My name is Lily Shultz and 4-H has always been a piece of my life! Some of my earliest memories are centered around 4-H events and projects. I began attending 4-H meetings with my older brother and sister long before I was an official member. I have helped at the county fairs as far back as I can remember, participated in many 4-H competitions and community service projects, and have experimented with numerous different 4-H projects. Art, food science, photography, gardening, knitting/crochet, sewing, space technology, reading, and woodworking to name a few. I have gained many new interests during my years in 4-H and have nurtured many preexisting passions along the way.

I was selected to be the 2017 Osage County 4-H Queen, I received a national youth leadership award, The I Dare You Award, and have served in various official positions within my club and on the Osage County 4-H Council. I am also excited to share that this past 4-H year I won the 4-H Kansas State Performing Arts Award. 4-H provided me with all of these opportunities and I cannot allow my final year as a member in this program to end without giving credit to the parties responsible for making my 4-H career such a successful and pleasant experience.

First I would like to thank anyone that has sponsored or contributed to the sponsoring of a 4-H project award. Please know that I am not simply thanking you for sponsoring awards that I have won – my gratitude is for something so much bigger: Be it at the county fair level or beyond, you have shown your support and I am deeply grateful. It is your generosity and kindness that not only keep this program functioning, but makes participating in it worthwhile.

I want to thank my family, club leaders, 4-H Research and Extension agents (you know who you are!) fair judges, and all those that have invested their time in me, and have been willing to teach me new things and answer my (seemingly endless) questions with patience and love.

To all my younger, fellow 4-Her friends: I have loved learning with you, having the privilege of leading you and watching you all grow and develop your skills. Always remember that you are excellent, you are brilliant, and you are capable of changing the world! Kindness and determination will take you far. Never give up!

Finally, to all of you: 4-H does not create great leaders. 4-H does not forge incredible minds, nor does 4-H breed the next generation of great communicators, agricultural geniuses, engineers, artists, performers, designers or entrepreneurs. 4-H is only an avenue through which such talent and skills can be discovered, honed, encouraged and developed. I dare say that my entire 4-H experience would have been a waste were it not for one key element that is, I’m afraid, far too often overlooked: People. You. Volunteers. Human beings that were willing to contribute their time, energy and resources to providing me with a safe, healthy environment in which I could explore, learn, create and, yes, at times fail. For that is when we have the greatest opportunity to learn and thrive. Success would not and could not come to me or any other 4-Her that has been or ever will be, without the dedication and kindness of people like you who are willing to show your care and support. People are fallible and therefore not every 4-H experience I’ve had has been the perfect, inspiring and wonderful adventure that some might lead you to believe. But each experience has been an adventure – and an opportunity. An opportunity to learn, maybe lead, contribute in your community, And to gain a new perspective. It is the people behind a program, not the program itself, that teach these things – and for that I am forever grateful.

Because of you, I can with perfect confidence and without hesitation state that my 4-H experience has been one where the good far outweighs the bad (no contest), where my time has been spent on something worthwhile, and where I have truly been taught the skills to, as the 4-H motto says, “Make The Best Better!”

God bless you all during these uncertain times and may you continue to build each other up in hope of building up our world.

Sincerely,
Lily Shultz

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Cole Thompson, a seven-year 4-H member, currently serves as junior president of the Willing Workers 4-H Club.

Projects taken to the fair this year included beef, swine, visual arts, foods, and welding.

Favorite 4-H activity from the year: I was glad that we got to show at the fair. I worked really hard and was glad that I got to show my animals and projects.

Best 4-H memory this year: I am proud that I worked really hard and made hand-carved fishing lures this year. I received Reserve Grand Champion at the Osage City fair and a purple at the Overbrook fair.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Brody Thompson is a member of the Willing Workers 4-H Club, and had been in 4-H for five years. He serves as historian for his club and his main project exhibited at the fair was goats. He has also taken interest in photography and sharing it with others, saying his favorite activity of the past year was “being able to give a talk on taking better pictures at Club Days.”

“My favorite 4-H memory this year is being able to hang out with my family more and being able to show at the fair. With everything going on in the world it was nice to have something to do.”

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

My name is Ethan Kneisler and this is my sixth year in 4-H. I am the president of the Osage County 4-H Council and the treasurer of the Lyndon Leaders 4H Club.

My favorite thing about 4-H is working on the projects and working with my animals. This year I showed a heifer, steer and pigs. I also really like working on my garden for horticulture and I love working on different woodworking projects. This year I made a blanket chest. This year was very different as I competed in a judging contest online.

