Carson/Storey 4-H Awards Night

The Carson 4-H Leader’s Council sponsored a pizza dinner prior to the ceremony. The Leader’s Council supports all of our 4-H clubs and holds events to raise funds for our scholarship program. They meet once a month to plan activities and deal with requests from clubs and the community.

Conducting emcee duties for the evening were members of the Silver Sage 4-H Community Club: Bryar Fancher, Nora Streng, Dean Poppenga, Rylan Fancher, and Vanessa Poppenga.

JoAnne Skelly, Carson/Storey Extension Educator welcomed the over 100 attendees to this annual event.

Project club members from Carson City and Storey County received certificates and pins from their club leaders: Arrowhead Livestock – Leaders - Marena & Roger Works, Julene Smith & Sheila Story; Bouncing Bunnies – Leaders –Susan Rogers & Kyle Russell; Carson Cluckers – Leader – Vicky Fogelman; Carson Hot Shots – Leaders – Robert White Jr., Wally Reed & Greg Wright; Comstock Explorers – Leaders – Eric Troska, Greg Adkins, William Breitenback, Frank DeSimone & Richard Valdes; Comstock Hot Shots – Leaders – Rich & Tamara Knight, Lou Peterson and Sierra Udey; 4-Paws – Leaders – Kelly Figueroa & Sarah Anderson; Silver Sage Community Club – Leaders – Heather Fancher & Sandy Hawkins; Storey County Cook Lovers – Leaders – Eileen & John Herrington; and, TargetRippers – Leader – Geoff Landry

4-Hers who excelled in various project areas were recognized. Two were State level events. The Nevada Junior Livestock Show where each year throughout Nevada 4-H’ers involved in Livestock and Rabbit clubs are given the opportunity to compete with their market and or breeding animals. The Nevada State Shooting Sports Competition is open to youth who have exhibited a level of competency and safety within their own club in the shooting discipline they work on throughout the year.

At the County level, awards center on portfolios and record books which are the corner stone of 4-H. Members who keep records of their goals for the year, club work, community service and other community and individual activities can turn in a record of that year for recognition. Portfolios and record books have a long success rate of assisting 4-H’ers with filling out future job, college and scholarship applications.

These records are a yearly reminder for each 4-H’er of how far they have come in their goals and how they might change course or project area in the future. They are another life skill 4-H gives our youth. Our Carson/Storey Community Based Educators, Jim Barcellos and Sandy Wallin presented these awards to the following youth: Bryar Fancher – portfolio, County medals in Communications Arts, Visual Arts, Community Service and Leadership; Nora Streng – portfolio, County medals in Visual Arts, Leadership and Community Service; and, Rylan Fancher – portfolio, County medals in Leadership, Communications Arts, Community Service and Visual Arts; County medals for Livestock went to: Ansley Griffin, Bailey Griffin, Darby Griffin, Natalie Hamilton, Zoie Harmer, Kayla Holcomb, Shelby Patterson, McKenzie Repp, Sophia Ruedy, Julia Ruedy, Melissa Russell, Joshua Smith, Lander Smith, Holly Strasser, Parker Story, and Hayden Story; County medals for Shooting Sports went to: Evan Allred, Isaac Allred, Taylor Ashby, Robert White, Heather Peterson, K.C. Peterson, Zachary Roberts, Katelin Victor, and Chris Udey. The NJLS Carcass of Merit Award went to Holly Strasser and Reserve Grand Champion Feeder Pig to Nora Streng.

Each year special awards are given to youth and adults who exhibit exceptional leadership and citizenship:. The Danforth “I Dare Your Award” recognizes excellence in character, well-balanced personal development and leadership potential. The I Dare You Leadership Award is made available each year by the American Youth Foundation in cooperation with 4-H Leaders and Cooperative Extension personnel across the country.

The Award was first offered in 1941 by William H. Danforth, who dared young people to achieve their highest potential and to influence others through lives of service. William H. Danforth was the founder of Ralston Purina Company and one of the founders of the American Youth Foundation. He lived his life by a four-fold philosophy---balancing one’s mental, physical, social, and spiritual capacities and challenged youth to be “my own self, at my very best, all the time.” The 2014 Carson/Storey “I Dare You Award” was earned Joshua Smith.

The Teen Leader of 2014 Award was shared by: Arrowhead Livestock Club members Joshua Smith and Holly Strasser, Carson Hot Shots member Robert White, and Comstock Hot Shots member Kaitlin Victor. This Award is given to teen leaders who have exhibited exceptional leadership and service to their project club and its members. Nominees must have completed the role of teen leader for one year.

The New Leader Award of Merit is given to a 1st or 2nd year leader who exhibits exceptional service to the 4-H program. They are recognized for their accomplishments with club members, involvement at the County, Area and/or State level and general impact on the 4-H program in Carson City or Storey County. This year 5 leaders of the Comstock Explorers 4-H club in Storey County share the Award: Eric Troska, Greg Adkins, Frank DeSimone, William Breitenback and Richard Valdes

The 2014 Leader of the Year Award is given to leaders who exhibited exceptional service to the 4-H program. They are recognized for their years of leadership, accomplishments with club members, involvement at the County, Area, State and National level and general impact on the 4-H program in Carson City and/or Storey County. This year’s recipients are: from Carson City: Robert White, Jr. – Carson Hot Shots, and from Storey County: Eileen and John Herrington – Storey County Cook Lovers’

Throughout the year, our 4-H Clubs, Leader’s Council and Extension Office receive support from many individuals, businesses, leaders and groups from our community. We would like to recognize these “Friends of 4-H:”

• Benson’s Feed and Tack

• Capitol City Gun Club

• Carson City Board of Supervisors NV 150 Fair

• Carson City Parks and Recreation

• Storey County Jeep Posse

• Storey County Senior Center

• Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro

• Tractor Supply

• Virginia City Roasting House

carsonnow_awards_2014_2nd_try.pdf by Carson Now