Achievement Awards

Fairfield County youth receive State 4-H Awards – Henry Hoisington, Samantha Bader, Charlie Sponseller, Katie Cade, Nolan Shaffer, Alaina Bell, Dominic Woods

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The 2025 Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards were presented earlier this month at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center in Columbus. Local 4-H members received the following awards.

Samantha Bader from Baltimore won the Natural Resources Achievement Award. Bader, 18, has been an active 4-H member in Fairfield County for many years. She has exhibited numerous projects at the fair, has served as her club’s president, and is a member of the Junior Fair Board. She is also a camp counselor, and she serves on the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council. A senior at Liberty Union High School, she plans to attend The Ohio State University to study entomology and forensic science. She is the daughter of Steve and Kimberly Bader.

Samantha Bader – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Natural Resources

Alaina Bell from Canal Winchester won the Citizenship and Community Service Achievement Award. Bell, 17, is in her 10th year as a 4-H member. Her favorite 4-H experience is being a part of the PetPALS program, where she and her service rooster, Herbert, visit nursing homes. Bell has also served as an Ohio delegate at the National 4-H Conference, where she lobbied for more agricultural outreach for youth with the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture. She is a senior at Bloom Carroll High School and plans to attend The Ohio State University in the fall to major in sustainable plant systems and minor in molecular genetics. She is the daughter of Jason Bell and Sarah Ray-Bell.

Alaina Bell – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Citizenship and Community Service

Katie Cade from Lancaster won the Photography Achievement Award. Cade, 16, has been a 4-H member in Fairfield County for seven years. She has taken photography for two years, receiving numerous awards for her work. She is also a member of the Junior Fair Board. Cade is currently a sophomore at Lancaster High School and is the daughter of Chris and Becky Cade.

Katie Cade – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Photography

Henry Hoisington from Baltimore was the recipient of the Ohio Township Association Local Government Award. Hoisington, 18, is a 10-year member of the Fairfield County 4-H program. He is an active member of the Junior Fair Board and volunteers as a camp counselor. Hoisington has shown market hogs the entirety of his 4-H career, and with his family, he raises Scottish Highland Cattle, which he also exhibits at the fair. After high school, he will attend Ohio University to pursue a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. He is the son of Ryan and Amber Hoisington.

Henry Hoisington – Ohio Township Association Scholarship Winner

Nolan Shaffer from Canal Winchester won the Companion Animals Achievement Award. Shaffer, 17, has been a 4-H member in Fairfield County for nine years. He began his 4-H career by showing his dog, Piper, at both the county and state levels. In 2021, the pair represented Fairfield County at various fairs and festivals throughout the state as Canine Commodity Ambassadors. He also serves as a camp counselor. Shaffer is a junior at Eastland Career Center, where he is studying aviation while finishing high school. He is the son of Tim and Kandie Shaffer.

Nolan Shaffer – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Companion Animals

Charlie Sponseller from Baltimore won the Rabbits Achievement Award. Sponseller, 17, is a 12-year 4-H member from Fairfield County. He has taken rabbit, sheep, small engine, and shooting sports projects. He is also a member of the Junior Fair Board and serves as a county and shooting sports camp counselor. Sponseller is a junior at Eastland Career Center and Liberty Union High School and plans to attend college to study aviation. He is the son of Andy and Melissa Sponseller.

Charlie Sponseller – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Rabbits

Dominic Woods from Pickerington won the Mechanical Engineering Achievement Award. Woods, 17, has been a 10-year member of the Fairfield Country 4-H program, participating in both the Extraordinary Explorers and Small Engines/Tractor Maintenance 4-H clubs. His project work has included small engines, rocketry, lawn care, natural resources, rabbits, and foods. He has served as a camp counselor and a Junior Fair Board member. Woods is a junior at Bishop Hartley High School and is the son of Luke and Patty Woods.

Dominic Woods – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Mechanical Engineering

Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding work in their project area. Youth recipients will also have the opportunity to travel to Atlanta in November to represent Ohio at National 4-H Congress. The evening was hosted by the Ohio 4-H Foundation, with 32 youth receiving 2025 honors.

Ohio 4-H is the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. In 2024, over 154,000 Ohio youth participated in clubs, groups, and special interest programs.

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State 4-H Achievement Awards Announcement – Fairfield County Results!

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Congrats to the following teens who were recognized for their State 4-H Achievement awards at our Fairfield County 4-H Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 10th, 2025!

