The Antelope County 4-H Program celebrated its annual 4-H Achievement on Sunday, November 8 at the Fairgrounds in Neligh. 4-H’ers from the county were honored for their many accomplishments during the 2015 4-H year. The 12:30 p.m. pot-luck meal was enjoyed by those in attendance.
There were several highlights of the 4-H year announced throughout the evening. One was the naming of Karissa Dicke, Ewing, and Trey Baum, Elgin, as the Outstanding 4-H members for the 2015 4-H year.
Karissa is the 18 year old daughter of Paul and Diane Dicke and is a senior at Elgin Pope John Central Catholic High School. Karissa is a 10 year 4-H member where she has gained leadership skills by serving as vice president and secretary of the Way Out West 4-H Club. Karissa also serves on the 4-H committee as a junior member, where she has more responsibilities in helping to make decisions about the Antelope County 4-H program and the fair. Club community service activities Karissa has been involved in include highway trash pickup, pre-school story hour at the Elgin Public Library and making posters to promote 4-H. She also helps at the Antelope County Fair getting the livestock building ready for the fair and works during our clubs shift in the food stand. Karissa has a kind personality and is enthusiastic about 4-H which motivates younger 4-H members. This year Karissa is in a new ‘leadership’ roll as her family is hosting a foreign exchange student. She will have many opportunities to ‘lead’ her new friend to new experiences here in Nebraska at home, school, church and throughout the community. Karissa has attended Youth energy camp, has been a junior counselor there and was also chosen to attend the Youth Energy event in Washington DC. 4-H has given Karissa the opportunity to explore a wide variety of projects and experiences and she has taken full advantage of that. Some of the projects that Karissa has exhibited in are: shooting sports, leather craft, quilting, sewing, photography, child development, beef, horse, foods and food preservation, horticulture, style revue, home environment – and so many projects within those categories. Many of Karissa’s exhibits at the county fair have earned championships including winning the sewing machine for clothing and the dehydrator and canner for food. Karissa has also been chosen to represent our county in the State Fair style review. Many of Karissa’s exhibits have gone on to the state fair. Karissa is very active in the Elgin FFA chapter where she has earned her chapter degree, was runner up at the district cooperative speaking and placed second at the State FFA convention in Cooperative Speaking in the spring of 2015. She also participates in FFA Career Development and Leadership Skills events, Natural Resources speaking and has qualified for state Range and Livestock judging. Music is very close to Karissa’s heart. She has had major roles in Pope John’s famous musicals, participates in choir, districts music contests, choral clinics, vocal workshops and State FFA choir. She has received superior and excellent ratings with her piano and vocal solos as well as numerous placing’s at competitions in choir. She was chosen Outstanding Music Student of the year last year. Also at school Karissa has been involved in junior right to life, liturgy group, one act, speech, volleyball, golf, quiz bowl and dance team and helps with Pope Johns many fund raising events. Karissa has received 2 spirit awards participating in March for Life events. She has lettered in One Act, lettered in speech where is earned Outstanding Speech Student last year, lettered in quiz bowl, and lettered in Dance Team. Karissa is also involved in many community service activities such as playing piano for graduation, at The Willows Assisted Living facilities, and at the Tilden quilt show, singing at various churches and at the Veteran’s Day Ceremony, helping with Totus Tuus, and helping with landscaping at the St. Francis Catholic Church. Karissa is a member of St. John’s Catholic Church where she sings and helps with their many fund raising activities. Karissa has started a Bible study after school each week and has lots of new members. Karissa is very thoughtful, loves to volunteer and perform acts of kindness! Karissa has been active throughout her whole 4-H by exhibiting such a wide variety of projects in 4-H as well as being active in her school, church and community. Karissa enjoys helping on her family’s rancch and she loves her livestock! Karissa is an intelligent, hardworking, compassionate, well rounded young lady with a wide variety of interests and talents! She truly is an Outstanding 4-H girl!
