Wood County 4-H celebrates with annual awards ceremony
Staff Reports
MINERAL WELLS — Wood County 4-H celebrated a year of accomplishments at its annual Awards Ceremony on Oct. 13.
The 4-H program is about learning experiences, igniting sparks in young people, and helping them become Beyond Ready – now and in the future, officials said, adding some of the skills learned in 4-H help prepare young people for the future are leadership, teamwork, compassion, respect, communication, public speaking, responsibility, generosity and decision making.
These achievements are evidence that 4-H is building a Ready Generation in a changing world, they added.
Research shows that while the world is becoming increasingly challenging, 4-H members are twice as likely to have a goal of being a leader; twice as likely to participate in community service, and twice as likely to live life with intentionality and purpose. 4-H helps kids dream, achieve, and thrive, and adult volunteer leaders help make this possible.
Wood County 4-H clubs nominated outstanding members for 2024. American Brushpoppers: Justin Donato, Willow Piersol and Grace Hall. Belleville: Karson Pigott, Sophia Burgess, Cooley Dixon, Morgan Wicker, Gavin Pigott, and Miryan Lewis. Lubeck Lucky Clovers: Chase Boso, Sabrina Heddleston, Jansen Dearth, Cate McLain, Chase Breen, and Shayleigh Gard. Rebels: Chase Hall, Rose Casto, Joey Kallner, Abigail Gibson, Douglas Casto, and Emma Casto. Sand Hill: Jacob Anderson, Sophia Gilmore, Aubrey Stoops, Lucas Lewellyn, and Hattie Brown. Saulsbury: Alexis Smith. Sharp Shooters: Sophia Burgess, Brayden Jenkins, Callie Dixon, and Audrey Sundstrom. Woodchucks: Ty Hart and Kourtlynn Barcley.
There were six 4-H members who were selected from the club nominees to be 2024 Wood County Outstanding 4-H Members. Junior grades 3-5: Karson Pigott and Sophia Burgess. Intermediate grades 6-8: Ty Hart and Morgan Wicker. Senior grade 9 to age 21: Lucas Lewellyn and Audrey Sundstrom.
Wood County 4-H Teen Leaders were recognized for their service and leadership. Teen Leader Pins: Hattie Brown, Warren Davis, Mason Lewis, Collin Lewis, Cate McLain, Reagan Parsons, and Caleb Shore. Achievement in Service: Shayleigh Gard and Camryn McLain. Achievement in Leadership: Jordan Dearth and Jennessa Lewellyn. Outstanding Service Awards: Byron Dearth, Jayden Dearth and Lily Sundstrom. Outstanding Leadership Awards: Chase Breen, Lucas Lewellyn and Audrey Sundstrom. The Teen Leader Achievement Awards: Cate Evans, Erin Carmicle, Byron Dearth, Jayden Dearth, Audrey Sundstrom and Olivia Raber.
The Hand H in 4-H is about service. Wood County 4-H members combined provided thousands of hours of service to their communities. Helping Hands (ages 5-10): Abrianna Fleak and Emmy Fullerton. Making a Difference (ages 11-15): Evan Banks, Landon Banks, Jansen Dearth, Mason Ewing, Avery Fogle, Maddison Hall, Brayden Jenkins, Anna Kaufman, Brantley Mace, Brantly Poling, Owen Skinner, Sara Stoneking, Noah Stout, and Jaxson Swiger. True Leaders in Service (ages 16-21): Emilee Allison, Katie Daley, Shyanne Dearth, Grace Hall, Marissa Hendershot, Carter McLain, Laekyn McLaughlin, Lily Skinner, Audrey Sundstrom, Samantha Thompson.
Wood County 4-H members with enough service hours to meet the criteria for Bronze, Silver, or Gold Presidential Service Award issued on behalf of the President of the United States: Bronze: Sabrina Heddleston, Daniel Marvel, Jansen Dearth, Cooley Dixon, Camryn McLain, Cate McLain, Josiah Swiger, Emma Casto, Byron Dearth, Jayden Dearth, Jordan Dearth and Ali Evans; Silver: Callie Dixon, Isaac Marvel, Shayleigh Gard, Ady Matheny, Cate Evans, Lucas Lewellyn; Gold: Braxton Amos, Sophia Burgess, Eliana Higgins, Hailey Barnes, Chase Breen, Lycan Cline, Jennessa Lewellyn, Josephine Myers, Caleb Shore, Malachi Sindledecker, Lily Sundstrom, Morgan Wicker, Brayden Keeney, Tessa Prunty, and Cameron Shore.
