4‑H Youth in Action Awards

As a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Tashina grew up with a strong appreciation for all of creation and a conviction to care for the environment, animals, and those less fortunate. She grew up loving horses, and after attending her first 4‑H County Horse Show, she insisted on learning to ride. However, after finally getting the horse she dreamed of, her dad suffered a back injury, and both time and resources were devoted to his care. Tashina was devastated for her father and concerned she wouldn’t learn to ride. Then, a 4‑H friend and mentor stepped up to show her the ropes, and Tashina grew as a cowgirl and a person.
Tashina recognized at an early age that while caring for the animal nation was important to her tribe, many people living on the Reservation did not have the financial means to care for their pets. The Rosebud community faces economic hardships, and many people struggle to provide for their families, let alone their pets. Armed with the passion to invest generously in others that she had learned from her 4‑H mentor, Tashina began volunteering at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Animal Clinic. Through this volunteer work, Tashina not only found her passion for Vet Science, but she’s also worked her way through every possible role at the clinic. Throughout her tenure at the clinic, Tashina’s leadership has impacted multiple aspects of organization – from vaccinations to surgery pre- and post-op, managing volunteers, and even training vet students. One of her proudest accomplishments at the clinic was the weekend only she and the doctor were available to work. After treating more than 300 pets in three days, he said, “As long as Tashina is available, we can get it done!” Tashina plans to continue her education, become a veterinarian, return to her community, and continue serving and inspiring others through animal sciences.

Although only 18 years old, Brianna’s story is one of loss, resiliency, bravery, and hope. Brianna moved to New York at age 10 after tragically losing her mother. Not only was she processing her grief and navigating life in a new city, but as the daughter of Cameroonian immigrants, she faced the difficulty of being a person of color in her majority-white community. Drawing strength from her late mother, Brianna rose above and became a voice of change and inclusivity at her high school by hosting a series of conversations during school lunch hours with students, school administration, teachers, and local law enforcement. By connecting with her local 4‑H club and the 4‑H UNITY (Urban Neighborhoods Improved Through Youth) leaders, Brianna found the support she needed to expand her program, “Race and Reconciliation”, to events outside of school including screenings of thought-provoking films, book clubs on race-related topics, and classes on antiracism and white privilege for adults.
Through the pandemic, Brianna taught virtual workshops for 4‑H educators and youth throughout her state. A dynamic leader, Brianna has spoken at youth development forums, served on the New York State’s Government Youth Council, and inspired other 4‑H counties to start their own antiracism groups. Brianna will continue her racial reconciliation efforts as she relocates to DC to study Psychology and Public Health at George Washington University.

At only six years old, Kristin Osika was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder which affects the small intestine. Her new strict gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free diet made her feel like a burden and outsider in many social situations, but Kristin’s experience with 4‑H was different. Gluten-free options were readily available, and she wasn’t constantly questioned by students about her condition or why she couldn’t eat many common foods. In 4‑H, Kristin finally found a place where she could be herself and gain the skills and confidence to speak up, and today, she’s passionate about creating similarly inclusive and influential environments for others.
Kristin’s work as an advocate for those with food allergies began with a community research project she conducted for a 4‑H leadership program. She noticed the underutilized and limited options for those with dietary-restrictions at food pantries and homeless shelters, so she began creating flyers, raising awareness, and working with local food shelters to expand allergen-free options. Once the pandemic hit and her ability to work with shelters became limited, she continued her work through advocacy and educating others. Kristin combined this passion with her love for baking by creating recipes called “Single Sweets” – single-serving, microwavable desserts that are free of the top eight food allergens. Since then, Kristin has released a cookbook, runs a blog, and gives workshops both virtually and across her state to raise awareness and educate others about baking, allergies, and dietary restrictions. Kristin is senior in high school and aspiring healthcare researcher who plans to continue using her cookbook proceeds to support food allergy research and one day develop an entire 4‑H curriculum on food safety.

