Published on 08/01/19

Georgia 4-H’ers win top honors at annual State Congress

By Sharon Dowdy

After a year of hard work and dedication, close to 150 Georgia 4-H youths were named state winners at the Georgia 4-H State Congress held July 23-26, at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in Atlanta, Georgia.

Georgia 4-H members earn an invitation to compete at State Congress through hard work and dedication. At the beginning of the year, students select an area of study, give an oral presentation before judges at their respective District Project Achievement (DPA), and participate in service and leadership events in their communities throughout the year.

Then the regional first place winners compete at State Congress in a variety of categories including history, horses, performing arts, and public speaking. Each student gives a 12-minute presentation before expert judges and is interviewed about their portfolio that details their research, leadership and service projects.

Arch Smith, state leader for the Georgia 4-H program, calls State 4-H Congress is "the annual capstone event" of the program's year.

"Learn by Doing is a slogan of 4-H, and Georgia 4-H members who have been involved in the Project Achievement process competed for the honor of being named state winner last week," he said. "We recognized nearly 150 state winners at the annual banquet in 4-H educational programs from agriculture to performing arts to food preparation and healthy living. We are proud of these young people who have reached the highest level of attainment of over 238,000 4-H participants during the program year that ended in July."

This year’s winners, listed by home county, are:

BACON

Mason McClintock, General Recreation

BERRIEN

LeAnn Beville, Fashion Revue

BIBB

Larry Howard, Food for Fitness

BLECKLEY

Caleb Moseley, Food Safety and Preservation

BULLOCH

William Gatch, Outdoor Recreation

BURKE

Hannah Eckerman, Photography

CHATTOOGA

Mary Anna Bentley, Dairy and Milk Science

Lily Thibodeaux, Human Development

COFFEE

Savannah Cothern, Dairy Foods

Evie Woodward, Performing Arts - Vocal

COLUMBIA

Emma Wurst, Safety

CRISP

Kayla Stephens, Workforce Prep and Career Development

DOUGHERTY

Tandria Burke, Companion and Specialty Animals

DOUGLAS

Rhiannon Perrien, Entomology

EFFINGHAM

Owen Mercer, Plant and Soil Science

Payton Mercer, History

ELBERT

Emma Williams, Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts

EMANUEL

Savannah Reynolds, Food for Health and Sport

FULTON

Adin Burwell, Environmental Science

GORDON

Olivia Forrest, International

GRADY

Asher Childs, Pork Production

Lily Norton, Sheep and Meat Goats

Lizzy Thompson, Festive Foods for Health

HALL

Gracie McBride, Sports

HARALSON

Jozie Mize, Food Fare

HART

Rachel Tellano, Arts and Crafts

Ben Tellano, Communications

HENRY

Ashlyn Donaldson, Forest Resources/Wood Science

HOUSTON

Allen Brooks, Performing Arts – General

Evelyn Day, Veterinary Science

JACKSON

Andie Ellett, Performing Arts – Drama

JASPER

Keri Roach, Family Resource Management

LOWNDES

Daniel Peterson, Poultry and Egg Science

MADISON

Donovan Nelson, Public Speaking

Clayton Adams, Robotics

MITCHELL

Abi Pace, Performing Arts – Dance

MONROE

Austin Wiggins, Beef

MORGAN

Susan Bishop, Health

Leah Wall, Performing Arts – Piano

NEWTON

Lavendar Harris, Wildlife and Marine Science

OCONEE

David Han, Physical, Biological and Earth Sciences

Amelia Sale, Housing, Equipment and Environment

Kalani Washington, Performing Arts – Other Instrumental

PAULDING

Nicholas McKinley, Engineering and Mechanics

SPALDING

Jhaycee Barnes, Computer Information Technology

THOMAS

Michaela Falconer, Dog Care and Training

TIFT

Lydia Connell, Horse

TOOMBS

Hannah Page, Flowers, Shrubs and Lawns

TREUTLEN

Trevor Byrd, Target Sports

WEBSTER

Savannah Matthews, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors

For more information, visit georgia4h.org or contact your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office.

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Authors:

Sharon Dowdy

Experts/Sources:

Arch D. Smith

Georgia 4-H member Tandria Burke of Dougherty County was among the 4-H'ers who earned the title of Master 4-H'er during Georgia 4-H State Congress held July 23-26 in Atlanta. Burke competed in the Companion and Specialty Animals category. She is shown (left) with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension 4-H Agent for Dougherty County Jazmin Thomas.

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