4-H Project Medal and Pin recipients: Evan Banks – Beef and Cooking, Sophia Burgess – Archery, Sheep and Swine, Callie Dixon – Archery and Cooking, Justin Donato – Beef, Goat, Poultry and Swine, Brayden Keeney – Self Determined, Hannah Lent – Goat, Jennessa Lewellyn – Leadership, Lucas Lewellyn – Leadership, Madison Lewis – Swine, Brantley Mace – Swine, Davian Miller – Poultry and Swine, Josephine Myers – Cooking, Brantly Poling – Beef, Horse and Poultry, Morgan Smith – Swine, Jaxson Swiger – Art, Josiah Swiger – Birds and Photography, Morgan Wicker – Archery, Beef (Gold Medal), Leadership, Sheep (Gold Medal), Swine (Gold Medal).
Wood County 4-H members were honored for county level service and leadership and recognized for their extraordinary character. Rising Stars (ages 13-15): Hailey Barnes, Cooley Dixon, and Ady Matheny. Continuing Service and Leadership (ages 18-21): Cameron Shore and Tessa Prunty.
I Dare You Awards (ages 16-18) also known as the National Leadership Award: Ali Evans and Emma Casto.
Wood County 4-H Royalty are selected based on their records of service and achievement in the 4-H program. Winners for 2024-2025: Princess: Ady Matheny of the Rebels 4-H Club. Prince: Brantly Poling of the Rebels 4-H Club. King: Lycan Cline of the Sand Hill Explorers 4-H Club, and Queen: Reagan Parsons of the Saulsbury 4-H Club.
State 4-H Poster and Photo Contest winners, 4-H Still Projects, and State Visual Presentation winners were on display at the State Fair of West Virginia: Photos – Carter McLain, Karson Pigott, Kayleen Staats, Jaxson Swiger, Josiah Swiger and Morgan Wicker. Posters – Alexus Forman, Jaxson Swiger, Karson Pigott, Emmy Ingold, Josiah Swiger, Morgan Wicker, Lily Kelley, Brylee Forshey, Skylar Hart, Jack Kinzy, Miryan Lewis, Ali Evans and Kayleen Staats. Morgan Wicker won Gold for her state visual animal science presentation and Camryn McLain won Blue for her Health Triangle presentation. Josephine Myers won Gold at the state level 4-H Creed contest. Morgan Wicker won Blue in the State 4-H Writing Exhibition.
State 4-H Stockman’s Judging Contest: Wood County 4-H Junior Team placed 6th overall with team members Sophia Burgess, Justin Donato, Maddison Waybright, and Morgan Wicker. Morgan Wicker won 10th place individual overall. The senior team placed 10th overall with team members Skylar Hart, Audrey Kent, Kayleen Staats, and Bodee Walters. Bodee Walters won 5th place overall individual.
State 4-H and FFA Horse Judging and Hippology Contest: Wood County 4-H Junior Team – Trinity Probasco was the top scorer placing 1st in the junior division in multiple categories, Abigail Gibson placed 6th. Marissa Hendershot placed 5th and Kyra Bell placed 8th for the senior team.
State 4-H Air Rifle Qualifier: Wood County 4-H Air Rifle team – Morgan Wicker placed first in junior division with 544 points out of 600 and received the highest air rifle score in the state (out of junior and senior divisions). Emilee Allison placed 3rd in senior division with 514 points which qualified her for national 4-H competition in Nebraska. Cooley Dixon finished in the top 10 with a 477, Allie Hedges finished with a 432, and Samantha Thompson finished with a 488.
State 4-H Archery Qualifier: Wood County 4-H Archery team – Senior Compound Division – Josh Steele placed 4th and Cooley Dixon placed 6th, Junior Compound Division – Morgan Wicker placed 1st in the state. Genesis Division – Kinsley Moncman placed 1st and Braden Whitlatch placed 4th in the state.