Although always interested in robotics, coding, and engineering as a kid, Dhruv Rebba never had the opportunity to study hands-on until he joined 4‑H. After joining his 4‑H club’s robotics team in 4th grade, he was instantly hooked. Since then, Dhruv has launched two 4‑H robotics clubs in local elementary schools and has witnessed those students grow to become passionate about science, robotics, and 4‑H. He also serves as an ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) mentor helping schools around the nation contact the International Space Station with ham radio. These experiences led him to fundraise and advocate to US congressional leaders for expanded funding of after-school STEM programs like his.
When Dhruv visited his father’s home village in India, he was blown away by the lack of internet access and digital literacy. The needs for this community were vast, and Dhruv had the skills and drive to make a difference. He founded the nonprofit Universal Help to provide innovative solutions that improve the quality of life for people around the world. So far, he’s worked to digitize schools and provide access to computers, internet and textbooks, in addition to expanding solar energy access to people in rural and underdeveloped parts of India. Now a senior in high school, Dhruv is currently working on local environmental impact projects with his organization and is serving as a leader for the Illinois 4‑H in Space Program. He hopes to major in engineering or computer science next fall.

Amidst a difficult move to a new school where she didn’t feel she fit in with her peers, Madelyn Zimmerman found a safe space with her cattle. That same year, an incurable disease wiped out nearly half her herd, leaving her feeling devastated, voiceless, lost, and alone. In her despair, she realized that if she felt lost, others might feel the same way. In 4‑H, she had developed her love for cattle and a desire to give back to her community, so she combined those passions and began reaching out to others who might feel different, too, to teach them about agriculture. She started with youth who were struggling in school behaviorally or whose parents couldn’t care for them after school. This program was just the first step in Madelyn’s journey to provide agriculture education and experiences to youth in her community

While at the fair her freshman year of high school, a little girl ran up to Madelyn’s cow, pet its nose, and simply said, “I wish I could do that.” This five-year-old little girl with Down Syndrome changed Madelyn’s life and inspired her to participate in POSS-abilities, a 4‑H program for youth with disabilities. The program pairs an older 4‑H'er with a 4‑H'er with disabilities to teach them to care for and show livestock safely. Through POSS-abilities, Madelyn and fellow youth mentors have supported more than a dozen 4‑H'ers with disabilities in their journey to connect with agriculture. Madelyn is a sophomore at Kansas State University majoring in agriculture communications, with minors in animal science and mass communications & journalism. In the future, she hopes to travel the world as a journalist helping farmers tell their stories.

Elizabeth Weidner is no stranger to adversity. At age 12, she was diagnosed with stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma cancer and spent much of the past four and half years in and out of the hospital. Instead of letting these obstacles hold her back, they fueled her desire to become a stronger leader and advocate for childhood cancer awareness, research and funding. Through many hospital stays, Elizabeth stayed involved in 4‑H, participating in meetings virtually and even working together with fellow 4‑H'ers to participate in the fair from her hospital room. Her 4‑H experiences equipped her to travel to Washington, DC to advocate for childhood cancer research on Capitol Hill, built her confidence to participate in an award-winning docu-series on the truth behind childhood cancer, and gave her the leadership skills to sustain a long-term effort to provide supplies for families of cancer patients at local children’s hospitals.

Elizabeth's first hospital stay was difficult. Faced with the overwhelming reality of a pediatric cancer diagnosis, her family arrived without the supplies needed to sustain a long-term hospital stay. That personal experience fueled Elizabeth’s desire to support other families by starting a supply drive for the community to donate snacks and personal care items to support families during hospital stays. She partnered with local businesses to generate donations and offer displays advertising for needed items, and she encouraged community members to donate either unused toiletries from hotels or new items purchased from local stores. She mobilized fellow 4‑H'ers and through their combined efforts, the program has spread across the state of Illinois. To date, Elizabeth has donated more than 60,000 essential items to five different children’s hospitals, including St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she has received treatment. After graduation, Elizabeth plans to pursue a career as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse.

At a young age, Mayyadah Zagelow struggled with her mental health through anxiety and selective mutism, unable to express her thoughts at school and in other environments. Combined with bullying at school by those she had once considered friends, Mayyadah felt isolated and betrayed. That’s when she joined 4‑H, and her journey to overcoming anxiety began. Through 4‑H, Mayyadah learned to turn difficult experiences into empowering opportunities as she learned to speak up and speak out for herself and for others who feel voiceless.

