achievement pin
Purple ribbon — sheep project
Landen Barten
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbons — plant science, self-determined, STEM, Swine projects
Intermediate county project champion — plant science
Lucy Barten
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbons — beef, fiber arts projects
Purple ribbon — swine project
Intermediate project medal winner — swine
Steven Bogart
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — swine
Stockton Bogart
Cloverbud member
Cash Emig
Member achievement pin
Dally Emig
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — sheep project
Jo Emig
First year organizational leader
Autumn Felbush
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbons — beef, bucket calf, performing arts projects
Junior county project champion — performing arts
Dean Felbush
Cloverbud member
Austin Fink
First year project leader
Clayton Gfeller
Blue ribbon — bucket calf, wood science projects
Intermediate project champion — bucket calf, wood science
Alisa Greene
First year organizational leader
Annalee Greene
Gold achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition project
Lily Gruen
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition, self-determined projects
Purple ribbon — clothing & textiles project
Intermediate county project champion — self-determined
Ava Hedstrom
First year project leader
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — visual arts, photography, reading projects
Purple ribbon — foods & nutrition, clothing & textiles projects
Junior project champion — clothing & textiles, photography, reading
Cora Hedstrom
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition, visual arts projects
Purple ribbon — clothing & textiles project
Ezra Hedstrom
Cloverbud member
Blake Murphy
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbon — wood science project
Purple ribbon — plant science project
Junior county project champion — wood science
Jessica Murphy
First year project leader
Allison Rose
Junior leader achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — leadership project
Conner Rose
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Leadership SQUAD member
Farah Rothchild
First year project leader
Austin Smiley
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — meat goat, bucket calf, STEM projects
Junior project champion — bucket calf, STEM
Benson Smiley
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — STEM project
Purple ribbon — meat goat, visual arts projects
Intermediate county project champion — STEM, visual arts
Evie Schwarz
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Adam Snowball
Gold achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — wood science project
Purple ribbon — leadership, plant science, STEM projects
Senior county project champion — leadership, plant science, STEM, wood science
Michele Snowball
Ten year project leader
Kenlee Strunk
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — self-determined, visual arts, wood science projects
HOLLAND SUNFLOWERS
Purple club seal
Allison Abeldt
Gold achievement pin
Blue ribbon — sheep project
Purple ribbon — dairy project
Senior county project champion — dairy, sheep
Brandon Abeldt
Emerald achievement pin
Purple ribbon — sheep project
Landen Barten
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbons — plant science, self-determined, STEM, Swine projects
Intermediate county project champion — plant science
Lucy Barten
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbons — beef, fiber arts projects
Purple ribbon — swine project
Intermediate project medal winner — swine
Steven Bogart
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — swine
Stockton Bogart
Cloverbud member
Cash Emig
Member achievement pin
Dally Emig
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — sheep project
Jo Emig
First year organizational leader
Autumn Felbush
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbons — beef, bucket calf, performing arts projects
Junior county project champion — performing arts
Dean Felbush
Cloverbud member
Austin Fink
First year project leader
Clayton Gfeller
Blue ribbon — bucket calf, wood science projects
Intermediate project champion — bucket calf, wood science
Alisa Greene
First year organizational leader
Annalee Greene
Gold achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition project
Lily Gruen
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition, self-determined projects
Purple ribbon — clothing & textiles project
Intermediate county project champion — self-determined
Ava Hedstrom
First year project leader
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — visual arts, photography, reading projects
Purple ribbon — foods & nutrition, clothing & textiles projects
Junior project champion — clothing & textiles, photography, reading
Cora Hedstrom
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition, visual arts projects
Purple ribbon — clothing & textiles project
Ezra Hedstrom
Cloverbud member
Blake Murphy
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbon — wood science project
Purple ribbon — plant science project
Junior county project champion — wood science
Jessica Murphy
First year project leader
Allison Rose
Junior leader achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — leadership project
Conner Rose
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Leadership SQUAD member
Farah Rothchild
First year project leader
Austin Smiley
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — meat goat, bucket calf, STEM projects
Junior project champion — bucket calf, STEM
Benson Smiley
Emerald achievement pin
Blue ribbon — STEM project
Purple ribbon — meat goat, visual arts projects
Intermediate county project champion — STEM, visual arts
Evie Schwarz
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Adam Snowball
Gold achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — wood science project
