Grant County 4-H’ers Honored With Awards

The annual Grant County 4-H Recognition event took place Sunday, November 8. Awards were presented to members for their contributions this past year.

The program concluded with the recognition of 8 youth who successfully completed their 4-H careers. Members graduate from the program the year they graduate from high school or turn 18. Recognized for this achievement were Sam Jarman of the Young Explorers, son of Wayne and Julie Jarman; Rebecca Leddy of the Young Explorers, daughter of Wade and Lori Leddy; Riley VanderWal of the Shooting Stars, son of Paul and Dawn VanderWal; Andrew Christensen of the Shooting Stars, son of Roger and Sandy Christensen; Michaela DeWald of the Junior Busy Bees, daughter of Jim and Tammie DeWald; Emily Pillatzki of the Junior Busy Bees, daughter of Mark and Cindy Pillatzki; Sharon Folk of the Madison Junior Livestock, daughter of Duane and Gail Folk, and Jacob Thyne of the Saddle Pals, son of David and Lynelle Thyne.

Each year the Grant County 4-H Association presents scholarships to high school seniors or college students. This year’s recipients are Zach Sousa of Young Explorers, Brianna Schreurs and Rebekah Tuchscherer of Junior Busy Bees and Kiera Leddy of Madison Junior Livestock. In addition to the association scholarships, Kiera Leddy and Zach Sousa received a scholarship from the Grant County 4-H Leaders group.

Each year individuals, businesses or organizations are recognized for their contributions to the program. The Friend of 4-H award this year was presented to Danelle Stohr and Runnings.

The top horseman award was presented to Cassidy Schwagel of Northern Lights while the Arlene Dockter award went to Bailey Storm of Shooting Stars. These awards were based on the youths participation in the horse project at the county and state level as well as involvement in the 4-H rodeo and youth-in-act and leadership activities.

Several other individual awards were also presented. Hope Karels was named the outstanding beginner.

Lindsey Mertens and Logan Meyer were given the Dianne Frevert Award for their outstanding record books.

The Kay Wolff Youth-in-Action recipient was Cailey Sime of Junior Busy Bees.

Brianna Schreurs, Rebekah Tuchscherer and Riley VanderWal received personal development medals, and Tuchscherer also earned the agriculture achievement medal. Schreurs, Tuchscherer and Sydney Zenk were awarded county achievement award medals. The key award was bestowed by South Dakota 4-H to Kadon Leddy of Madison Junior Livestock. McKenzie Mertens of Young Explorers was the recipient of the Schmig’s Simmental Genetics award.

Three first year Cloverbuds were presented certificates. They included Cooper Hupke, Tayton Reede and Bailey Schwagel.

Deb Peiker, Lori Leddy, Wade Leddy, Heidi Mischel and Dawn VanderWal each received a five-year of service pin and were recognized for their years of service with various aspects of the 4-H program.

Grand champion and showmanship awards were presented to youth who earned top honors in their livestock divisions. Award winners were as follows: Korbin Leddy, champion breeding beef, junior cat showmanship, junior meat goat showmanship; Kadon Leddy, champion market beef, senior swine showmanship, showman of excellence winner; Sage Lawrence, champion cat, beginner meat goat showmanship; Noah Steinlicht, champion kitten; Sam Jarman, champion dairy heifer; Sarah Jarman, champion dairy cow; Allison Leddy, champion market meat goat; Dylan Bohn, champion breeding meat goat, champion meat goat rate-of-gain; Sydney Zenk, champion rabbit, senior cat showmanship; Matthew Christensen, champion breeding ewe; Taylor Dragt, champion breeding ram, junior sheep showmanship; Noah Thompson, champion market lamb, champion sheep rate-of-gain, beginner sheep showmanship; Lindsey Mertens, champion swine; Zach Sousa, champion beef rate-of-gain; Garrett Mertens, beginner beef showmanship, beginner swine showmanship; Tanner Mertens, junior beef showmanship, junior swine showmanship; McKenzie Mertens, senior beef showmanship; Cassidy Schwagel, beginner cat showmanship, beginner rabbit showmanship; Jersey Peschong, beginner dairy showmanship; William Karels, junior dairy showmanship; Jimmie Berkner, senior dairy showmanship; Noah Mursu, junior dog showmanship; Cara Berkner, senior dog showmanship; Rebecca Leddy, senior meat goat showmanship, round robin showmanship winner; Tanner Schwagel, junior rabbit showmanship, and Daniel Thiele, senior sheep showmanship.

Wrapping up the awards were youth who received project pins and premium monies for their ribbon placings earned on their static exhibits during Achievement Days as well as various other service pins and other awards.

