Unfortunately, due to the Panhandle seeing a large increase in COVID-19 cases, the 4-H Council and Extension Staff decided to cancel the 2020 Box Butte County 4-H Achievement Celebration. We want to ensure the safety of our 4-H families, staff and community members. The Achievement Celebration was supposed to be held Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Box Butte County Fairgrounds. However, we still want to recognize the achievements of our 4-H members, Clover Kids, leaders, volunteers and friends.
We want to recognize the Box Butte County Ag Society for all their hard work this year making sure the 2020 Fair was possible. It has been a tough year and the Ag Society gave the youth an opportunity to showcase their hard work throughout the year by showing off their 4-H Projects. Thank you!
A special thanks to our 2020 Box Butte County 4-H Council Members President: Teresa Sanders, Vice-President: Debbie Wilson, Secretary: Bridget Johnston, Treasurer: Amy Jensen, Members: Tom Burke and Briana Bolek, and Youth Members: Madison Adam, Rasine Bolek and Shelby Carr. In 2020, the 4-H Council had many difficult decisions to make regarding health and safe of our 4-Hers and community when it came to events that 4-H holds. Through these trying times, the 4-H Council was dealt some challenging tasks, but always made the best decisions regarding the youth and community of Box Butte County. President, Teresa Sanders has served her term limit and will be leaving the 4-H Council, we thank her for her amazing leadership!
This year Box Butte County had 204 4-H members enroll in 4-H. These youth range in years of 4-H from the 1st year to the 11th year. Of the 204-youth enrolled, 32 were Clover Kids, including some first-year members, whom received first year member pins. Those first-year members are: Cecelia Arneson, Daxton Davies, Olivia Harwood, Cydnie Herian, Easton Hitchcock, Paisley Intermill, Joeie Kresl, Kennedy Mahony, Matthew Mahony, Grady Mracek, Harley Payne, Scarlett Pryor, Clara Seeley, Aspen Staudenmaier and Gracia Votruba. We also want to recognize our 2020 graduated seniors for all their dedication to the 4-H Program: Madison Adam, Isaiah Bryner, Jenna Croswell, Emily Knote, Shaylynn McConville, Brett Prelle, Wiley Rudloff-Shaw, Jakob Schaefer, Sarah Steele, Jace Stumpff, Elijah Walters and Shanna Weaver.
Without our AMAZING 4-H volunteers the Box Butte County 4-H Program would not exist. A special thanks to all our great 4-H committees, fair superintendents, 4-H leaders and all those who take time to help support our youth throughout their 4-H projects! Without volunteers the 2020 4-H fair projects might not have been possible. We recognize our 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th year volunteers as they enroll through our 4HOnline website. First year: Briana Robertson and Wendy Wacker, 5th year: Gail Burke, Tom Burke, Josh Carr and Erin Shrewsbury, 10th year: Natalie Adam, Shelley Blow and Jackie LeMunyan, 15th year: Katie Carter, Jay Meyring and Shauna Meyring, and 20th year: Sally Bryner.
Box Butte County had eight youth who completed a Record Book. Six Achievement Applications and two Career Portfolios were turned in on the October 2 deadline. There are two levels, a senior level and junior level. In each level you can be awarded project pins by judges. Youth can only win a project pin in a specific project once in each level. In our senior level Shawna Banks received a horticulture and clothing pin and Shelby Carr received pins in photography and woodworking. In our junior level Sierra Banks was awarded a dog and clothing pin and Ashley Carr was awarded an entomology, pets and horticulture pin. Other juniors who completed an achievement application includes Emily Johnston, Ainslee Woltman, Dallas Woltman and Raelee Woltman. Congrats to these youth for their hard work!
The Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program encourages 4-H youth to engage in a variety of programs, projects, and activities that will enable youth to acquire skills and abilities that will prepare them for success in the future. The program consists of six levels that require a young person to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate accomplishments. For each level, the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H youth choose their goals. The accomplishments increase in quantity and difficulty for each level. We had three youth complete a level of the Diamond Clover program, Emily Johnston Level 2-Aquamarie, Ashley Carr Level 3-Ruby, and Shelby Carr Level 6-Diamond.
