Homeschooling and 4-H Partnership Remains Strong

The youth education program of NC Cooperative Extension, 4-H, is based at NC State and NC A&T State Universities. In 2012 there were 237,591 young people between the ages of five and nineteen who participated statewide with the help of 20,780 adult and youth volunteers. Many of these youth and adults attended 4-H Congress at NC State this summer. An important part of this event was a campaign and the election of state officers to lead 4-H’ers in 2013-14. Three of the four officers elected this year are homeschooled. Michael Chaney, vice-president, is from Person County. Laura Willis, president, is from Craven County, and Anna Marie Vagnozzi, reporter, comes from Cleveland County.

Many homeschooled youth are 4-H’ers and have received awards on the county, district, state, regional and national levels. This article will spotlight 4-H award winners whose families are members of NCHE.

Alamance County. The senior county team with members Emma Bailey and Courtney Eckmann took first place honors in the State Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program. Mason King was a district bronze winner in the Fruit and Vegetable Use category, 9-10, of 4-H presentations. Malik King was a district gold winner in 4-H Presentations, Fruit and Vegetable Use, 11-13.

Alexander County. Faith Wahlers was inducted into the NC 4-H Honor Club, which consists of 4-H’ers who have exhibited outstanding 4-H citizenship and leadership throughout their 4-H careers. She also won two all-expenses paid national trips through the Application, Interview, Resume and Essay competition (ARIE) and attended National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, GA. The AIRE competition is designed to prepare youth with valuable skills needed for future interviews and job applications. Faith won a state gold award for her 4-H Cumulative Record in Citizenship and Leadership. This year she placed third in the state as an individual winner in the Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program competition. Locally, she has won Best-in-Show for her Bake-off entries for nine of the past ten years. She promotes the Ronald McDonald House Charity through the Pop-tab program on the county, district and state levels.

Davidson County. Several homeschooled 4-H youth won awards at State 4-H Congress this past summer. Richard Tysinger from Lexington won first place in the 11-13 age division with his 4-H Presentation in Environmental Science, dealing with erosion. Cody Gallimore of Winston-Salem was awarded a silver medal in the 9-10 age division for his presentation on packing for a hike in the Forestry and Wildlife category. Taylor Gallimore received honorable mention for her presentation on Lionhead rabbits in Small and Companion Animals, ages 11-13.

Forsyth County. North Carolina was one of thirteen state teams that competed in the thirty-fourth annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational in July, 2013. The invitational was held at West VA University. Hope Arrowood, Samuel Barrick and Jacob Kline were members of this team that placed first in the state and ninth at the national event. Samuel was the third place individual winner in the senior division at the state competition.

State 4-H presentation winners included Hope Arrowood, gold winner in Forestry and Wildlife, 14-18, Samuel Barrick, silver in Horticulture Production and Marketing, 14-18, and Jadyn Hooker, who won a bronze medal in Small and Companion Animals, 11-13. On District Activity Day twenty-two youth from Forsyth County travelled to NC A&T State University to compete. Laura Hutchins received a blue ribbon for her vocal performance in the Talent Showcase. Presentation winners in the 14-18 age division included David Allen Pledger, green in Health and Fitness, BJ Hutchins, gold in Hospitality, Etiquette and Social Graces, Sidney Hooker, bronze in Fruit and Vegetable Use, Lindsey Hooker, bronze in Arts and Communications, and Hope Arrowood, gold in Forestry and Wildlife. In the 11-13 age division, Alex Arrowood received a bronze in Forestry and Wildlife, Spencer Cook, silver in Bugs and Bees, Jadyn Hooker, silver in Small and Companion Animals, Andrew Pledger, gold in Horticulture Production and Marketing, and Jeremiah Smith, bronze in Health and Fitness. In the 9-10 age division, Kierstyn Smith won gold in Small and Companion Animals. In the 7-8 age division, Luke Arrowood and Ethan Cook received green Cloverbud recognition.