Since I am in the leadership project I am a junior leader for livestock and electrical. I enjoy helping our younger members in the club with their projects. I really enjoy 4-H and I plan to keep showing animals and working on my different projects. I also enjoy the 4-H meetings and hanging out with my friends at the fairs.

What 4-H means to me is that it’s a learning curve in someone’s life – that they can learn so much by talking to people, interacting with one another, and having fun at the same time. I really love seeing the younger kids enjoy being at the fair, and seeing them and interacting with them.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Hi, my name is Braelyn McNally and I am a member of the Melvern Jr. Highline 4-H Club, where I am serving as our club president. This was my fourth year in 4-H and this year I was enrolled in beef, clothing, foods and nutrition and visual arts.

In my beef project I bought one steer, Gonzo, and two heifers, Adelee and Rosie. I got Reserve Grand Champion with Gonzo at the Osage City fair, and Grand Champion with my heifer Adelee. At the Overbrook fair, my heifer Rosie got Grand Champion!

I had so much fun this summer showing my steer and heifers as well as hanging out with my friends in the barns. For cooking, I made a new recipe, Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins, and I entered them at both of our fairs. For clothing, it was hard because I couldn’t go out like I normally do and try on different outfits, but lucky for me I had outfits already in my closet that fit nicely! I bought my dress last fall on clearance and have got a lot of use out of it last fall and this summer. For visual arts, I made a painting with buttons in the shape of a hot air balloon. This was really fun to paint and make! I also entered it at both fairs this summer.

Due to COVID-19, a lot of events were cancelled, including one of my favorites, 4-H camp. I was able to participate in our district’s favorite foods contest, which was held virtually. This year I made a family favorite, Rita Casserole. I created a cute centerpiece that coordinated with my casserole from things we already had at our house. I then talked about the nutritional value of the casserole and told how to make it and how the centerpiece fit with the theme of my dish. For the district contest I was first place for Osage County intermediate, and received third place at our SE area contest.

I also participated in my club’s local activities, such as our making Christmas packages for local men and women who are deployed overseas, and caroling around Melvern. I also helped our club with the local Trunk or Treat.

Even though I was not able to do all the events and activities I normally do my 4-H year was still a great year and I can’t wait to start the next!

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Hi, my name is Gradey McNally and I am a second year member of the Melvern Jr. Highline 4-H Club. For my second year in 4-H I enrolled in the beef, visual arts, clothing and foods and nutrition. In my beef project I bought two steers, Spot and Star. I was able to show them both at the Osage City and Overbrook fairs.

I had so much fun with my friends at the fairs this summer working with our animals and spending time together. For cooking I made one of my favorites, banana bread! For visual arts, I put a Lego kit together and entered that for both fairs.

Besides the fairs, which is always one of the highlights of my summer, was getting to help my club with our annual caroling event and putting together a box of goodies for local soldiers who are deployed during the Christmas season.

A few other activities I attended were our district’s officers training, where I went to the recreation training, and County Club Days, where I gave a Demonstration on “Show Day”. I also got to help with the annual Melvern Thanksgiving dinner as well as our local Trunk or Treat.

I cannot wait to start my third year of 4-H and continue having fun while learning about my projects and giving back to my community!

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Ryanne McNellis is a member of the Clover Wranglers 4-H Club and has been in 4-H for five years. Projects exhibited at the fair this year includes photography, crocheting, wildlife sport fishing, constructed clothing, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and ceramics.

While her favorite 4-H activity this past year was participating in the Osage City fair, she said her memories of this summer were not her favorite due to COVID-19.

“My memory of this year (didn’t say it was my favorite) was no state fair to attend, and not being able to go to the county fairs and have fun,” she said.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Kaiden Bosse has been in 4-H for three years and is a member of the Willing Workers 4-H Club, with which she serves as recreation leader.

Kaiden’s projects shown at local fairs include breeding and market swine and junior bucket calf. Her favorite 4-H experiences this past year center on her livestock showmanship successes, including grand champion junior bucket calf showman and reserve grand champion junior swine showman at the Overbrook Fair.

Her favorite 4-H activity this past year was tie-dying T-shirts.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Jaiton Bosse is a six-year member of 4-H, and is the junior secretary for her 4-H club, Willing Workers 4-H Club.

Projects taken to the fair this year included breeding and market swine.

Favorite 4-H activity of the year: Showing at Kansas Junior Livestock Show and State Fair Grand Drive.