The Little Critters 4-H Club received The Club of Excellence Award for their community service, meetings held and different activities they were able to do in 2020. Farmers State Bank was given the Outstanding Volunteer Award for their amazing service of clerking the 2019 & 2020 Livestock Auction.
For youth to compete in the county, district and state horse shows, they must pass different horse testing levels. These tests can include a written test, riding test, club demonstration and more. This year we had five youth pass their respective horse test levels. In Level 1: Dallas Woltman, Raelee Woltman, MaKenzie Shreve and Brooke Hartman; Level 2: Ainslee Woltman; Level 3: Jacob Bryner.
Due to COVID our youth were not able to receive their belt buckles at fair this year. We were going to present these youth with their buckles during the achievement celebration. Youth receive buckles as a Senior Showman, Horse All-Around and a few get buckles for their animals. Horse Showman: Jayda Meyring, Jr. Horse All-Around: Ainslee Woltman, Int. Horse All-Around: Jacob Bryner, Sr. Horse All-Around: Catherine Bryner, Swine Showman: Jayda Meyring, Meat Goat Showman: Kaylee Davis, Champion Breeding Doe: Macala Hood, Dairy Cow Showman: Delaney Childers, Dairy Goat Showman: Shelby Carr, Beef Showman: Ian Thompson, Champion Market Heifer: Wyatt Walker, Champion Market Steer: Jayce Meyring, Sheep Showman: Delaney Childers and Champion Market Sheep: Delaney Childers.
A special congratulations to all our Small and Large Animal Round Robin participants this year: The Small Animal Round Robin winner was Emily Johnston representing poultry. Other participants were Catherine Bryner-Dog, Morgan LeMunyan-Cat and Sierra Banks-Rabbit. The Large Animal Round Robin winner was Delaney Childers representing sheep as well as her dairy cow. Other participants were Ian Thompson-Beef, Shelby Carr-Dairy Goat, Kaylee Davis-Meat Goat, and Catherine Bryner-Horse.
Youth can apply for these next awards. Youth get points county events, leadership, and state events within the specific area they apply for. Jayce Meyring was the All-Around Livestock winner, Emily Johnston was the All-Around Small Animal winner and Shawna Banks was the All-Around FCS winner in memory of Ida Fodnes.
This year the members of the 4-H Council awarded a Friend of 4-H award to one business, Mobius Communications/Hemingford Telephone. With the coronavirus pandemic, our 4-H committees were not sure how fair would look this year due to the gathering restrictions. Mobius/Hemingford Telephone stepped in and helped us with getting telephones so people could call in and bid on animals during the livestock auction. They also donated a lot of time consulting our livestock committee on how to video the shows so people could watch. Thank you again for volunteering your time!
The last two awards given include the “I Dare You” Award and Outstanding 4-H member. Shelbee Burke is the recipient of the “I Dare You” Award for demonstrating high personal integrity, responsibility and leadership roles. The Outstanding 4-H member is awarded to Shawna Banks. This award is based on the information contained in the Career Portfolio or Achievement Application. Judges look for leadership skills, community service, and project accomplishments in and outside of 4-H. Our 2019 recipient, Shelby Carr, was unable to present this award, but this is what she had to say about Shawna. “Shawna has been a part of the Little Critters 4-H Club for the last nine years. Growing and expanding her projects from simple static projects to showing rabbit and dog at the county fair. One of the main areas Shawna focused on is Clothing. She was recognized at fair this year for modeling and Top Beyond the Needle for a pair of painted jeans. This year she finally got the satisfaction of being able to take her hard work to the state fair for modeling, even though she never saw it as her strong point. These are all great things, but what really allows her to stand out as the outstanding 4-Her is her leadership and community involvement. Shawna has had the pleasure of being a part of the Jr. Leaders 4-H club, High School Band, Girl Scouts, and youth women’s organization through her church. Through all these activities, she has shown her leadership abilities and growth as a leader in 4-H.”
Congratulations to all our winners, 4-H participates and volunteers in a difficult 2019-2020 4-H Year! We made it through.