Passionate about LGBTQ+ rights and addressing social inequities, Mayyadah is a founding member of a grassroots youth movement in Washington state called the Equity and Inclusion Teen Taskforce. Through this taskforce, Mayyadah is working with fellow 4‑H’ers to educate adults and teens alike through workshops and grassroots efforts about gender identities, expression, orientation and biological sex, as well as the challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in hopes of creating a world of inclusion for all 4‑H youth. The task force also provides a safe space and healthy environment for youth to share their stories. Using teamwork strategies and communication skills, Mayyadah seeks to lift up the varied stories of 4‑H's diverse youth. Mayyadah recently graduated from high school and hopes to pursue a career in the medical field.

In the spring of 2013, Aidan Spencer weathered more trials than many people experience in a lifetime. A house fire, family illness and debilitating car crash left Aidan feeling alone and hopeless. That’s when his friends invited him to join their 4‑H robotics club. Within a matter of minutes, Aidan knew he’d found a home. Working with his peers to explore his passion for STEM and reach for a common goal gave him a sense of belonging and a newfound purpose – to advocate for STEM access for all kids.

After getting involved in STEM through 4‑H, Aidan noticed a discrepancy of access to STEM education for minority youth, and he wanted to help his 4‑H club grow to reach other students who needed a place to connect and learn. Working with his local 4‑H program, Aidan organized 60+ events to expose kids to STEM and co-founded three FIRST LEGO League robotics teams. Leading these efforts exposed a critical problem – lack of funding for STEM programs. To address this problem, Aidan created a business plan with a fundraising strategy that led to securing more than $7,000 to support 4‑H STEM clubs by cultivating relationships with local businesses. Aidan plans to pursue a degree in Business Administration with a focus on nonprofits and hopes to continue his work to support STEM education for young people in the future.

Janya Green - Agriculture Pillar Winner - 2020

Growing up on her family's farm, Janya Green knows first-hand about agriculture and the challenges America's farmers face.  Her interest in agriculture channeled into a passion for service when she met Sam, her 4‑H mentor, who not only exposed her to a budding community garden initiative but also opened her eyes to a world of opportunities through 4‑H. Through the program, Janya developed leadership skills and found her voice as she stepped up to lead the Village Community Garden in Worth County, Georgia. As the garden manager, Janya provides the community with nutritious foods to combat the obesity epidemic and other nutrition-related diseases. The garden is also a platform to educate local farmers about new technologies like aeroponic towers.

The passion for helping others that Janya developed in 4‑H became her purpose when she sensed the confusion that arose after Hurricane Michael ravaged farms across Southwest Georgia. She aims to pursue a career in agricultural law, allowing her to invest in the future of agriculture while representing farmers -- like her grandfather -- particularly when tragedies strike. Janya is a junior at Worth County High School and after graduating, she plans to begin her education at Fort Valley State University. Janya is the 2020 4‑H Youth in Action Agriculture Pillar Winner, sponsored by Bayer.

Breanna Burkhead - Civic Engagement Pillar Winner - 2020

Breanna Burkhead became passionate about art through the 4‑H Art Club at her local art center. But when the art council lost use of the art center building, the future of art in the community was in jeopardy. When Breanna heard a public meeting would be held to discuss the future of the art center, she knew she wanted to be part of the solution. Using the research, planning and communication skills she developed in 4‑H, Breanna presented a solution to the council for a new building that would provide space for artist studios and exhibits, and also for revenue-generating classes, a gift shop, and more. The council voted to purchase the building and elected Breanna as an executive board member, and she quickly got to work. She wrote and received a grant, mobilized volunteers for renovations, and planned classes and camps to be housed at the new art center.

The art center opened in June 2019 and has offered more than 30 classes, 2 art camps, homeschool art courses, a veterans’ project and more. Breanna hopes to attend Western Kentucky University to study Agricultural Education and minor in International Studies, with the goal of becoming a 4‑H professional. Breanna is the 2020 4‑H Youth in Action STEM Civic Engagement Winner.

