Members of the Sunniebend 4-H club headed to the Westlock Agriculture Barn on Saturday May 10 for their Achievement Day featuring specific topics in cooking, small engines, and veterinary sciences.
Awards were handed out to the top members in the intermediate, junior and senior categories. For the foods, senior Jazmin McFarlane took home first with Carter Fortin taking first in intermediate.
In the small engines category, the judge, Ivan Sterling, gave the juniors Nolan Larson and Axel Williams first and second place respectively. The intermediates had Carmen Larsen in first and Riley Bowers in second.
The final category was the vet sciences mentored by Sarah Semler. The first place winners were Dava Semler in the junior category, Lucas Kerstane in the intermediate category and Chloe Bowers in the seniors.
Each member was judged based on what they learned, their ability to answer questions about their projects, their record books and their displays.
After the awards were handed out, the program jumped into some project displays. Six members dressed to the nines in unique and interesting costumes partnered with their beloved livestock. Chloe Bowers, a senior member, had her lamb, Beau, by her side as an inmate to her police woman. Each member was given an award based on how well they matched their livestock partner and most creative costume.
Carlie Larsen had eight members in the Beef project that showcased their steers. Carmen Larsen was joined by her steer Junior as a big red riding hood and the little bad wolf. The Cleaver members showed up dressed with their calves, like Cadence Semler, who was dressed as a zookeeper, joined by Tank as a zebra.
Colleen Larsen, the leader of the Sunniebend 4-H Club, says that it is often viewed as an agricultural program but over the past 100 years, “It has more to offer in the development of leaders. We are developing our future leaders of tomorrow.” Larsen goes on to talk about how the program also leads to developing strong relationships and public speaking skills. She often finds members deliberating on problems together, “As much as they want their project to be successful, they want others to be successful too.”
The next 4-H Achievement Day will be on May 26 in the Barrhead Arena.
