Community News

Wood County 4-H Achievement Day honors service of members, volunteers

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. -- The Wood County 4-H program celebrated another year of youth leadership, community service, and personal growth during its annual 4-H Achievement Day Oct. 11 at the Wood County 4-H Camp.

The event recognized 4-H members, volunteers, and community partners for their dedication and achievements throughout the 2025-2026 program year.

Families, friends, and community supporters gathered to honor the accomplishments of youth from across the county. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed food and fellowship during the 4-H Open House Trunk or Treat celebration.

"I enjoy Achievement Day because it's a time to recognize all the hard work our 4-H members and volunteers have put in over the past year," said Lindsey Boso, Wood County 4-H Program Assistant. "I'm honored to work for the organization that shaped me and to help the next generation of 4-Hers discover their own passions and prepare to make a difference in the world."

The theme for this year's celebration highlighted the mission of 4-H to help youth become Beyond Ready for life by developing essential skills such as leadership, teamwork, compassion, respect, communication, and responsibility.

4-H members are twice as likely to set leadership goals, participate in community service, and live life with purpose and intentionality, said Wood County Extension Agent Jodi Smith.

Club Awards

Outstanding Club Members were recognized by 4-H clubs across Wood County for their exceptional leadership, dedication, and involvement.

From the American Brushpoppers 4-H Club, outstanding members were Sawyer Crowe, Harlee Donato and Justin Donato.

From the Belleville 4-H Club, honorees include Addy Fleak, Karson Pigott, Kelsey Dennis, Evan Banks, Morgan Wicker and Cooley Dixon. Belleville 4-H also received second place in the National 4-H Week Club Display competition.

The Lubeck Lucky Clovers 4-H Club honored Chase Boso, Sabrina Heddleston, Bonnie Lyons, Thomas Ferrebee, Chase Breen and Camryn McLain for their achievements. Lubeck Lucky Clovers also received first place in the National 4-H Week Club Display.

The Rebels 4-H Club celebrated Emma Casto, Mason Ewing, and Adaline Stout for their outstanding service and participation.

From the Sand Hill Explorers 4-H Club, Carter Grimmer, Lycan Cline and Hailey Barnes were recognized.

The Saulsbury 4-H Club honored Tucker Fordyce, Danika Williams, Noah Pifer and Ava Anderson. Saulsbury 4-H also received third place in the National 4-H Week Club Display.

Finally, from the Woodchucks 4-H Club, Isabella Bland was named outstanding member.

Friend of 4-H

The Friend of 4-H Award was presented to Pifer's Service Center Towing & Recovery for their steadfast and ongoing support of the Wood County 4-H program. For more than 50 years, Pifer’s Service Center Towing & Recovery, a third-generation family business serving the Mid-Ohio Valley, has been a steadfast supporter of 4-H Youth Development in West Virginia. As a longtime buyer at the Wood County 4-H and FFA Junior Livestock Sale, the Pifer family has invested in generations of young people by recognizing and rewarding their hard work and dedication. Over the past four years, Joseph Pifer has served on the Wood County Junior Livestock Committee, recruiting new business buyers, expanding community support, and strengthening the sale’s long-term success. Pifer’s has generously funded accounting services for the sale committee, donated banners and promotional materials, and supported the Wood County 4-H Leaders Association, local 4-H clubs, the Wood County 4-H Camp Trustees, and the county 4-H camping program. Their enduring generosity, leadership, and commitment to youth have made a lasting impact on the lives of countless 4-H members and exemplify the true spirit of a Friend of 4-H.

Volunteer Service Recognition

4-H is only possible through the time and dedication of its volunteers. Many Wood County volunteers have been serving for decades, continuing to invest in youth because they believe in the power of the 4-H program.

· 5th Year Silver Clover Leaders: Kyle Criss, Mike Daley and Alan Tennant.

· 10th Year Gold Clover Leaders: Laura Barrett and Brandon Boso.

· 15th Year Pearl Clover Leader: Tara Swiger.

· 20th Year Diamond Clover Leader: Debbie Young.

· 25th Year Emerald Clover Leaders: Doreen Moore and Brent Parsons.

· 30th Year Ruby Clover Leader: Cindy Daley.

· 35th Year Sapphire Clover Leaders: Darin Affolter and Cheryl Smith.

· 40th Year Diamond Clover Leaders: Sharon Perdue and Debbie Sleeth.

· 50th Year Ruby Clover Leaders: Linda Dearth and Mary Pigott.

