Honoring the 4H youth is a priority and the virtual banquet was posted on the Milam County 4-H website and Facebook page for the week of Dec. 15. The video honors our 4-H members who have accomplished many things in 2019-2020.
The highest award for 4-H is the Gold Star Award. This award was presented to two 4-H members. Sydney Vaculin and Grant Widner received this award for 2020.
Vaculin, of the Cameron 4-H Club, is the daughter of Brandon and Choya Vaculin. She is a senior this year at Yoe High School and has been a member of 4-H for nine years.
Her main project is leadership and public speaking. She has been an active leader and coordinator in all 4-H day camps, Ag in the Classroom, workshops and many other activities and she is County Council vice chairman for the second year.
She has participated in District Surge and Texas 4-H congress and has competed in the healthy lifestyles contest at state.
Vaculin has served as the Cloverbud leader in the Cameron 4-H Club. She plans to attend Texas Tech University in the fall.
Widner, of the Thorndale 4-H Club, is the son of Kevin and Cindy Widner. Grant is a junior at Thorndale High School and an eight year 4-H member.
His main project is health and personal safety, but he also competes in consumer, Healthy Lifestyles, Ag Product ID and public speaking.
The past two years, he has served as State Healthy Youth Ambassador, taught at many 4-H youth summer camps and served on the 4-H FCH Coalition. Widner has attended District Surge and Texas 4-H Congress.
This past year, his consumer team won first place at the San Antonio Consumer Contest, Central Texas Consumer Contest, and second place consumer team at the Texas 4-H National Qualifying Contest and will participate in the national contest in 2021. His healthy lifestyles team also placed first at the Texas 4-H contest and will compete in 2021.
Sponsors for those award are Little River Event Center, Milam County Livestock Auction, and Livestock Nutrition Center
The I Dare You Award was presented to Natalie Garcia, of Thorndale 4-H Club. Garcia is the daughter of Eric and Rebecca Garcia.
She completed in the 9th grade in the competition for the past year and has been a member of 4-H for nine years.
Her main projects include gardening and horticulture, food and nutrition, public speaking, shooting sports, leadership, goats, and theater and performing arts.
The past summer she videoed how to make bread for 4-H members during the pandemic.
Joseph JW Hollas of theCameron 4-H Club also won the I Dare Your Award. He is the son of Gery and Theresa Hollas. He also completed the 9th grade in the past year and has been a 4-H member for 10 years including three years as a Cloverbud.
Hollas’ main projects include poultry, plant and soil science, consumer education, healthy lifestyles, leadership, and community service.
He has a great talent at Plant ID and has won many awards at the major stock shows in Plant ID.
The award is offered as recognition of excellence in character and well-balanced personal development as well as a demonstration of leadership. Sponsors for the awards were Phil and Debbie Konarik.
The Silver Star award is for 4-H’ers ages 11-13. A record book is required to apply for this award. These awards are sponsored by David and Margia Barkemeyer
The winners are Hannah Bakken, Milano 4-H Club, and her parents are Buck and Marie Bakken; Harleigh Barrett, Thorndale 4-H Club, and her parents are Kelley and Anita Barrett; Klaybourne Eschberger, Rockdale 4-H Club, and his parents are Kevin and April Eschberger; Camryn Green, Cameron 4-H Club, and her parents are Dennis and Misty Green; and Mackenzie Mahan, Cameron 4-H Club, and her parents are Joe and Wendy Mahan.
The Bronze Star awards were sponsored by The Bling Box Boutique (Jeremy and Courtney Renaud). This award is for 4-H’ers 8-10 years of age.
Luke Holcombe, Cameron 4-H Club, won this honor and his parents are Andy and Micah Holcombe.
District Attorney Bill Torrey, Buckholts State Bank and The Bling Box Boutique sponsored the County Achievement awards.
The Clover Award is for beginner members between the ages of 5-8. 4-H’ers receiving this award were: Landree Leifeste, Laramie Mahan, Emma McAnulty and Sloan Sanders, all from Cameron 4-H.