The following individuals are STATE AWARD WINNERS in their respective project area and will be invited to attend National 4-H Congress in Atlanta Georgia this fall! Additionally, they will be recognized with other state winners from across Ohio at the State 4-H Achievement Banquet in June.

National 4-H Congress sparks new opportunities for teens

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Last summer twenty-nine youth were recognized at the 4-H Achievement Awards banquet for their success in specific project areas, as well as their leadership, community service experience, and overall contributions to their county and state 4-H programs.

Just a few short months ago, these same youth had the opportunity to celebrate their hard work as they traveled to Atlanta to participate in National 4-H Congress. Ohio youth trading pins with their fellow delegates during an opening session.

Ohio youth trading pins with their fellow delegates during an opening session.

This five-day event gave teen 4-H members the opportunity to connect with their fellow youth around the country as they exchanged ideas, attended workshops, gave back through community service work, and grew as young leaders.

Teens kicked off the event by getting to know each other through educational workshops on team building, public speaking, self-care, and more. They also heard from motivational speaker Dr. Laymon Hicks as he shared his strategies for overcoming obstacles, finding motivation from within, and pursuing dreams.

As one of the larger state delegations at National 4-H Congress, the Ohio youth were excited to make new friends and meet fellow 4-H’ers from across the country. During one of the welcome sessions, they participated in a pin exchange with other delegates and met youth who had traveled from Hawaii and Puerto Rico to attend.

Throughout National 4-H Congress, 4-H members also had the opportunity to learn more about the history of Atlanta. In addition to exploring some of Atlanta’s most popular attractions like the Georgia Aquarium, youth participants engaged in an “evening of culture” at the Atlanta History Center.

Another highlight of the experience was the morning of service that all youth delegates participated in. 4-H members were assigned to a variety of community service projects in the Atlanta metro area, with options ranging from landscaping projects at the Piedmont Park Conservancy to reading to youth and assisting with holiday preparations at inner city elementary schools.

Kaleigh Williams, the Ohio 4-H Companion Animals Achievement Award winner, posing for a photo with Brutus during a community service project at Piedmont Park.

Kaleigh Williams, the Ohio 4-H Companion Animals Achievement Award winner, posing for a photo with Brutus during a community service project at Piedmont Park.

Ohio delegates posing for a photo at the Congress Gala.

Ohio delegates posing for a photo at the Congress Gala.

The Congress Gala served as a culminating celebration for all the youth participants. They dressed to impress as they enjoyed a delicious meal before hitting the dance floor for a final party with their fellow delegates.

“I will always remember this experience and the awesome people I met at Congress,” said Cayden Jones, Ohio delegate and winner of the Shooting Sports Achievement Award. “I have enjoyed everything I have done here, even if it put me outside of my comfort zone. I can’t express how thankful I am to everyone who helped put on this once in a lifetime event.”

LAST CALL: Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Forms (ages 14-18) due 1/10/2025 (paper copies)

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For youth 14-18 as of January 1, 2025 interested in applying for state & county achievement/merit awards (Beef, Clothing, Leadership, etc.), county trips (Sea Camp, Leadership Camp, etc.), National Dairy Conference, Ohio Township Award, etc. Please use the current version of the form and please use Microsoft Word to edit. DO NOT open/edit in Google Docs!

Ohio 4-H Achievement Form (2025 Form- Word document- Please download to complete). Must turn in a hard copy of this form for EACH project area selected. Members also need to turn in a copy of this for for trip award selections, Outstanding 4-Her consideration, Fairfield County 4-H Scholarships (with application), and Basil Garden Scholarships (with application).

2025 Achievement Form Instructions – PLEASE READ!

2025 Fairfield County Achievement Form Cover Sheet – NEW FOR 2025! Only turn in one copy of these forms per member.

Ohio Achievement Form Suggestions – Achievement form section suggestions can be found by reviewing this form.

State Resource Page

4-H Teen Opportunities, Award Forms, and Recognition (youth ages 13-18 as of 1/1/2025)

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Attention Teens! Do you want to be a camp counselor? Junior Fair Board Member? Junior Leader? Outstanding 4-Her? Scholarship or Trip Award winner? Do you find yourself asking “How do I get to do that?” We suspect that as you have gotten older you have started to look for new and exciting things where you can be involved. Read on… 4-H has special opportunities for teens only where YOU can play a part!