Youth ages 13-18 compile three years of work in one project area into a cumulative record form, which is judged on the district level and the winner from each of the five extension districts advances to the state competition. Allison Wise was a state gold winner in Family and Consumer Sciences, ages 16-18, and also received the Eloise Cofer Family and Consumer Sciences Trophy. Other state gold winners in the 16-18 division were Lindsey Hooker in Expressive Arts and Justyn Joyce in Public Speaking. Brandon Joyce was a silver winner in Expressive Arts. In the 13-15 age division, Samuel Barrick won a gold award in Citizenship and Community Service, and David Allen Pledger was a gold winner in Health and Safety. Silver award winners were Hope Arrowood in Family and Consumer Sciences and also in Expressive Arts and Samuel Barrick in Plant and Horticultural Science. Grant Wise won a state bronze in Forestry and Natural Resources. District gold winners in the 16-18 division were Brandon Joyce in Citizenship and Community Service and Allison Wise in Leadership. Justyn Joyce was a bronze winner in Expressive Arts. In the 13-15 age division, silver winners were Sidney Hooker in Expressive Arts and Grant Wise in Citizenship and Community Service. David Allen Pledger was a bronze winner in Citizenship and Community Service.

District Project Record winners in the 16-18 age division included gold winners Brandon Joyce in Citizenship and Civic Education and in Communication Arts and Allison Wise in Family and Consumer Sciences. Silver winners were Lindsey Hooker in Communication Arts and Allison Wise in Personal Development and Leadership. In the 13-15 age division, silver winners included Hope Arrowood in Family and Consumer Sciences, Samuel Barrick in Plant Science and also in Citizenship and Civic Education, and Sidney Hooker in Communication Arts. Hope Arrowood won a bronze award in Communication Arts. In the 11-12 age division, gold winners were Austin Wise in Environment and Natural Resources and Andrew Pledger in Healthy Lifestyles and also in Plant Science. Austin Wise won silver in Citizenship and Civic Education, and Alex Arrowood received a bronze medal in Environment and Natural Resources. Jadyn Hooker won a silver award in Animal Science in the 9-10 age division.

In the 4-H Photography Contest, in the junior division, 9-12, Alex Arrowood took second place. Spencer Cook’s entry received honorable mention in the Nature’s Beauty category. In the senior division, 13-19, Hope Arrowood received honorable mention in the 4-H in Action category. Under Nature’s Beauty, Sidney Hooker won second place for the photo, “Boomer.” Hope Arrowood was awarded first place in Shadows and Light for her photo, “Eclipsed by a Basketball.”

The Operation Military Kids contest focuses on our country and our military. State winners from Forsyth in the Artwork division included Lindsey Hooker, who won first place in the America the Beautiful category, 16-18. Jaden Hooker won second place in the 11-12 age division, and Andrew Pledger received honorable mention in the 13-15 division. Jadyn Hooker won first place in the Proud to be an American category, ages 11-12, and third place in Celebrating Our Heroes: Past and Present. Sidney Hooker won first place in Patriotic Pride, 13-15, David Pledger received honorable mention in Patriotic Pride, and Jadyn Hooker received honorable mention in ages 11-12. In the Artwork Best of Show category, Jadyn Hooker won in ages 11-12, Sidney Hooker, in ages 13-15, and Lindsey Hooker won in ages 16-18. The Artwork Grand Champion overall was Lindsey Hooker. First runner-up was Sidney Hooker, and second runner-up was Jadyn Hooker.

In the Operation Military Kids Photography Contest, in the America the Beautiful division, Luke Arrowood won first place in ages 9-10, Alex Arrowood won second in ages 11-12, and Hope Arrowood won first place in ages 13-15. In the Patriotic Pride category, Hope Arrowood won first in ages 13-15, and Luke Arrowood received honorable mention in ages 9-10. In the Celebrating Our Heroes category, Alex Arrowood received second place in ages 11-12, and Hope Arrowood was awarded third in ages 13-15. In the Proud to Be an American division, Alex Arrowood won first place in ages 11-12, and Hope Arrowood received second place in ages 13-15. The Photography Best of Show award was won by Alex Arrowood, ages 11-12. Photography Grand Champion third runner-up was Alex Arrowood.