The Rookie Award which is available to any 4-H’er in their first year of membership. 4-H’ers receiving this award is Luke Holcombe-Cameron 4-H.
The Honor Roll award is for Junior members between the ages of 8-10. 4-H’ers receiving this award were Riley Clinard and Kenzie Hobbs of Thorndale 4-H, Luke Holcombe, Shawn Leifeste and Colby McAnulty of Cameron 4-H.
The All-Star award winners are intermediate members ages 11-13. 4-H’ers receiving this award were Bradley Bakken and Hannah Bakken of Milano 4-H, Harleigh Barrett of Thorndale 4-H, Klaybourne Eschberger and Macy McDaniel of Rockdale 4-H, Corley Callahan, Mason Leifeste, Mackenzie Mahan and Kenan Mingus of Cameron 4-H, and Robert Miller-Gause 4-H.
The Letterman award is for Senior members 14-18 years of age. The 4-H’er receiving this award was Natalie Garcia.
Each 4-H club honored a Top Leader and Top Supporter. Club Top Leaders Gifts were sponsored by Steve Young.
Those honored were: Cameron 4-H Club, Carolyn Hux; Gause 4-H Club, Elizabeth Miller; Rockdale 4-H Club, Sharon McDaniel; Thorndale 4-H Club, Chad and Kristi Hobbs.
Top Supporter Gifts were: Cameron 4-H Club, Cameron ISD; Gause 4-H Club, Gause ISD; Rockdale 4-H Club, New Salem Extension Education Association; Shooting Sports 4-H Club, New Salem Extension Education Association; and Thorndale 4-H Club, Thorndale Meat Market.
Milam County 4-H’ers that have placed first at a state contest received a jacket for this achievement. This award can only be received one time in their 4-H career. Four 4-H’ers received this award at the 4-H Banquet.
First time state winners included: Wylie Barrett, sponsored by Buddy and Marilyn Johnson; Noah Bradley, sponsored by Bradley Plumbing; Carlie Eason, sponsored by Circle S BBQ; and Jadyn Parker, sponsored by Anderle Lumber Co.
Texas Shooting Sports team competed at the national level this year. We want to congratulate Addie Reisner from Milam County. Cameron Lions Club sponsored an award for Addie.
County record book awards were presented by Club Managers, County Commissioners, and Anderle Lumber Co.
Citizens National Bank and Anderle Lumber Co. sponsored the 4-H record book pins.
The 4-H’ers receiving awards:
• Cameron 4-H Club— Colby Barton, Connor Barton, Corley Callahan, Kincaid Callahan, Camryn Green, Colby Green, Luke Holcombe, JW Hollas, Landree Leifeste, Mason Leifeste, Shawn Leifeste, Laramie Mahan, Mackenzie Mahan, Kenan Mingus, Sloan Sanders and Sydney Vaculin.
• Gause 4-H Club—Robert Miller.
• Milano 4-H Club— Bradley Bakken and Hannah Bakken
• Rockdale 4-H Club— Klaybourne Eschberger, Jack Luckey, Ryan Luckey, and Mallory McDaniel
• Thorndale 4-H Club— Harleigh Barrett, Wylie Barrett, Riley Clinard, Natalie Garcia, Kennedy Hobbs, Kenzie Hobbs, Gabriel Ramthun and Grant Widner.
The Mr. and Miss for Milam County 4-H were given to Hunter Hux and Kenan Mingus of the Cameron 4-H Club, and Grant Widner and Kaylee Jackson of the Rockdale 4-H Club were named prince and princess 4-H.
County Judge Steve Young was the sponsor of these plaques.
Leading the Milam County 4-H will be following members selected as officers: Chairman Grant Widner; First Vice Chairman Sydney Vaculin; Delegate at Large Natalie Garcia; Vice Chairman for 4-H Promotion Kennedy Hobbs; Vice Chairman Community Service Marisol Hill; Vice Chairman for Summer Activities Mason Leifeste; Secretary Gabriel Ramthun; Treasurer Robert Miller; Public Relations Officer JW Hollas; and Parliamentarian Wylie Barrett.
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