There are many exciting opportunities that await you as a teenager in the Fairfield County 4-H Program. Soon, 4-H members who will be ages 13-18 as of 1/1/2025 will receive a survey link emailed to them. This survey is an invitation for you to let us know what you are interested in learning more about. Read all about these opportunities, mark which ones you are interested in and we will follow up with making sure you have the correct forms, applications, and information to proceed to the next steps!

The opportunities in awards, trips, scholarships and more available to teens in the 4-H program are incredible. Don’t miss out on learning more and getting involved! Most of these opportunities are open to 4-H members ages 14 and up as of January 1st. There are also a few opportunities for youth ages 13 as of January 1st. Some of these activities require completion of special forms while others just involve asking for more information. Regardless of what you are interested in, be sure to give us a call if you need more information or would like some help with the necessary forms.

If members and parents would like a little extra assistance in preparing their records, feel free to call or email Leslie (740-277-4625) at cooksey.25@osu.edu or Aubry (740-277-4626) at fowler.443@osu.edu.

We encourage you all to broaden your 4-H experience and try something new. We think you’ll find many new friends and much more fun ahead!

Additionally, we invite youth who will be ages 13-18 as of 1/1/2025 to attend the Achievement Form Workshop on Tuesday, December 3rd from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Extension Office / Ag Center.

Save the Date: December 3rd for our Achievement Form Workshops

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Be recognized for all you do in 4-H! It all begins with keeping great records of your 4-H accomplishments! Save the date of December 3rd for upcoming workshops! Details are in the flyer posted below.

Younger 4-H youth (ages 9-13 as of 1/1/2025) are encouraged to start completing your Junior Achievement Form. Junior Achievement Awards will be awarded in April 2025!

  • Please note that the Junior Achievement Form will be updated for 2025. Please be sure to use the new form.

Older 4-H youth (ages 14-18 as of 1/1/2025) are encouraged to explore the many teen opportunities available to them when they complete the Ohio 4-H Achievement Form including: County Merit Awards, College Scholarships, County Trip Awards, Outstanding 4-Her Award, State Achievement Awards – and perhaps earning a trip to National 4-H Congress! County Merit Awards, Scholarships, and Trip Awards will be awarded in April 2025!

LOCAL YOUTH RECEIVE STATE 4-H AWARD – Brianna Downey, Evelyn Hill, Brin-Leigh Hoisington, Silas Kohler, Julia Luallen, Kendall Wild

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The 2024 Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards were presented earlier this month at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center in Columbus. Local 4-H members received the following awards.

Brianna Downey from Canal Winchester won the Horse Achievement Award. Downey, 18, has been a member of the Rough Riders 4-H Club alongside her horse, Harley, for nine years. She shows in multiple classes and has received awards at the Fairfield County Junior Fair and many state events. She was also a four-year member of the Junior Leaders. She is currently a senior at Groveport Madison High School and is the daughter of Elizabeth McGrady and Patrick Downey.

Evelyn Hill from Lancaster won the Health and Safety Achievement Award. Hill, 17, has been a 4-H member in Fairfield County for seven years. She has taken a multitude of health-related projects and is currently serving as an Ohio Health Hero and the State Outreach Committee Chair on the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council. She is a junior at Lancaster High School and hopes to study biochemistry as a pre-med track to pursue a career as an ER Physician. She is the daughter of Jessica Hill, James Martin, and Jason Hill.

Brin-Leigh Hoisington from Baltimore won the Leadership Achievement Award. Hoisington, 15, has been a 4-H member in Fairfield County for seven years. She is a camp counselor, a Junior Fair Board Member, and has had success at the Ohio State Fair, winning a clock trophy for her workforce preparation project. Hoisington is currently a freshman at Liberty Union High School and is the daughter of Ryan and Amber Hoisington.

Silas Kohler from Lancaster won the Dairy Achievement Award. Kohler, 15, began his 4-H career as a Cloverbud. He has shown dairy cattle, dairy feeders, and hogs, is a camp counselor, and recently attended the National 4-H Dairy Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a freshman at Liberty Union High School and is the son of Jeremy and Hannah Kohler.

Julia Luallen from Pataskala won the Clothing and Textiles Achievement Award. Luallen, 18, has been a part of Fairfield County 4-H for ten years. She has achieved many awards at the county and state level for various sewing projects. She is a camp counselor, a member of the Fashion and Nutrition Board, and attended Sea Camp last summer. She plans to attend college in the fall to pursue a degree in occupational therapy. She is the daughter of Scott and Misty Luallen.