Purple ribbon — leadership, plant science, STEM projects
Senior county project champion — leadership, plant science, STEM, wood science
Michele Snowball
Ten year project leader
Kenlee Strunk
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — self-determined, visual arts, wood science projects
NAVARRE BOOSTERS
Purple club seal
Outstanding club project: Making the Best Better
Dalton Davidson
Clover achievement pin
Ashley Dester
Five year volunteer leader
Audrey Dester
Emerald achievement pin
Colt Dester
Silver guard achievement pin
Alice Hill
First year project leader
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — foods & nutrition, leadership projects
Purple ribbon — sheep, dairy, poultry projects
Junior county project champion — dairy, leadership, poultry
Brianna Hill
Silver guard achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Purple ribbon — sheep, dairy project
Intermediate county project champion — dairy
Asher Hulsey
Emerald achievement pin
Nadia Hutzenbiler
Member achievement pin
Nathan Hutzenbiler
Member achievement pin
Victoria Jackson
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — dairy, dog care & training, rabbit projects
Junior county project champion — dog care & training, rabbit
Jace Latzke
Bronze achievement pin
Blue ribbon — STEM: energy management
Purple ribbon — foods & nutrition, geology projects
Junior county project champion — foods & nutrition, geology, STEM: energy management
Janessa Latzke
Cloverbud member
Justin Latzke
First year project leader
First year county project leader
Silver guard achievement pin
Purple ribbons — STEM: energy management, foods & nutrition, geology projects
Intermediate county project medal winner — foods & nutrition
Intermediate county project champion — STEM: energy management, geology
DeDe Lorson
Ten year project leader
Easton Lowry
Cloverbud member
Spencer Riffel
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Carmen Rock
First year Leadership SQUAD member
Dustin Rock
First year project leader
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Leadership SQUAD member
Elliot Rock
Silver achievement pin
Teagan Seibert
Leadership SQUAD member
Tucker Seibert — Stroda
Gold achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — swine project
Purple ribbon — meat goat project
Senior county project champion — meat goat, swine
TeCoa Stroda
Ten year county project leader
Reese Whitehair
First year project leader
Silver guard achievement pin
Blue ribbon — performing arts, photography project
Intermediate county project medal winner — photography
Wakeen Whitehair
Member achievement pin
Purple ribbon: visual arts
Junior county project medal winner — visual arts
Wesley Whitehair
Clover achievement pin
Blue ribbon — visual arts, self-determined projects
Purple ribbon — foods & nutrition project
Junior county project champion — self-determined
Junior county project medal winner — foods & nutrition
NEWBERN WIDEAWAKES
Ava Brown
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbons — foods & nutrition, horse projects
Purple ribbon — meat goat project
Sarah Brown
Five year county project leader
Ty Cornell
Member achievement pin
Blue ribbon — wildlife project
Ava Crist
First year project leader
Olivia Crist
First year project leader
Spring 2021 high school graduate
SAND SPRINGS RUSTLERS
Purple club seal
Godric Baetz
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — entomology, plant science, visual arts projects
Junior county project champion — entomology, plant science, visual arts
Jason Baetz
First year volunteer leader
KaAnn Baetz
Clover achievement pin
Purple ribbon — clothing & textiles, foods & nutrition projects
Intermediate county project champion — clothing & textiles, foods & nutrition
Joy Clemence
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Leadership SQUAD member
Kayleigh Karraker
First year volunteer leader
SOLOMON WRANGLERS
Purple club seal
Brecken Coup
Silver achievement pin
First year Leadership SQUAD member
Kierstyn Coup
Bronze achievement pin
Quincy Coup
Member achievement pin
Spencer Coup
Leadership SQUAD member
Kyle Ryan
Gold guard achievement pin
Abigail Zerbe
Silver guard achievement pin
First year Leadership SQUAD member
Hayden Zerbe
Junior leader achievement pin
First year Leadership SQUAD member
WILLOWDALE
Purple club seal
Alice Bathurst
Blue ribbon — leadership project
Eden Bathurst
Blue ribbon — leadership project
Purple ribbon — visual arts project
Senior county project medal winner — leadership
Senior county project champion — visual arts
Logan Buechman
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Outstanding graduated Leadership SQUAD member
Lyndsey Buechman
Gold guard achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Blue ribbon — leadership project
Zander Enrich
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Leadership SQUAD member
Purple ribbon — leadership project
Senior county project medal winner — leadership
Alyvia Johnson
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Purple Power Pack 4-H Camp counselor
Outstanding graduated Leadership SQUAD member
Amara Johnson
Gold achievement pin
Leadership SQUAD member
Leann Johnson
Five year county project leader
Russell Johnson
Five year project leader
Abigail Lillard
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Outstanding graduated Leadership SQUAD member
Chase Lillard
Leadership SQUAD member
Jace Loucks
Member achievement pin
Eden McAsey
Emerald achievement pin
Jayce McAsey
Silver achievement pin
Kristen McAsey
First year volunteer leader
Matt McAsey
First year volunteer leader
Quinn McAsey
Bronze achievement pin
Isabella Montgomery
Bronze achievement pin
Heidi Schlesener
Spring 2021 high school graduate
Outstanding graduated Leadership SQUAD member
Chase Swanson
Leadership SQUAD member
Jade Wilson
Silver achievement pin
Josie Wilson
Silver achievement pin
Carson Woodworth
Gold achievement pin
Jensen Woodworth
Gold guard achievement pin