Best 4-H experience this year: I was very excited to have my gilt win her breed at the Osage City fair (Champion York Breeding Gilt), and get Reserve Champion Intermediate Showman at the Overbrook fair.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Karley Lowry currently serves as treasurer of the Burlingame 4-H Club. Though she has only been in 4-H for one year, she has jumped into her projects for the fair, which include horses, market goats, bucket calves, breeding and market beef, pet/cats, and cooking. She also stacked up ribbons this year, taking purple in cooking at Osage City fair; blues for market goat and bucket calf; blues for market steer at Overbrook; Reserve Champion Commercial Heifer at Osage City; blue at the Overbrook pet show for her cat.

Her favorite 4-H activity this year: Showing my goat.

Best 4-H memory: Participating in the community food drive that our club held for our local church.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Katie Lowry, a member of Burlingame 4-H Club, has been in 4-H for five years. Projects taken to the fairs include horses, breeding goats, and breeding and market beef. She earned the high point intermediate showman at both the Overbrook and Osage City fairs at the horse show, and had the champion Angus steer at both fairs this year.

Katie holds the office of 4-H Council representative for her club. Working with her cows is her favorite 4-H activity.

Best 4-H memory this year was: Going to spring shows with my cows. It gave me the chance to watch more experienced exhibitors and learn some things.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Gage Kilgore, right, with his prize-winning swine at the Overbrook fair.

Gage Kilgore, member of the Lyndon Leaders 4-H Club, has been in 4-H for three years. His fair projects have included swine, clothing, visual arts, and wildlife.

Favorite 4-H activity from the year: My favorite activity is the county fairs.

Favorite memory: My favorite memory was camping during fair week Overbrook with the other 4-Hers.

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Grady Frederickson with his grand champion poultry exhibit at the Overbrook fair.

Grady Frederickson has been in 4-H for two years and is a member of North Osage 4-H Club. He participated in fairs at Osage City, Overbrook, and the Kansas State Fair, with projects that included visual arts, nutrition, display board, poultry, poultry showmanship, and poultry judging.

His favorite 4-H activity has been poultry shows and the state fair, which led to his favorite 4-H experience over the past year, “showing my favorite hen at the state fair.”

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Avery Theilen has been in 4-H for three years and is a member of Willing Workers 4-H Club. Avery has served as a recreation leader for the club.

Avery has taken her bucket calf, Muffin, to the fair, and has entered exhibits in the visual arts category. Her favorite 4-H activity this past year was showing Muffin at the fair.

Her favorite 4-H experience: Making people laugh when I told them my bucket calf likes watermelon and strawberry popsicles. She does love them!

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

My name is Isabella Reeser, and I’m a member of the Melvern Jr. Highline 4-H club. This is my third year in 4-H and my third year in poultry.

It all started in April of 2017; my mom and dad gave me six chickens for my seventh birthday. My dad built a pen for them, and my sister and I learned how to take care of chickens. So when October 2017 rolled around, and I FINALLY got to be in 4-H, chickens was one project I wanted to be in! Every day my sister and I feed, water, and tend to my chickens (and her ducks).

About May 2018, my mom and I began watching YouTube videos trying to figure out how to show and what all preparation goes into showing chickens. We learned how to properly bathe them, dry them, show them, put them in and out of cages, and even what I was to wear during the showing.

Fast-forward to spring of 2020, my sister and dad built an incubator, and I was able to hatch one of my Bantam’s eggs, which I chose to be my show chicken for this 4-H year. Then as a surprise for my birthday, my grandparents bought me six Ancona ducks. At the Osage City fair, I took my Bantam, who received grand champion chicken and grand champion bird in the poultry division. My Ancona duck received reserve grand champion duck, and my Brown Leghorn chicken received reserve grand champion chicken and reserve grand champion bird overall. While there I participated in showmanship with my Bantam, earning reserved grand champion.

This year I was FINALLY old enough to take projects to the Kansas State Fair! On Sept. 5, my mom, sister, and I traveled to Hutchison and the Kansas State Fair. My Ancona duck and Brown Leghorn both received a blue, and my Bantam received a red.

While there, I was also a member of the Frontier District poultry judging team, where we place third as a team.

I can’t wait till next 4-H year to show my birds again!

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Grace Croucher and her steer, Wilson.

Grace Croucher is an eight-year 4-H member and currently serves as vice president of the Willing Workers 4-H Club.

Projects taken to the fair: Due to the uncertainty of the world, I only took beef and swine to the fair.

Favorite activities this year: Helping other 4-Hers with their projects, expanding my swine nutrition skills, and the opportunity to show my steer Wilson at the Kansas Classic Show, in Hutchinson, as well as the few spring shows we were able to attend before the fair.

