Benton County 4-H'ers Shine at Arkansas 4-H O'Rama

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

— Twenty-eight 4-H'ers from Benton County participated in the State 4-H Orama held July 22-24 on the University of Arkansas Campus in Fayetteville. Highlights included competitions, awards banquets and state officer elections.

Sarah Connolly from the Battlefield 4-H Club was elected as the 2009-2010 Arkansas 4-H President. Dustin Dixon of the Bloomfield 4-H Club in Gentry was named the 2009-2010 Northwest District Vice President. They are among the nine newly elected state officers.

Bella Vistan Elijah O'Mara-Mezzano, of Town & Country 4-H, was named the Instrumental Performing Arts winner, and Christina Lovell, of Maysville 4-H, was named the first place winner in Constructed Fashion Review.

During the 2009 Awards of Excellence Ban quet, 20 Benton County 4-H'ers were recognized for their achievement with Scholarships and Journals. Connolly was awarded the Sue Marshall Scholarship for $8,000; Chelsea House, of ACE 4-H Club, received the CA & Joy Vines Scholarship worth $1,000; Hillary Henson, of Bloomfield 4-H, received a $400 scholarship from the Oaklawn Jockey Club/Arkansas Livestock Show Association and Caleb Taylor, of Centerton, was awarded the $250 Maeda Asbell Scholarship.

The following 4-H'ers received a $1,500 Arkansas 4-H Journal scholarship. This scholarship is given to members who have excelled in project work, leadership and community service and have been named a Arkansas 4-H Journal Winner. The recipients are: Caleb Taylor, of Centerton 4-H; Margie Hoke, Maysville 4-H; Casey Anglin, Centerton 4-H; Hillary Henson, Bloomfield 4-H; Sarah Connolly, Battlefield 4-H; Jordan Singleton, ACE 4-H and Chelsea House, ACE 4-H.

Nine youths were recognized as Arkansas State 4-H Journal Winners and received an All-Expense paid trip to the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, GA in November. The Winners are: Shane Lovell, Centerton 4-H for his Fitness Leadership project; Caitlin Taylor, Centerton 4-H for her Foods and Nutrition project; Billy Meyers, Apple Spur 4-H for his project in Leadership; Jacy Alsup, ACE 4-H for her Beef project; Robbie Myers of Logan 4-H for his Beef project; Lincoln Parker of Centerton 4-H for his Dairy Project; Brent Dorn, ACE 4-H for his Horse project; Jim Tyler Jarvis, Gravette 4-H for his Cotton Project; Dustin Dixon for his Plant & Soil Science project.

The Benton County 4-H Program is the Youth Development program offered by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. It is open to all youth ages 5-19.

For more information on 4-H, call 271-1060.

News, Pages 13 on 08/19/2009