In the NC 4-H Beef Photography and Poster Contest., in the Animal photography category, Luke Arrowood won second place in ages 5-8, and Hope Arrowood won fourth in ages 12-15. In the People category, Hope Arrowood was awarded second place in ages 12-15. In the Landscape category, Luke Arrowood took second place in ages 5-8, and Hope Arrowood won fifth place in ages 12-15. In the State Beef Poster Contest, David Allen Pledger was awarded first place in ages 14-16. Second place went to Andrew Pledger in ages 9-12, and Stephen Pledger won third place in ages 9-12. David Allen Pledger was awarded third place in the 13-15 age division of the State Dairy Poster contest.

Sampson County. Madelyn Hall won first place for her entry in Junior Entomology at the State Fair.

Wayne County. Three youth from Wayne County, Hannah Lee, Micah Lee and Alec Linton, were inducted into the 4-H Honor Club at State 4-H Congress this summer. Hannah and Micah also participated in the ARIE competition, and both of them won expenses-paid trips to National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, GA. Hannah received a state silver award for her 4-H Cumulative Record in Leadership, Citizenship and Public Service, ages 16-18. She was a district gold winner for her project record in Communication Arts, ages 16-18, and a district silver award winner for her project record in Environmental and Natural Resources.

Micah Lee was the state first place winner in the Dairy Poster Contest this year in the 16-19 age division. She also received a state gold award for her 4-H Cumulative Record in Communication Arts, ages 13-15. In Personal Development and Leadership, ages 13-15, she was awarded a district gold medal for her 4-H Project Record. She won a district silver medal for her record in Environmental and Natural Resources, ages 13-15.

Wayne County 4-H’er Alec Linton has received numerous honors this years. As the state gold winner in Chicken Barbecue, ages 16-18, he will represent NC at the National 4-H Poultry Conference this year. He previously claimed the title of third place National 4-H Turkey Barbecue winner at the National 4-H Poultry Conference. His 4-H Cumulative Record in Sheep/Goats, ages 16-18, was a state gold winner. Alec was declared the State Senior Reserve Archery gold winner at the 4-H State Shooting Sports Tournament. At the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale, his hog was chosen as Grand Champion.

Isaac Linton and Gideon Linton were on the 4-H Souper Bowl Champion Team in Wayne County. Both received Club Report Achievement trophies and Cloverbud Achievement certificates. Isaac received the designation of Market Goat Super Showman at the NC State Fair. Gideon was chosen as a Market Hog Super Showman at the State Fair.

Wilson County. The 4-H Envirothon Club in Wilson has won awards on the county, district and state levels. Marco Agostini, Daniela Agostini, Tim Bizzell, Connor Thayer and Rebecca Lee all served as volunteers this summer for a week at 4-H summer camp. Daniela Agostini participated in the AIRE process at 4-H Congress and was awarded an expenses-paid trip to National 4-H Congress. She also received a state bronze award for her 4-H Cumulative Record in Forestry and Natural Resources, ages 16-18. She represented her county as a Youth Voice at the NC Association of County Commissioners. Marco Agostini was a member of the junior team that achieved a bronze award at the Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program state competition.

Four outstanding Wilson 4-H members, Ethan Walton, Tim Bizzell, Marco Agostini and Connor Thayer, participated in the L.E.A.D. program this year. Daniela Agostini was chosen as Grand Champion in Senior Poultry Showmanship. Marco Agostini won a district silver award for his 4-H Project Record in Environmental and Natural Resources, ages 11-13. Tim Bizzell won two district bronze awards for his records in Forestry and in Soils, ages 11-13. Marco Agostini won a state gold award for his 4-H Presentation in Careers and Entrepreneurship, ages 11-13. Daniela Agostini was awarded a state bronze medal for her presentation in Open Class, ages 14-18.

For more information about 4-H and the educational opportunities it offers, contact your local county Cooperative Extension Service. Visit www.nc4h.org for a list of county offices.

Photo captions from top to bottom:

4-H State officers (homeschooled), from left: Michael Chaney (Person County), Laura Willis (Craven County) and Anna Marie Vagnozzi (Cleveland County)

Forsyth County forestry team placed ninth in national competition–from left to right:  Kade Henderson, Hope Arrowood, Jacob Kline, Samuel Barrick.

Photo “Boomer” by Sidney Hooker, second place

Photo “Ecliped by a Basketball” Hope Arrowood, first place

Photo by Lindsey Hooker, first place at Dixie Classic Fair