Trey is the 18 year old son of Chris and Jeanine Baum and is a senior at Elgin Pope John Central Catholic High School. Trey Baum is developing his leadership skills through his involvement in 4-H. He is a 10 year member of the Way Out West 4-H Club and currently serves as vice president. Trey also serves on the Antelope County 4-H Committee and works behind the scenes readying the livestock barn for fair time and participates in teen help showmanship. Trey is also a youth representative serving on the Premium Auction for the last 2 years helping to develop the Premium Auction where meeting the public and businesses benefits his communication skills and gives members with large animals some return on their expensive project. Through the years Trey has also helped friends and fellow 4-H’ers by showing chickens, goats and sheep when they had more than one animal in a class. Other club 4-H service activities Trey has participated in are highway trash pickup, making posters to promote 4-H and story hour. He also served his community by raking leaves, petting zoo, and helping with the bloodmobile in October where Trey became a first time blood donor! Trey currently serves Elgin FFA chapter as vice president, which is his second year in that position. Trey has many awards, trophies and accomplishments to show for his 10 year 4-H career. His very first award in 4-H was the recipient of the Mark Hughes Memorial Award. He has taken a wide variety of projects including many beef and shooting sports projects, cooking, livestock judging, as well as horse, ground roping, horse quiz bowl, horse judging and leather craft. County fair championship and reserve awards Trey has won include beef showmanship (junior, intermediate and senior), market beef, ground roping, leather craft and working stock horse. At the 2015 Antelope County Fair Trey won the coveted Large Animal Round Robin Championship, which was one of his 4-H goals. Trey has participated at the state level in livestock judging and horse quiz bowl for 3 years. His horse quiz bowl team has also represented the state of Nebraska at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo in Rapid City, SD. Trey has also participated in the horse judging competition at the Pitzer horse sale where his team won Sr. Champion in 2013. Trey is active in the Elgin FFA chapter where, besides the responsibilities of being an officer, Trey’s FFA achievements include placing 15th individually at the state FFA range judging and the 5th place team in 2014 and placing 5th in the junior division at the state range judging the previous year. In FFA livestock judging Trey placed 3rd individually at districts in 2015. Trey has won his FFA Chapter’s Star Chapter Farmer award, won the district competition in beef proficiency (twice) and placed in the top 10 at districts in the job interview event. In the spring of 2015 at the Nebraska State FFA convention Trey was awarded this year’s State Outstanding Beef Production Entrepreneurship Award! At school, Trey has been involved in many extracurricular activities, including 1 year of football, 3 years of choir, 3 years in One Act Play and 3 years in Pope John’s famous musicals. Trey also has been a part of a high school team competing in the state trap shoot at Doniphan, NE. Service activities that Trey helps with at school are gym and football field cleanup, craft fair setup and helps with Pope John fundraisers. He has also attended range camp at Halsey, NE three times. Range camp has helped Trey develop better practices on his own ranching operations and his range judging skills in FFA. Trey is a member of the Elgin St. Boniface Catholic Church where he helps with many church functions including the Thanksgiving bazaar and acts as a church usher. Trey has been an excellent leader for youth in 4-H by putting on demonstrating in beef grooming and showing and has taught Horse Level One Classes. Trey is a future Agriculturist who is devoted to livestock and the land. 4-H has been an exceptional tool to accomplish his goals of preserving the land and feeding America. Trey loves his rural ranching lifestyle and he helps with planting and harvesting of crops, haying and working and caring for cattle. Trey’s family also owns and operates a livestock sale barn where Trey does whatever work is required on a given day, including unloading, loading, sorting and penning cattle before and after sale. With assets of: knowledge, sincerity, hard work, and respect he will accomplish the goals he has set for a future in agriculture. 4-H has provided many lifelong skills that helped mold Trey into the outstanding young man he is today!
The Mark Hughes Memorial Award goes to 4-Hers that have exhibited exceptional projects at the county fair. This year’s winners are Alison Stineman and Trevin Hanson both of Tilden. Alison isn’t afraid to try new projects and takes the time to really go in depth and learn all she can on that project and subject matter. She has learned a great deal about agriculture with showing sheep for the very first time this year and showing beef for the first time in 2013. Alison has shown many leadership skills, as she is one of the co-leaders in her club putting together an open horse show for next year. Trevin was named one of the recipients because he exhibited numerous projects at the 2015 fair. He spent a long time working on each of his projects by researching, reading the 4-H project manuals, paying careful attention to details by following the guidelines and the fairbook, and by asking questions about each of his projects to make sure he was doing the best that he could.
The County Liners of Tilden, with 33 busy members, was announced as the Outstanding 4-H Club of 2015. The County Liners meet each month, expect July, to hold a monthly business meeting which is ran by youth officers. In the past few years this club has reorganized to this historic club in our County and become active in their community. In 2015 the County Liners had multiple members take part in the sheep lottery project expanding their knowledge of animals (they didn’t have many sheep exhibitors before, but this year they were able to have a group/clubs entry at fair). This past year the County Liners adopted 2 miles of highway between Tilden and Meadow Grove, where they picked up trashed along the highway twice a year. In June, Club members volunteered for clean up after a banquet was held to help the father of one of the club’s families. In July, this club scraped and painted the wash stalls at the fairgrounds where that was not easy work. It looks very nice now! Thank you County Liners! Also, in the month of July, they took animals to the Prairie View for residents to see, touch, enjoy and ask questions. Recently, three of their members sewed heart pillows for the FRHS cardiac bypass patients. For the fair the County liners also sponsored a buckle with their Large animal Herdsmanship premium money. They worked Friday night in the concession stand and had 2 members participate in the flag drill team prior to the ranch rodeo. County Liners held several great learning experiences and look forward to more in the next year with planned presenters(members giving demonstrations and speeches) a preholiday family style dinner to educate on manners, adopting a giving tree child or adult for Christmas (thanks to the group’s fundraising efforts), participating in our 3rd Horsebowl and mentoring a few more members in hopes of having a Jr and Sr team in the future, attending Pitzer horse judging competition, and participating in the PSA competition. We also have several parents sharing their talents with the club for improved fair entries with cookies, cakes, welding, shooting, and sewing classes to continue again this year. County Liners is a very active 4-H club and they are always looking for ideas to remain active. 2015 was a fun and productive year for the members. They are very well represented at fair and at State Fair, but they also represented 4-H in their communities in parades, community service, and by inviting other youth to their club meetings. For the new 4-H year they already had a fall harvest party, have met for horse show committee and are planning to attend Horse Stampede again.