National 4-H Air Rifle Competition: Emilee Allison represented Wood County and West Virginia at the National 4-H Shooting Sports Competition in Nebraska the team finished in the top 5 and Emilee placed 30th overall individual.
West Virginia 4-H All Stars live by the motto of service. All Stars for 2024 are 4-H Members and Volunteers Ellen Brown, Staci Lawrentz, Shelley Lewis, Alaina Marshall, Erin Carmicle, Byron Dearth, Jayden Dearth, Cate Evans, Cameron Shore and Audrey Sundstrom.
Outstanding All Star for 2024: Virginia “Hope” Prunty has been instrumental in leading the way to replace the totem poles at the Wood County 4-H Camp. She worked with volunteers and campers to design poles that would complement each 4-H tribe and the WV 4-H program. She turned the sketches into color digital designs, recruited volunteers, found artists to paint the poles and bring the designs to life. Prunty takes great pride in preserving history while ensuring inclusivity. The poles also incorporate head, heart, hands and health symbols in addition to tribal symbols to include the 4-H Horse Camp who uses the Hs instead of tribes at camp. This would not have happened without Prunty’s leadership and determination.
The Wood County 4-H program is only possible because of the dedicated service of our volunteers. Honored for years of service this year were 5th Year Silver Clover: Steffan Affolter, Ellen Brown, George Campbell, Christina Casto, Kassie Kincade, Julia Life, Austin Marshall, Darlie Stoneking, and Shelby Wright. 10th year Gold Clover: Stephanie Kent, and TJ Life. 20th Year Diamond: Angela Evans, Jason Evans, Tiffanny Heddleston, and Amanda Moles. 25th Year Clover: Julie Shawver. 45th Year Emerald Clover: Nancy Conant and Bill Leach.
50th Year Ruby Clover: Judy Leach has served as a club leader with the Saulsbury 4-H Club for 50 years. For many years she served as the club’s co-organizational leader, and today she continues to serve the club in numerous ways by volunteering to organize community service activities, working the club’s major fund-raiser – making Easter Eggs, providing the club banquet centerpieces by making them and giving them away as door prizes, and more. The money raised from the Easter Egg fundraiser helps send club members to camp and provides the members with funding for fun, educational activities, as well as state and national competitions and leadership opportunities. At the county level, Leach has been an active supporter of 4-H campground fundraisers, taught camp classes, led the 4-H sewing project,
and helped with the county fair. As a 4-H All Star, Leach has truly lived by the motto of “service” to Wood County 4-H. Her service has impacted the lives of many 4-H members.
Outstanding 4-H Volunteer for 2024 – Kelly Casto is a true asset to the Wood County 4-H program. She turned in her volunteer paperwork right away after she “aged out” as a member. Casto is a pin wearer and a proud All Star. She met her husband in 4-H and they were married at the 4-H camp. They have three children who are growing up in the 4-H program just like their parents. Casto serves as a long-time camp coordinator of two county 4-H camps, a camp counselor at a third county camp, a club leader, teen leader advisor, county and club fund-raiser, and chief of the county 4-H All Stars.
Friend of 4-H Honoree 2024, Rick and Joella Collins have been amazing supporters of the Wood County 4-H program. As owners of the local feed store Ward’s Farm Supply, they have educated 4-H members about animal nutrition and stocked up on needed supplies for their market projects. The Collins’ family has purchased animals at the Wood County 4-H and FFA Summer Showcase Junior Livestock Sale and donated them back to exhibitors and donated them to the Wood County 4-H Camp Trustees for the Ox Roast, the 4-H camp’s yearly fundraiser. This year, Rick and Joella Collins also contributed sawdust for Horse Camp, donated straw for the Summer Showcase picture backdrop, and continued to sponsor a monetary prize for the memorial Austin Shawver Master Showman Contest winner.
4-H is a program of WVU Extension and is America’s largest youth development organization, empowering children with skills which will last a lifetime.
For more information about the Wood County 4-H program, please contact the Wood County WVU Extension Office at (304) 424-1960 or email woodcountyextension@mail.wvu.edu.