Isabella Anderson, first year pin, premium award; Devon Balling, premium award; Jimmie Berkner, food and nutrition pin, premium award, fashion revue, youth-in-action; Cara Berkner, premium award; Heidi Bergquist, 10-year pin; Tatum Berry, first year pin; Dylan Bohn, silver award, community service pin, premium award; Lily Breske, first year pin; Callie Bolin, consumer decision making judging, fashion revue, youth-in-action, premium award; Kylene Bowen, first year pin, premium award; Matthew Christensen, five-year pin; Michaela DeWald, premium award, fashion revue, youth-in-action; Taylor Dragt, silver award, premium award; Sharon Folk, energy for farm, home and transportation pin, safety pin, water conservation pin, premium award, consumer decision making judging, public presentations, youth-in-action; Colten Giesen, silver award, premium award, dairy judging, youth-in-action; Tucker Giesen, premium award; Allison Grear, silver award, photography pin, community service pin, premium award; Piper Grear, bronze award, premium award; Hailey Hupke, first year pin; Sam Jarman, dairy judging, youth-in-action; Sarah Jarman, dairy pin, food and nutrition pin, premium award, dairy judging, youth-in-action.

Hope Karels, first year pin, premium award, consumer decision making judging, fashion revue, special foods, public presentations, dairy judging, youth-in-action; William Karels, gold award, visual arts pin, robotics pin, child development pin, drama/theatre pin, community service pin, computer technology pin, bicycle pin, aerospace and rocketry pin, dairy cattle pin, premium award, consumer decision making judging, fashion revue, public presentations, special foods, dairy judging, youth-in-action; Danielle Kennedy, bronze award; Kadance Kretzschmer, silver award; Sage Lawrence, gold award, premium award; Allison Leddy, beef pin, consumer decision making judging, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Kadon Leddy, livestock judging, youth-in-action, premium award; Kiera Leddy, 10-year pin, premium award; Korbin Leddy, gold award, plant science pin, premium award, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Rebecca Leddy, premium award, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Elias Magilke, premium award.

Garrett Mertens, first year pin, premium award, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Karlee Mertens, premium award; Lindsey Mertens, silver award; McKenzie Mertens, 10-year pin, silver award, beef pin; Tanner Mertens, silver award, premium award, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Logan Meyer, five year pin, shooting sports pin, premium award, consumer decision making, dairy and livestock judging, youth-in-action; Claire Mischel, silver award, premium award; Marion Mischel, bronze award, horse pin, premium award; William Mischel, gold award; Kathryn Mogen, gold award, goat pin, community service pin, visual arts pin, premium award, public presentation, youth-in-action; Kylee Mogen, gold award, dog pin, character counts pin, citizenship pin, community service pin, premium award, public presentation, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Noah Mursu, five year pin, premium award; Wylie Mursu, gold award, shooting sports pin, premium award; Owen Neeley, bronze award, premium award; Jersey Peschong, bronze award; Allison Pillatzki, five year pin, premium award; Emily Pillatzki, premium award; Jessica Pillatzki, bronze award, premium award; Josh Pillatzki, bronze award, premium award; Nathan Pillatzki, first year pin, premium award; Tracy Pillatzki, gold award, premium award.

Elyse Reede, first year pin, premium award, consumer decision making judging, youth-in-action; Hunter Reede, premium award; Tayton Reede, premium award; Tate Schlueter, first year pin; Brianna Schreurs, citizenship pin, writing/public speaking pin, premium award; Bailey Schwagel, premium award; Brooke Schwagel, first year pin, premium award, consumer decision making judging, fashion revue, youth-in-action; Cassidy Schwagel, silver award, premium award, hobbies and collections pin; horse pin, visual arts pin, consumer decision making, fashion revue, youth-in-action; Tanner Schwagel, five year pin, gold award, welding science pin, premium award; Jennifer Seehafer, premium award; Casside Seezs, bronze award, premium award; Cailey Sime, bronze award, premium award, consumer decision making judging, fashion revue, special foods, youth-in-action; Jasmine Smith, premium award, consumer decision making judging, youth-in-action; Isaac Sousa, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Zach Sousa, dairy judging, youth-in-action.

Noah Steinlicht, premium award, consumer decision making judging, youth-in-action; Tatiana Stemsrud, citizenship pin, premium award; Benett Street, bronze award, premium award; Lydia Street, first year pin, premium award; Daniel Thiele, silver award; Jordan Thiele, five year pin, gold award; Noah Thompson, first year pin; Aimee Thyne, silver award; Jacob Thyne, silver award; Tarah Thyne, five year pin; Rebekah Tuchscherer, 10-year pin, premium award; Mia Van Lith, first year pin, premium award, consumer decision making judging, livestock judging, youth-in-action; Katie VanderWal, gold award; Ava Wienk, bronze award, premium award; Connor Wiik, first year pin; Sydney Zenk, gold award, citizenship pin, dairy goat pin, premium award; Hailey Zinter, first year pin, premium award.