Antelope County 4-H members recognized for their years of membership in 2015 were: *Denotes Clover Kids (ages 5-9 years old as of January 1). 1st Years: *Baily Ahlers (Clearwater), *Beau Ahlers (Clearwater), Mercedes Barg (Norfolk), Lane Bartak (Clearwater), Sharon Bartak (Clearwater), Daley Bearinger (Clearwater), *Irelyn Bearinger (Clearwater), Jeslynn Beckman (Elgin), Taylor Beckman (Elgin), Christian Behnk (Clearwater), Marissa Bennett (Meadow Grove), Sara Bode (Elgin), *Aliya Bos (Norfolk), *Cylus Braband (Elgin), *Karlee Broberg (Tilden), Alyssa Buck (Neligh), *Brayden Burenheide (Elgin), Natalie Burenheide (Elgin),*Kyndal Busteed (Elgin), *Darby Carstens (Elgin), *Abbey Chipps (Elgin), Paxton Cleveland (Meadow Grove), Aubreionna Clouse (Elgin), *Kaimberlynn Clouse (Elgin), *Taytumn Clouse, (Elgin), *Adam Dexter (Neligh), *Ashlynn Dexter (Neligh), *Sonni Dishman (Elgin), *Brihanna Dugan (Neligh), Robert Dugan (Neligh), *Ruby Durre (Elgin), *Samantha Durre (Elgin), Hannah Feusse (Clearwater), Matthew Feusse (Clearwater), Nathan Feusse (Clearwater), *Addisyn Fletcher (Clearwater), Trenton Fletcher (Clearwater), *Cassidy Frey (Tilden), *Kaylee Frey (Tilden), Leevi Frey (Tilden), *Dylan Furstenau (Tilden), *Kate Furstenau (Neligh), *Carissa Gale (Neligh), Dawson Hansen (Tilden), Drew Hansen (Tilden),Macy Hansen (Tilden), Taylor Hasebroock (Tilden), Brian Heithoff (Elgin), *Isaac Hemenway (Neligh), *Andrew Henery (Neligh), Jacob Henery (Neligh), *Weston Hofeldt (Neligh),*Jaidreona Hogancamp (Tilden), *Kaden Howard (Meadow Grove), Colby Hupp (Clearwater), Tyler Hupp (Clearwater), *Hailey Johnson (Gretna), *Heather Johnson (Gretna), *Jonah Johnson (Tilden), Natalie Johnson (Gretna), Aislynn Kester (Clearwater), *Brooke Kinney (Petersburg), *Emma Kinney (Elgin), *Lillie Kinney (Elgin), *Lucille Koinzan (Neligh), *Aiyana Krebs (Clearwater), Caleb Krebs (Clearwater), Colson Krebs (Neligh), Kirsten Krebs (Neligh), *Raina Krebs (Clearwater), Sean Krebs (Clearwater), Joslynn Larson (Tilden), *Pavan Larson (Tilden), *Kylee Lichtenberg (Neligh), Jacob Lind (Tilden), Jessie Martinez (Neligh), Taylor Mavis (Clearwater), Cecelia Mlnarik (Clearwater), Charley Mlnarik (Clearwater), *Emerson Mlnarik (Clearwater), *JB Mlnarik (Clearwater), *Taylor Morrison (Tilden), *Cain Mortensen (Neligh), Beau Murray (Neligh), Jordan Murray (Neligh), Deacon Myers (Tilden), *Olivia Ottis (Meadow Grove), *Aubrie Parks (Clearwater), *Haley Parks (Clearwater), *Anastazie Pavlik (Neligh), Taylor Pavlik (Neligh), *Emerson Penne (Tilden), Kennedy Penne (Tilden), *Kenny Petersen (Tilden), *Isabelle Pitzer (Oakdale), Alexis Pokorny (Clearwater), *Delilah Qualset (Meadow Grove), Emma Qualset (Meadow Grove), *Bryce Rudloff (Clearwater), Madison Schaffer (Meadow Grove), Mason Schaffer (Meadow Grove), *Maximus Schaffer (Meadow Grove), *Will Schmidt (Neligh), *Chase Schwartz (Tilden), Andrew Steskal (Clearwater), *Tyler Suckstorf (Newman Grove), *Kalvin Thies (Tilden), Gage Thiessen (Elgin), *Molly Thiessen (Elgin), *Sadie Thiessen (Elgin), Merinee Vaughn (Tilden), *Landyn Veik (Elgin), Hannah Vraspir (Neligh), *Katelynn Warneke (Tilden), Waylon Warneke (Tilden), *Paul Warneke (Elgin), and Taryn Wingate (Neligh).
