Grant County 4-H Members Earn Recognition

The Grant County 4-H program held their annual recognition event on November 6 at the Grant County 4-H complex. The event celebrated the positive learning experiences 4-H members had gained from projects and acknowledged the support of parents and volunteers.  

Youth ages five to eight can begin their 4-H experience as a Cloverbud. Grant County 4-H had 17 Cloverbuds enrolled, and all received a certificate. First-year Cloverbuds received a Cloverbud pin. They included: Elsie Anderson, Paxten Anderson, Paysen Anderson, Zachary Bump, Oscar Folk, Kolsyn Gortmaker, Thomas Hicks, Liam Koepke, Clint Marko, James Mckillip, Hudson Mueller, Drew Peiker, Bayler Peterson, Elsie Peterson, Bennett Schwandt, Stetson Sumner, and Addison Van Lith.

South Dakota 4-H member recognition encourages and supports the efforts of youth as they increase their 4-H project knowledge and develop life skills. The three kinds of recognition are participation, achievement, and project awards.

Grant County 4-H also recognizes 4-H members who complete their first, fifth, and tenth year of 4-H. Youth who received their one-year pin included:  Arabella Bjerke, Adalynn Bohn, Elliana Bump, Oliver Folk, Heidi Halbert, Debrianna Hicks, Isabella Hicks, Simon Hicks, Anakin King, Adriana Mckillip, Braden Mueller, Callie Myrum, Emersyn Schwagel, Elyssa Tomac, Matthew Unzen, Keara Van Hoorn, and Kailur Waddell.

Youth who received their five-year pin included:  Dane Anderson, Taylor Anderson, Shantel Eilers, Megan Marko, Macy Mueller, Tye Schaffer, Bailey Schwagel, and Ashlee Van Hoorn.

Tanner Mertens and Marion Mischel each received their 10-year membership pin.

Basic skill awards are designed to help members gain skills and learn more about the 4-H program. Laura Eilers, Shantel Eilers, Hannah Halbert, Aubree Madsen, Jackson Marko, Andrew Mumbauer, Brooke Mumbauer, Jace Peiker, and Brock Sime each received a Bronze award.
Silver award winners included: Gunnar Anderson, Justus Gortmaker, Joshua Moen, Ryder Peterson, Ariana Prisinger, Madelyn Van Lith, Marnie Van Lith, Ashlee Van Hoorn, and Kaci Zinter.

Bryton Blauert, Darin Hagen, Michael Janssen, Kylynn Schwandt, Peyton Sumner, Noah Thompson, Tarah Thyne, and Emily Van Hoorn each earned a Gold award, which indicates the highest level of skill.

After three years of 4-H, members are eligible to earn project medals. Project medals were presented to:

Dane Anderson, hobbies and collections; Bryton Blauert, home environment and music; Dylan Bohn, wood science; Tenley Bohn, visual arts; Tucker Giesen, horses; Justus Gortmaker, hobbies and collection and visual arts; Kalli Grong, swine; Darin Hagen, music, foods and nutrition, food preservation, citizenship, gardening and horticulture; Megan Marko, wildlife and fisheries and shooting sports; Tanner Mertens, foods and nutrition; Cooper Mueller, foods and nutrition; Mackenzie Mueller, beef; Macy Mueller, foods and nutrition and clothing and textiles; Tye Schaffer, beef; Bailey Schwagel, rabbits; Brooke Schwagel, foods and nutrition and horses; Mattison Scott, home environment; Casside Seezs, consumer education, outdoor education, and community service; Brock Sime, shooting sports, photography, and hobbies and collections; Cailey Sime, leadership, child development, and hobbies and collections; Macie Van Lith, photography; Marnie Van Lith, photography; and Mia Van Lith, home environment.

The Family Consumer Science, Personal Development, Agriculture, Achievement and Key Awards represent an extra degree of overall achievement. Cailey Sime of the Junior Busy Bees 4-H Club received her Personal Development Project Medal and County Achievement Medal. Hope Karels of the Junior Busy Bees 4-H Club received her County Achievement Medal.

The South Dakota 4-H Key Award recognizes 4-H members who have excelled in contributions to their 4-H club, county, and state. The objective of this award is to encourage growth, continued 4-H participation, and outstanding citizenship. Cailey Sime of the Junior Busy Bees 4-H Club received the highest award in South Dakota 4-H, the Gold Key Medal.

Tenley Bohn was the recipient of the Outstanding Beginner Award. The award, sponsored by Donnie and Krecia Leddy, recognizes youth between the ages of eight and 10 who made significant accomplishments in the given year.

Peyton Sumner and Darin Hagen each received a Diane Frevert Award for their 4-H record book accuracy. The Kay Wolff Youth-in-Action Award went to Brock Sime for his participation in activities at a local, state and national level. 

The Tanner Schwagel Sportsmanship Memorial Award is sponsored by his parents, John and Hilary Schwagel. The award recognizes a member who demonstrates great character and sportsmanship. This year’s recipient was Hope Karels.Cassidy Schwagel received the 4-H Livestock Award sponsored by Semex Genetic and Greg and Andrea Bohn. The award recognizes a 4-H member for their involvement with animals and agriculture. 

Casside Seezs was presented with the Pat Seehafer Memorial Award for her hard work, responsibility, and bond with his horses. Brooke Schwagel was recognized for her involvement in the 4-H horse project. She received the 4-H Top Horseman Award and the Arlene Dockter Memorial Award 

The Grant County 4-H program recognizes those who continue to support and lend an extra hand to the local 4-H program. This year’s Friends of 4-H recipients were Berens Market and Spirit of the Cats Foundation.

Volunteer leaders Krecia Leddy and John Schwagel were recognized for their many years of support. Krecia for her 15 years of service and John for his 10 years of service. The Grant County 4-H Leaders Scholarship supports 4-H members as they leave for college. This year’s recipient was William Karels.

This year’s Grant County 4-H graduates included: William Karels, Korbin Leddy, Tanner Mertens, Jessica Pillatzki, Isaac Sousa, Tarah Thyne, and Emily Van Hoorn.

Submitted Photos: Top- Darin Hagen, Payton Sumner, Brock Sime, Hope Karels and Cailey Sime. Middle- left to right: Cassidy Schwagel, Casside Seezs, Hope Karels and Brooke Schwagel. Bottom – John Schwagel