12 Solano County 4-H'ers Win Showmanship Awards

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

SOLANO COUNTY, CA -- Twelve 4-H’ers, including eight from the Suisun Valley 4-H Club, won showmanship awards for their presentations at the Solano County Project Skills Day, held recently in the Community Presbyterian Church in Vallejo.

The winning projects ranged from leadership to lip balm, and from chickens to photography and dog care and training.

Mary Ann Burkett and her daughter, Jessica Burkett of the Sherwood Forest 4-H Club, Vallejo, co-chaired the event.

Evaluators, all 4-H volunteers, scored the youths on their display, presentation, knowledge and interaction, said Solano County 4-H Program representative Valerie Williams. Among the evaluators was Elmira 4-H Club alumnus Eamon Tiernan-Lang, Elmira 4-H Club, a student at Solano Community College, who is also serving in the California Army National Guard, 640th Aviation Support Battalion.

Solano County has 11 4-H clubs: Dixon Ridge 4-H, Maine Prairie 4-H, Roving Clovers 4-H and Tremont, 4-H, all of Dixon; Elmira 4-H, Pleasants Valley 4-H and Vaca Valley 4-H, all of the Vacaville area; Westwind 4-H and Suisun Valley 4-H, both of Fairfield-Suisun; Rio Vista 4-H of Rio Vista; and Sherwood Forest 4-H, Vallejo.

The showmanship award winners:
Spencer Merodio, Suisun Valley 4-H, for “Paleo Brownie Bites,” entered in the foods category, intermediate level, ages 11-13
Zoey Glover, Vaca Valley, for “The Molting Process,” entered in the non-foods category, junior level, ages 9-10;
Elaina Taliaferro, Suisun Valley, for “Lip Balm for Every Season,” entered in the non-foods category, junior level, ages 9-10;
Markus Taliaferro, Suisun Valley, for “Homemade Fire Starters,” entered in the non-foods category, junior level, ages 9-10;
Brody Westad, Suisun Valley, for “How to Make Mango Ceviche,” entered in the non-foods category, junior level, ages 9-10;
Julietta Wynholds, Sherwood Forest, for “The Final Rossette! All about Abyssinians!” entered in the non-foods category, junior level, ages 9-10;
Kate Frenkel, Suisun Valley for “Giving to Those Who Serve Us,” entered in non-foods, intermediate level, ages 11-13;
Zoe Sloan, Elmira 4-H, for “Photography: the Art of Light Painting,” entered in non-foods, intermediate level, ages 11-13;
Samantha Sullenger, Suisun Valley, for “Ways to Give Back to Your Community,” entered in non-foods, intermediate level, ages 11-13;
Alexis Taliaferro, Suisun Valley, “Making Sense of Leadership,” entered in non-foods category,intermediate level, ages 11-13;
Sam Forbes, Suisun Valley, for “Working Dogs Around the World,” entered in the non-foods category, senior level, ages 14-19
Erica Lull, Elmira 4-H, for “The Digestive System of Chickens,” entered in the non-foods, senior level, ages 14-19

In the 4-H Chili Cook-Off Competition, the Lil’ Peppers of Pleasants Valley won the championship. Team members were Elijah Desmarais, Maleah Desmarais and Jessie Means. Marlene Means served as the adult advisor.

Among those receiving participation awards were:
Non-Foods (Primary Ages 5-8) – Not Evaluated
Brianna Merkel, Sherwood Forest, “How to do a Plastic Canvas Craft!”
Alia Wynholds, Sherwood Forest, “How To Keep Your Guinea Pig Healthy”
Non-Foods (Junior Ages 9-10)
Alaina Austin, Tremont, “Can you Name the Chicken Comb?”
Jarred Burkett, Sherwood Forest , “ Chick, Pick, Sick”
Duncan Harrington, Sherwood Forest, “Hen or Rooster?”
Celeste Harrison, Sherwood Forest, “Finding Cavy”
Alissa Mauldin, Elmira, “How to Make A Paper Sunflower”
Morgan Meabon, Suisun Valley, “How to Make A Body Scrub”
Arianna Merkel, Sherwood Forest, “Horse of A Different Color”
Lilly Belle Novotny, Suisun Valley, “Beef: It’s What’s for Dinner”
Darren Stephens, Sherwood Forest, “Read All About It! How to Build the Best Record Book You Can”
Brooke Van Buskirk, Vaca Valley, “Papillon Breed Fun Facts”

Others receiving participation awards:
Non-Foods (Intermediate Ages 11–13)
Irma Brown, Suisun Valley, “Scrapbooking 101”
Jordan Burkett, Sherwood Forest, “Fowl Language, How Chickens Communicate”
Selah Deuz, Sherwood Forest, “How to Create A Butterfly Garden”
Christopher Lang, Suisun Valley, “Dog Care and Training”
Kailey Mauldin, Elmira, “What’s That Itch?”
Madison Meabon, Suisun Valley, “How to Make a Pumpkin Pie”
Trinity Roach, Tremont, “Tattoo or Taboo?”
Violet Semrow, Sherwood Forest, “This, This Again Plus One More Thing”
Hanna Stephens, Sherwood Forest, “Puppy Power …Will Work for Food”
Non-Foods (Senior Ages 14-19)
Ryan Anenson, Tremont, “Queen Bee”
Sam Forbes, Suisun Valley, “ Working Dogs Around the World”
Hallie Newell, Sherwood Forest, “Breeding, Kindling, and Everything In-Between”
Amber Stavenuiter, Vaca Valley, “German Shepherd Bloodlines”
Caroline Upham, Rio Vista, “Different Shutter Speeds and How They Affect A Photograph”

Participation certificates in the Chili Cook-Off Contest went to:

Chili Girls, Sherwood Forest: Selah Duez, Celeste Harrison, Hanna Stephens, and Julietta Wynholds
Harry Potter and the Order of Chili, Tremont 4-H: Isabel Martinez and Trinity Roach
Just Chillin, Pleasants Valley: Brayden Gish, Shayley Gish, Justin Means, and Maya Prunty
Mean Green Chili Cooking Machines, Dixon Ridge: Maritiza Partida Cisneros, Miguel Partida Cisneros,and Rudy Cisneros Radillo

The Solano County 4-H Youth Development Program, part of the UC Cooperative Extension Program, follows the motto, “Making the best better.” 4-H, which stands for head, heart, health and hands, is open to youths ages 5 to 19.

In age-appropriate projects, they learn skills through hands-on learning in projects ranging from arts and crafts, computers and leadership to dog care, poultry, rabbits and woodworking. They develop skills they would otherwise not attain at home or in public or private schools. For more information, contact Valerie Williams at vawilliams@ucanr.edu.

All images by Kathy Keatley Garvey