Linda Dearth and Mary Pigott were both recognized for their long-term commitment to the Wood County 4-H program. Through being club organizational leaders, officers of the 4-H Leaders' Association, camp counselors, and more, Linda and Mary have both given countless hours of service to 4-H. They truly exemplify what it means to be a 4-H volunteer.

Outstanding 4-H Volunteers

Julia and T.J Life were recognized as the Outstanding 4-H Volunteers. Their dedication to the livestock program has supported youth for years. This husband-and-wife duo mentor youth in showmanship, grooming, animal care, and leadership. Together, they devote countless hours to barn improvements, Showcase preparation, and event organization. Julia and T.J. are always willing to lend a hand and are often among the last volunteers to leave, ensuring every job is completed and every exhibitor has the support needed to succeed.

Outstanding 4-H All-Star

Jill Lewellyn earned the Outstanding 4-H All-Star Award for her history of service to the Wood County All Stars. Jill has been a dedicated 4-H volunteer, serving as leader of the Sand Hill 4-H Club and teen advisor for the Wood County 4-H Teen Leaders. She organizes meetings, activities, and fundraisers that provide camp scholarships, serves as a counselor and staff member at county and state 4-H camps, and is an active leader in her church and community. Her servant leadership has positively impacted countless young people.

Teen Leader Awards

Teen leadership is a vital part of 4-H, where older youth guide younger members, plan community service projects, and build leadership skills that last a lifetime.

First-Year Teen Leader Membership Pins were awarded to Sophia Burgess, Avery Fogle, Emmy Fullerton and Bonnie Lyons.

Achievement in Service Awards recognized Hailey Barnes, Hattie Brown and Shyanne Dearth for outstanding records of service to 4-H and the Teen Leader organization.

Achievement in Leadership Awards were presented to Reagan Lawrentz and Collin Lewis for demonstrating strong leadership within 4-H and their communities.

Outstanding Service Awards went to Chase Breen, Jordan Dearth and Mason Lewis, honoring county-level Teen Leaders with exceptional volunteer and community service achievements.

Outstanding Leadership Awards were given to Paisley McDonald and Lily Sundstrom for exemplary leadership within both the Teen Leader program and the broader 4-H organization.

State 4-H Awards

Wood County 4-H members earned numerous honors at the state level for excellence in poster design, photography, writing, public speaking, shooting sports, and livestock judging.

In the State Poster Contest, the following members received recognition:

General 4-H Promotion category

In the Senior Division, Kinsley Moncman received first place, Morgan Wicker received second place, and Landon Banks received third place.

In the Intermediate Division, Olivia Tice received first place; Wyatt Blair received second place, Savannah Tice received third place, and Evan Banks, Callie Dixion and Cate McLain all received blue ribbons.

In the Junior Division, Wyatt Townsend received first place; Chase Boso received second place, Sabrina Heddleston received third place and Chiryan Underwood received a red ribbon.

Lycan Cline got first place in the Senior Division for both the 4-H Camp Promotion and Healthy Living categories.

In the Agriculture category Intermediate Division, Sophia Burgess earned first place.

Cloverbuds Owen Banks, Bryson Heddleston, and Landon Pigott were also recognized for their submissions.

In the State Photo Contest, blue ribbon winners included Sophia Burgess, Callie Dixon and Morgan Wicker.

For the State Writing Exhibition, Morgan Wicker received a blue ribbon for her essay featured at the State Fair of West Virginia.

In addition, Wood County 4-H had 69 blue ribbon still projects displayed at the State Fair this year -- a record number of state-level recognitions.

In the State Visual Presentations Contest, Sophia Burgess was recognized for her presentation "Everything but The Oink" and Morgan Wicker was invited to the regional public speaking competition for her presentation "Piecing it Together.”

This year's Shooting Sports season concluded with outstanding performances from local athletes across multiple divisions. Competitors demonstrated remarkable skill in both air rifle and archery events, earning several top placements and recognition.

In the Senior Division Air Rifle, Morgan Wicker secured the 1st place prize, with Cooley Dixon coming in 5th and Braden Whitlatch placing 14th.

The Archery competitions saw strong showings across Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions. In the Junior Division, Maddie Waybright ranked 8th, Caleb Hutchinson placed 17th and Addy Fleak came in 20th. The Intermediate Division featured Ty Hart earning 3rd place and Abrianna Fleak getting 14th place.

Senior Division archers turned in impressive results with all three top spots being taken by Wood County. Morgan Wicker claimed 1st place, Cooley Dixon secured 2nd, and Skylar Hart earned 3rd. Braden Whitlatch also received 15th place.

