Adams County 4-H members and volunteers recognized at 86th annual Achievement Day

URSA, Ill. — Sharon Tenhouse, a 4-H Leader of Burton Flyers 4-H Club, has served as a volunteer leader for 50 years. She was one of many volunteers and 4-H members celebrated during the 86th annual Adams County 4-H Achievement Day at Ursa Farmers Cooperative on Oct. 15. 

Current Adams County 4-H program coordinator Siera Duesterhaus had Tenhouse as a 4-H leader. In a press release, Duesterhaus said, “Sharon always saw the potential in all her members and encouraged us to go out of our comfort zone. I feel it was a big part of the reason why I loved 4-H and is a big part of why I am in my career now.”

Adams County 4-H members and volunteers were recognized for their year-long project achievements at the annual event. For 4-H members, the annual achievement program brings to close a full year of work in a project area. Records are typically completed in the fall, which gives youths the opportunity to detail and summarize their 4-H project experience while allowing them to reflect and make plans for the upcoming project year.

4-H Federation members led the awards program, which started with recognizing Cloverbud members. Cloverbuds is a 4-H exploratory program for youth ages 5-7, which promotes healthy, positive youth development and is a springboard into the traditional 4-H program.

Those recognized were:

• Luke Bockhold
• Scarlett Chandler
• Skyler Duesterhaus
• Owen East
• Wesson Kill
• McCoy Mock
• Kooper Powell
• Eden Prenger
• Remington Prenger
• Levi Smith
• Lincoln Swift
• Abby Taylor

Club leaders were recognized to honor service milestones. Leaders organize club meetings, help members with project choices and completion resources and provide opportunities for members to gain experiences in leadership and other opportunities at the county, state and national levels.

The following leaders were recognized:

• Miranda Miller – 5 years
• Kalyn Kirlin – 5 years
• Kim Ervin – 15 years
• Sandy Wieprecht – 20 years
• Sharon Tenhouse – 50 years. 

2022-23 Senior 4-H members and first year members were also recognized. Senior 4-H members were:

• Dylan Dickhut
• Ryle Duke
• Olivia East
• Courtney Kirby
• Hunter Louderback
• Marissa Mintle
• Elliott Ruff
• Beau Shaffer
• Kaitlyn Walbring
• Luke Walbring
• Gena Zengle 

First year members were:

• Josey Bockhold
• Luke Bockhold
• Bellamy Carolan
• Aria Courtney
• Carson Coulter
• Chance Davis
• Lilly Davis
• Owen East
• Emmaline Garman
• Blake Hackamack
• Ayla Ippensen
• Madilyn King
• Barret Knight
• Cohen Maas
• Brenna Mealiff
• Miles Mixer
• Derek Neisen
• Dekota Owen
• Eden Prenger
• Remington Prenger
• Josiah Smith
• Abby Taylor
• Abel Zimmerman

Individual project award applications ask 4-H members to reflect on their experience, identify successes and challenges in their project area and offer suggestions for future plans in the project area. 

This year’s individual project award recipients were:

• Collin Anderson – Geology
• Grady Bockhold – Animal Science
• Isaiah Brass – Civic Engagement Plants and Soils
• Avva Chandler – Visual Arts
• Carson Coulter – Aerospace
• Kodi Duke – College and Career Readiness
• Olivia East – Rabbits, Theater Arts, Visual Arts
• Abigail Hildebrand – Entomology, Rabbits, Visual Arts
• Brinley Hackamack – Sheep
• August Hesse – Swin
• Zoey Kasparie – Photography
• Dax Klusmeyer – Food and Nutrition, Intercultural, Visual Arts
• Hayley Lair – Child Development, Clothing and Textiles, Consumer Education
• Amber Louderback – Beef, Photography
• Marissa Mintle – Interior Design, Visual Arts
• Claire Norsworthy – Goats, Horse and Pony
• Ryleigh Powell – Beef, Wildlife, Vet Science
• Evan Reichert – Bicycles
• Andrea Schaffnit – Communications
• Parker Schaffnit – Beef, Welding
• Colby Shaffer – Visual Arts
• Jillian Shaffer – Food and Nutrition
• Meredith Shaffer – Food and Nutrition
• Willow Shaffer – Beef
• Elaina Smith – Leadership, Visual Arts
• Gideon Smith – Dogs, Forestry
• Ashley Walbring – Horticulture
• Kaitlyn Walbring – Poultry, Photography
• Lance Woolam – Electricity, Food and Nutrition, Natural Resources, Shooting Sports, Small Engines

The 4-H Experience Award offers recognition for members who participate in activities and events and are awarded based on age and level of experience. 