Best experiences this year in 4-H: The opportunity COVID-19 gave me to spend time with Wilson, my steer, and my six show pigs. I am proud to have earned Grand Champion Senior Beef Showman and Grand Champion Market Steer with Wilson, in Osage City.  And also raising, feeding, and showing the Overall Grand Champion Breeding Gilt, Grand Champion Duroc Gilt, Reserve Champion Duroc Gilt, and the Overall Reserve Champion Market Hog, at the Overbrook Osage County Fair.

It has been a very rewarding year for me and I am thankful for the mentors in my life.  I hope that I can be a good leader for the younger 4-Hers and help them to make the best better!

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

My name is Allison Reeser, and I’m a member of the Melvern Jr. Highline 4-H Club. This is my sixth year in 4-H and my third year in poultry.  In 2017 for my birthday, I received four babies, Cayuga ducklings.  My dad built them a pen, and I began taking care of them every day.

In the spring of 2019, I received five more baby Cayuga ducks. Even though we have had to increase their pen sizes more and more, I love my ducks!  This past spring, for my birthday, I received eight violet guineas to add to my flock. I also built an incubator with my dad, and I hatched my very own Cayuga duck! This drake would be my show duck for the year.

I have enjoyed the experiences from all the shows and contests I have learned from, so this year we planned to add even more shows to our schedule; but due to COVID-19, the spring shows were all canceled.  It wasn’t until the Osage County Fair at Osage City that I was able to show again.

My duck received grand champion at the Osage County Fair, my guinea received a blue, and our pet brown leghorn chicken (I use for showmanship) received a blue.  I also earned grand champion in showmanship.

With the confidence I am beginning to gain in showing, I decided to take it to the next level and show my drake Cayuga duck at the Kansas State Fair. At the state fair, I received a blue on my Cayuga drake, and our poultry judging Team received third place overall.

I am looking forward to continuing to expand my poultry knowledge and my flock.  I can’t wait to see what next year holds for me in poultry!

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Tyler Williams is a member of the Lyndon Leaders 4-H Club. His favorite projects taken to the fair are his swine.

Favorite 4-H activity of the last year was riding on the float the Lyndon Christmas parade and drinking hot chocolate and throwing bags of chips. His best 4-H memory this year was “playing with my new friends at the fair.”

Celebrating 4-H Week
Oct. 4-10, 2020

Ethan Kneisler, a six-year member of 4-H, president of the Osage County 4-H Council, and treasurer of the Lyndon Leaders 4-H Club, is also part of this year’s Osage County 4-H Ambassadors team. He shared some of his ideas about the new ambassador program:

“I really like being an ambassador, because I think it’s different than what everybody else is doing around us,” he said. “I also like that we can work as a team to get projects done faster than when we just had a king and queen.

“I really like talking to people when we go to 4-H events. The highlight of my summer is seeing the younger kids enjoy their projects at the fairs. I see the 4-H program as an unique learning opportunity for youth. It is a different learning environment than what most youth experience in a classroom setting.

“In 4-H we ‘learn by doing.’ Youth and adult partnerships provided a safe learning environment to learn from those that are experts in their field of work. Youth can learn so much by talking to people, interacting with one another, and having fun at the same time.”

4-H Week: Oct. 4-10, 2020

Hello, I am Josie Thompson. I am a member of the Willing Workers 4-H Club. I have been a member for 11 years. I joined 4-H in the second grade; it has enriched my life in countless ways. I encourage anyone to join, it’s surprising what all it can offer to you. 4-H has taught me leadership and communication skills, and a strong work ethic.

This year I am a 4-H ambassador. Even though the year has just begun, I am confident we will accomplish many things. This is the first year that Osage County will have an ambassadors group – originally we had a 4-H king and queen. In 2018, I was the Osage County 4-H Queen and I had such a blast. I experienced so much and met a lot of great people.

The ambassador program is for two years. Within the two years, you will meet many people and experience things that you will carry with you forever.

This summer at the fairs we were able to pass out ribbons, and we should all be thankful that we had the opportunity to still do that. The ambassadors are also planning to attend several leadership camps to help us grow and become a closer team.

This year as an ambassador and as a senior, I hope to learn more about what I truly want to do in the future, and I am confident that 4-H will help guide me in the directions of opportunities.

There is always something out there to help spark your fire, and that’s why I encourage you to join 4-H. It’s not too late!

4-H Week: Oct. 4-10, 2020