At State 4-H Camps, Wood County was well represented at Alpha I, Alpha II, and Older Members Conference (OMC), with Wood County winning the Largest County Delegation Award at OMC. Three new All-Stars were inducted - Jordan Dearth (OMC), Lucas Lewellyn (Alpha II) and Olivia Raber (Alpha II). Annie Barton (OMC) and Ali Evans (Alpha II) both received Scholarship Alternate Awards, Cate Evans received the Hands H at Alpha II and Paisley McDonald received the Health H at Alpha I.

In April, local youth competed in the Stockman's Judging Contest held during the West Virginia Beef Expo. The Wood County Junior A Team, composed of Sophia Burgess, Anna Kaufman, Justin Donato and Callie Dixon, earned 3rd place, while the Wood County Junior B Team – Olivia Mounts, Madison Waybright, Ty Hart and Bentley Anderson – received 24th place. The Senior Team, Morgan Wicker, Lorelei Dent, Skylar Hart and Kyra Bell, placed 7th.

At the State Fair of West Virginia, in August, Morgan Wicker showed her lamb in Intermediate Showmanship, placing 15th overall. She also had an outstanding day in the Market Lamb classes, with her Lightweight Market Lamb earning 6th place and her Heavyweight Market Lamb receiving 4th place. Lorelei Dent had a fantastic State Fair experience as well, showing two market goats and a market lamb. Her Market Goats placed 6th and 7th, and her Market Lamb claimed 8th place.

The West Virginia 4-H Beyond Ready Ambassador program is a leadership initiative for teens tied to the national 4-H Beyond Ready movement, which prepares young people with career and life skills. Hailey Barnes, Hattie Brown, Callie Dixon, Reagan Lawrentz, Jennessa Lewellyn, Josephine Myers, Lily Sundstrom, Brennan Taylor and Morgan Wicker were recognized for being accepted as ambassadors.

National 4-H Recognition

At the 2026 4-H National Sharp Shooters Championship in Grand Island, Neb., West Virginia took home 12th place in Compound Archery. Morgan Wicker got an Overall Individual Placement of 62nd, Cooley Dixon 30th, and Skylar Hart 25th out of 121 participants.

Wood County was proud to have two representatives, Reagan Lawrentz and Jennessa Lewellyn, attend Ignite by 4-H, a national opportunity held in Washington, D.C., where they participated as 4-H Teen Teachers. Over four days, teens from across the country gathered to collaborate, connect, and grow -- expanding their perspectives while building skills to become resilient and prepared for the future. Through this experience, they strengthened their leadership abilities, gained valuable knowledge to bring back to Wood County, and continued discovering their spark within 4-H.

West Virginia 4-H members and their families recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit the Renwick Gallery, part of the renowned Smithsonian Institution. This special opportunity was made possible through their participation in the 4-H Interactions of Color Quilt Project, where youth explored creativity, design, and expression through quilting. Representing Wood County were Callie Dixon and Morgan Wicker, who proudly took part in this unique educational experience alongside fellow 4-H members from across the state.

Service Awards

In addition to competitive accomplishments, Wood County 4-H youth were recognized for their commitment to community service. Through the 4-H service awards program, youth document their volunteer work, helping their clubs, communities, country, and world. Those who submitted service logs were honored with certificates based on age group.

Helping Hands Certificates were awarded to youth ages 5-10 who submitted service logs. This year's recipients include Amelia Edman-Moore, Marley Edman-Moore, Addy Fleak, Bryson Heddleston, Cornelia Kimes, Braelyn Lyons, Parker Matheny, Brylee Poling, Job Robinson, Elias Smith, Olivia Smith, Adaline Stout, Eileen Stull and Elizabeth Thompson.

Making a Difference Certificates, recognizing youth ages 11-15, were presented to Braxton Amos, Ava Anderson, Sophia Burgess, Kelsey Dennis, Mason Ewing, Thomas Ferrebee, Abrianna Fleak, Avery Fogle, Emmy Fullerton, Madison Hall, Sabrina Heddleston, Reagan Lawrentz, Bonnie Lyons, Owen Lyons, Brantley Mace, Cate McLain, Landyn Moles, Josephine Myers, Brantly Poling, Arianna Smith, Noah Stout, Harrison Stull, Jeremiah Stull, Michael Stull, Bre Taylor, Chiryan Underwood and Logan Wagoner.