Kendall Wild from Canal Winchester won the Environmental Science Achievement Award. Wild, 14, began her career as a Cloverbud eight years ago. She has taken numerous STEM projects, which includes the area of environmental science, shows alpacas, and was the recipient of the Julie Miller Memorial Award at the 2023 Ohio State Fair. Wild also participates in the state demonstration contest and is a member of her county’s Junior Leaders, as well as Fashion and Nutrition Board. She is an eighth grader at Bloom Carroll Middle School and is the daughter of Christopher and Tiffany Wild.

Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding work in their project area. The evening was hosted by the Ohio 4-H Foundation, with 29 youth receiving 2024 honors.

Ohio 4-H is the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. In 2023, over 156,000 Ohio youth participated in clubs, groups, and special interest programs.

Silas Kohler – 2024 Ohio 4-H Dairy Achievement Award Winner

Kendall Wild – 2024 Ohio 4-H Environmental Science Achievement Award Winner

Julia Luallen – 2024 Ohio 4-H Clothing and Textiles Achievement Award Winner

Evelyn Hill – 2024 Ohio 4-H Health and Safety Achievement Award Winner

Brin Leigh Hoisington – 2024 Ohio 4-H Leadership Achievement Award Winner

Brianna Downey – 2024 Ohio 4-H Horse Achievement Award Winner

 

Fairfield County 4-H Achievement Awards

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4-H members who completed the Ohio 4-H Achievement or Junior Achievement Forms were recognized on April 11th at the Fairfield County 4-H Achievement Awards Program. Scholarship winners were also announced and recognized. A sincere thank you to Fairfield Federal for their continued sponsorship of this awards program. A big thank you to the Fairfield County Commissioners, Senator Tim Shaffer, and Representative Kevin Miller for providing certificates to our members. And a special thank you Commissioner Fix, Commissioner Levacy, Commissioner Fix, Senator Shaffer, and Representative Miller for attending this event!

Thank you to our scholarship donors: Fairfield County 4-H Advisory Committee, Basil Garden Club, Fenstermaker Family, Park National Bank, Kiwanis Club of Lancaster, and Feeder Creek Veterinary Services.

Additionally, we would like to thank our trip sponsors: Sewing Shefs 4-H Club, KKEZ 4-H Club, OK and Judy Schurtz, Justin Marteney Memorial Shooting Sports Education Camp Fund, OSU Endowment Interest Fund, 4-H Advisory Committee and the Bertha Wilson Trust.

For photos from the event, click here. Congrats to all and keep up the great work!

For a complete listing of 2024 awards: 2024 Achievement Banquet Program and 2024 Scholarship Awards

State 4-H Achievement Awards Announcement – Fairfield County Results!

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Congrats to the following teens who will be recognized for their State 4-H Achievement awards at our Fairfield County 4-H Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 11th, 2024!

The following individuals are STATE AWARD WINNERS in their respective project area and will be invited to attend National 4-H Congress in Atlanta Georgia this fall! Additionally, they will be recognized with other state winners from across Ohio at the State 4-H Achievement Banquet in June.

  • Brianna Downey – Horses
  • Evelyn Hill – Health & Safety
  • Brin Leigh Hoisington – Leadership
  • Silas Kohler – Dairy Cattle
  • Julia Luallen – Clothing & Textiles
  • Kendall Wild – Environmental Science

The following individuals are FIRST ALTERNATES to the State Achievement Award winners:

  • Brin Leigh Hoisington – Swine
  • Emma Huntwork – Family Life & Child Development
  • Lydia Jones – National Dairy Conference
  • Gus Swinehart – Woodworking

The following individuals are SECOND ALTERNATES to the State Achievement Award winners:

  • Kaitlyn Stonerock – Citizenship & Community Service
  • Dominic Woods – Mechanical & Engineering Science
  • Katelyn Wynkoop – Alpacas/Llamas

Congrats to all! Keep up the great working maintaining your 4-H records which open the doors to many county, state, and national 4-H opportunities.

Fairfield County 4-H Alum, Tiffany Wild featured in the Ohio 4-H Foundation’s Faces of 4-H

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Each month, we highlight an Ohio 4-H alum who has an amazing story to share—from their personal experience in 4-H to how they have given back to the program. This month, we feature Tiffany Wild, associate professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at The Ohio State University and a proud alumna of Fairfield County 4-H.

Read more about Tiffany’s 4-H story here.

Wild receiving her achievement award for consumer science.

Wild receiving her achievement award for consumer science.