5th Year: Kierra Bearinger (Clearwater), Hunter Bennett (Meadow Grove), Cassie Bos (Norfolk), Leslie Carstens (Meadow Grove), Brooklynn Chipps (Elgin), Clay Curtis (Royal), Brynn Dilly (Neligh), Paige Furstenau (Neligh)Collin Gale (Neligh), Grace Henn (Elgin), Kalin Henn (Elgin), Hunter Howard (Meadow Grove), Kayce Kallhoff (Elgin), Faith Kinney (Petersburg), Brittany McConnell (Neligh), Logan McConnell (Neligh), Adam Miller (Tilden), Ashleigh Nelson (Tilden), Liam Odell (Clearwater), Angel Qualset (Meadow Grove), Allyson Selting (Elgin), Elizabeth Selting (Elgin), Sadie Smunty (Meadow Grove), Alison Stineman (Tilden), and Haley Zegers (Elgin).
8th Year: Taralyn Baum (Elgin), Geoffrey Carr (Oakdale), Brianna Fry (Ewing), Logan Henn (Elgin), Amy Nelson (Oakdale), and Allee Snider (Clearwater).
9th Year: Nicole Beckman (Elgin), Morgan Carpenter (Neligh), Jayson Larson (Tilden), Tyler Miller (Tilden), Alyssa Rood (Meadow Grove), Tia Smith (Neligh), and Riley Snider (Clearwater).
10th Year: Trey Baum (Elgin), Krystal Carr (Neligh), Lydia Fry (Ewing), Blake Heithoff (Neligh), Audrey Kester (Neligh), Blake Kester (Clearwater), and Kayla Nelson (Oakdale).
11th and Final Year: Cassidy Curtis (Royal), Catelyn Hall (Neligh), Jonathon Meis (Elgin), Courtney Pellatz (Neligh) and Anna Stineman (Tilden).
4-H leaders were also recognized for their honored years of service to the youth of the county. Leaders recognized included; 1st YEAR: Cassie Bolling (Clearwater), Rod and Lisa Christiansen (Neligh), Amanda Greenhalgh (Tilden), Jamie Dittrich (Tilden), and Ryleigh Snodgrass (Oakdale). 2 YEARS: Alisha Carr (Neligh), Jennifer Carr (Oakdale), and Dawn Nelson (Tilden). 5 YEARS: Char Carpenter (Neligh), Ashley Dittrich (Tilden), and Kandace Stineman (Tilden). 10 YEARS: Anne Meis (Elgin). 30 YEARS: Scott Beckman (Elgin).
The Antelope County Extension would like to thank all of the hard working 4-H Volunteers and Leaders that make 4-H possible and help youth be the leaders of tomorrow!
Certificates of appreciation were presented to the 2015 Antelope County 4-H Committee. Persons receiving the certificates were: Adults: Chris Baum (Elgin), Rhonda Meyer (Neligh) Corey Curtis (Royal), Kristen Zegers (Elgin), Amanda Greenhalgh (Tilden), Anne Meis (Elgin), Erin Whitesel (Neligh), Lori Beckman (Elgin), and Sandi Henn (Elgin). Youth representatives include: Erin Beckman (Elgin), Jon Meis (Elgin), Karissa Dicke (Ewing), Geoffrey Carr (Oakdale), Krystal Carr (Neligh), Brittany McConnell (Neligh), Rachel Higgins (Neligh), Mason Vleck (Neligh), Marie Meis (Elgin), and Trey Baum (Elgin).
At the closing of the event the new 2016 Antelope County 4-H Committee members were announced. The adult representatives elected will serve a three year term and are as follows: Erin Whitesel (Neligh), Rhonda Meyer (Neligh), and Jay Snider (Clearwater). Youth representatives elected to the 4-H Committee for a one year term include: Rachel Higgins (Neligh), Marie Meis (Elgin), Karissa Dicke (Ewing), Mason Vleck (Neligh), Erin Beckman (Elgin), Taralyn Baum (Elgin), Sadie Smutny (Meadow Grove), Travis Rudloff (Clearwater), and Brittany McConnell (Neligh).
Congratulations to all the Antelope County 4-Hers for working hard throughout the year!