True Leaders in Service Certificates went to members ages 16 and older who completed service logs. Honorees in this category were Hailey Barnes, Chase Breen, Hattie Brown, Lycan Cline, Lorelei Dent, Jenna Lewellyn, Eddie Lewis, Paisley McDonald, Camryn McLain, Mack Moles, Lily Sundstrom, Morgan Wicker, Jordan Dearth, Samantha Thompson, Emma Casto, Shyanne Dearth, Ali Evans, Mason Lewis, Lucas Lewellyn, Cate Evans and Demetrie Smith.

County 4-H Awards

The County 4-H Awards were also presented to youth who showed excellence in project work, club involvement, and leadership. Project Medals were awarded to members who completed two years of work in the same project area and submitted the required documentation. This year's medal recipients include Sophia Burgess (Fishing, Goat, Hog, and Recycling), Ashlyn Carson (Horse), Sawyer Crowe (Hog), Ezekiel Dent (Goat, Hog, and Sheep), Lorelei Dent (Goat, Hog, and Sheep), Harlee Donato (Hog, Goat, Poultry, and Sheep), Mason Ewing (Beef), Colton Fleak (Hog), Avery Fogle (Hog and Horse), Skylar Hart (Beef), Sabrina Heddleston (Sewing), Reagan Lawrentz (Goat), Brantley Mace (Beef and Hog), Karson Pigott (Hog), Madison Waybright (Beef, Horse, Rabbit, and Sheep) and Morgan Wicker (Quilting).

Wood County 4-H members achieved outstanding success across a variety of competitions during this year's Wood County 4-H & FFA Summer Showcase, earning high honors in livestock, still project exhibitions, and special recognition awards. Youth from across the county demonstrated excellence, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout the events.

The 4-H Still Project Best of Show awards were presented to youth who excelled in project work across multiple categories. Each recipient received a $25 premium in recognition of their achievement. Best of Show winners included Adaline Stout (Rabbit - Animal Science), Bre Taylor (Focus on Photography - Communication and Expressive Arts), Sophia Burgess (Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle - Environmental Education & Earth Science), Chase Boso (Hiking - Health Safety), Josephine Myers (Cooking 201 - Food & Nutrition), Sophia Burgess (My Hands to Larger Service - Leadership & Community), Landon Banks (Know Your State - Miscellaneous), Arianna Smith (4-H Geo Quest - Technology and Engineering), Amelia Edman-Moore (This is 4-H - 4-H), and Abrianna Fleak (Archery - Shooting Sports).

Isabella Bland was recognized for earning her 4-H Charting Pins, a significant milestone in the 4-H journey.

The prestigious "Rising Star Award," which acknowledges young people who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential, 4-H project success, and community service, was awarded to Josephine Myers and Bre Taylor.

The County Outstanding 4-H Member Award honors individuals who have actively contributed to 4-H and served as role models to their peers. Winners were selected by an Extension professional from a neighboring county based on club leader recommendations and activity records. This year's Outstanding 4-H Members are:

· Junior Division (Grades 3-5): Karson Pigott (Male), Sabrina Heddleston (Female)

· Intermediate Division (Grades 6-8): Evan Banks (Male), Kelsey Dennis (Female)

· Senior Division (Grade 9-Age 21): Lycan Cline (Male), Morgan Wicker (Female)

The "Continuing Service and Leadership Award" was presented to Emma Casto and Ali Evans for their ongoing dedication to 4-H beyond high school, continuing to serve at the county level.

This year's "I Dare You Award" winners, a national leadership award that honors young people who show character, leadership, and commitment to service, were Jenna Lewellyn and Morgan Wicker.

Following the county-level awards, the highly anticipated Wood County 4-H Royalty Crowning Ceremony took place. The outgoing 2025-2026 Royalty -- Princess Sophia Burgess, Prince Karson Pigott, King Mason Lewis and Queen Tessa Prunty -- crowned the incoming court for 2026-2027. After a review of applications, 4-H records, personal stories, and references, an Extension professional from a neighboring county selected this year's Royalty.

The 2026-2027 Wood County 4-H Royalty are:

· Princess: Callie Dixon

· Prince: Justin Donato

· King: Eddie Lewis

· Queen: Lorelei Dent

The ceremony concluded with a group photo of all honorees, marking the end of a memorable and inspiring year for Wood County 4-H.

From camps to State accomplishments and leadership awards, these young people exemplify the core values of 4-H -- Head, Heart, Hands, and Health -- as they continue to grow into leaders of tomorrow, local 4-H Leaders said.

The new 4-H year officially began on Oct. 1. If you are interested in joining 4-H or learning more about upcoming programs and events, please contact us at 304-424-1960. We welcome new members and look forward to another year of growth, learning, and community engagement.