Bronze Experience award recipients were:

• Colin Anderson
• Brooklyn Hackamack
• August Hesse
• Wyatt Kill
• Cohen Maas
• Sierra Miller

Silver Experience award recipients were:

• Braylee Brackensick
• Skyler Duesterhaus
• Sophia East
• Maddie East
• Dietrich Flesner
• Jasper Flesner
• Paxton Flesner
• Emmaline Garman
• Blake Hackamack
• Allie Hoener
• Bradley King
• Madilyn King
• Callie Longlett
• Hunter Moeller
• Grady Norsworthy
• Willow Shaffer
• MaKenna Taylor

Gold Experience award recipients were:

• Kodi Duke
• Brinley Hackamack
• Claire Norsworthy
• Parker Schaffnit
• Kolby Shaffer
• Elaina Smith
• Ashley Walbring  

Diamond Experience award in Leadership recipients were:

• Olivia East
• Dax Klusmeyer
• Grady Shaffer

Emerald Experience award in Leadership recipients were:

• Hayley Lair
• Andrea Schaffnit
• Lance Woolam

In Adams County, 14 clubs and SPIN clubs serve as groups for members to belong to and learn from. Of those, six clubs were recognized for their Illinois 4-H Club Award Applications. Those clubs were:

• Burton Flyers – Community Service
• Central Adams Firecrackers – Community Service
• Country Cousins – Community Service
• Ellington Hilltoppers – Community Service, Leadership, and Project Learning
• Quinsippi 4-Hers – Community Service
• Ursa Willing Workers – Community Service, Leadership, and Project Learning

Special awards presented included:

• Energy Education Council Electricity Award to Claire Norsworth
• 4-H Club Treasurer Award to Jillian Shaffer
• 4-H Club Secretary Award to Zoey Kasparie
• 4-H Club Scrapbook Award to Urban Farmers
• Growing 4-H Member of the Year to Kodi Duke
• Growing Federation Member of the Year to Grady Shaffer
• 4-H Family of the Year to the Erke Family
• Supportive Alumni of the Year to Abigail Knuffman and Dale Donley
• Leader of the Year to Taylor Kill

The 4-H Foundation supports 4-H members by providing financial encouragement and aid for programs, awards, and scholarships.  The four founding members of the board — Susan Kissick, Barb Speckhart, Denise Tallcott and Tenhouse — were recognized for their vision to start the Adams County 4-H Foundation. 

When asked about starting the foundation, Kissick said, “In 2017, several of us were approached and discussed that we needed money available to recognize and honor 4-H’ers. Foundation seemed to be the easiest way of doing that, instead of asking for sponsors. 4-H Foundation promotes leadership opportunities and scholarships to families.”

The foundation board then presented five awards and scholarships to:

• The “I Dare You Award” was presented to Claire Taute and Andrew Schaffnit in memory of former 4-H leader Ruby Crow. It recognizes youths ages 15-18 who show potential leadership, scholarship and character.
• The Betty Venvertloh Memorial Award was presented to Della Geczi in recognition of her continued leadership, project growth and achievement in the club, county and beyond.
• The John Alison Memorial Award was presented to Tristan Floyd, a sheep exhibitor, and Bryer Hummel, a dairy exhibitor. This award is in recognition of outstanding work in the sheep and dairy project areas.  This award is based on Adams County 4-H Fair results. John Alison was a livestock farmer and an outstanding 4-H livestock judge from Mendon who graduated from University of Illinois.
• The Glen Tenhouse Leadership Memorial Award, a $750 scholarship, was presented to Marissa Mintle. This scholarship is in recognition of continued leadership, project growth and achievement in the club, county, and beyond. In 1968, Glen and his wife, Joan, organized Country Cousins on a trial basis as a first combined Agriculture and Home Economics 4-H club for boys and girls in Adams County. He and his wife, Joan, served as leaders for many years. Mintle said, “To me, this award is very helpful. I have done a lot for leadership so getting recognized for it is going to help me advance in my career. And it will be very helpful for me to inform people about 4-H and its importance for younger generations.”
• Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year, a $1,000 scholarship, was presented to Andrea Schaffnit. This award recognizes a member’s continued leadership, project growth and achievement in club, county and beyond. Upon receiving the award, Schaffnit said, “It is such an honor to be the Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year. There are several qualified members to compete against who are all very deserving of this award.  It is truly a blessing to be named this.”

For more information about the Adams County 4-H program, call 217-223-8380 or email Siera Duesterhaus snthomps@illinois.edu.