Micah Palacios - Healthy Living Pillar Winner - 2020

At just nine years old, Micah Palacios was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disease that attacked her hair follicles. Before her 10th birthday, she lost 75% of her hair and, most importantly, lost her self-confidence, leading to anxiety and depression. But the older 4‑H’ers in her club built her confidence by assuring her that despite her hair loss, she was no different than anyone else. In 4‑H, Micah learned to embellish hats, scarves and bandanas that covered her hair and helped her relieve stress in a healthy way. She also learned about proper nutrition and how to eat a well-balanced diet to improve her energy. These experiences motivated Micah to lead the 4‑H food & nutrition and health projects in her community, but she sensed something was missing.

After taking a National Alliance on Mental Illness class, she started to make changes in the way she interacted with others. Now, she has launched the Navigating Your Thoughts program for Bexar County 4‑H Clubs and military base programs, with the goal of reducing mental health stigma. Micah is a senior in high school and hopes to pursue a career in public health. Micah is the 2020 4‑H Youth in Action Healthy living Pillar Winner.

Joseph Huff - STEM Pillar Winner - 2020

Joseph Huff became passionate about helping people in need as he watched his father, a stroke survivor, struggle to use his stroke-affected right hand. As that passion was growing, Joseph began to get involved in 3D printing through 4‑H. Little did he know, these two seemingly disconnected events would soon come together in a powerful way when he watched his mentor print a prosthetic hand for a young boy at the fair. At that moment, Joseph realized he could help people – like his dad – by combining creativity with science to create life-changing prosthetics for those in need. Joseph launched an initiative to 3D print and assemble dozens of prosthetic hands for children in need and has mentored even more youth to teach them to do the same. Bringing the project full circle, Joseph is now in the process of creating a new device to help his dad regain some use of his weak hand.

Joseph is a senior in high school and will soon graduate with his associate’s degree. He plans to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. Joseph is the 2020 4‑H Youth in Action STEM Pillar Winner, sponsored by HughesNet.

Clyde Van Dyke - National Youth in Action Award and STEM Pillar - 2019

Clyde Van Dyke was told at a young age that he likely would not graduate from high school or ever be successful. Facing many challenges, he didn’t have the support he needed and lacked the confidence to get out of his comfort zone. But when his friend brought him to the 4‑H Tech Wizards After-School program, his life changed in a drastic way. In 4‑H, he learned to communicate, collaborate and be a leader and was introduced to a geospatial program that allows him to create maps that visualize data to help spark action in the community. He has created geospatial maps to visualize costs of attending 4‑H camp for low-income families, drug overdose deaths and the factors that may contribute to their increase, and more. Clyde plans to attend the State University of New York, Delhi, and pursue a career in digital forensics.

Addy Battel - Agriculture Pillar Winner - 2019

Whether she is teaching youth with special needs to care for farm animals or fighting hunger in her hometown, Addy Battel demonstrates the leadership skills she gained in 4‑H through her passion for empowering youth to be the change they want to see. In middle school, Addy’s hometown of Cass City, Michigan, became a food desert.

At just 12 years old, Addy worked with a team of fellow 4‑H’ers to create Meating the Need for Our Village, a program designed to fight hunger through agriculture. The program received grants and overwhelming community support to begin providing high-quality protein to local food pantries. Since the program’s inception, more than 200 youth have been involved in the project by raising and donating animals to Meating the Need. Overall, the program has made a $54,000 impact on the community by providing 1,368 gallons of milk, 10,000 pounds of meat and 92 dozen eggs to families in need. Addy hopes to continue fighting hunger on a world-wide scale by attending Michigan State University and pursuing a degree in animal science.

Mason McClintock - Civic Engagement Pillar Winner - 2018

From his retro sense of style to his effervescent personality, Mason McClintock always felt different from others his age. Then, 4‑H came into the picture, and became an outlet for him to be himself, feel encouraged by his peers and adults and find the belonging he so desperately desired. Through the program, he developed strong leadership and communication skills, and is using those to make a difference in his small, rural hometown, where he saw an opportunity to help youth in his community explore new careers and expand their goals for the future.

His program, the Alma Entrepreneur Tour, teaches youth helpful business and entrepreneurial principles while connecting youth with local entrepreneurs to expose them to new fields. From financial institutions and inns to department stores and agricultural operations, Mason has exposed more than 50 youth to a variety of new fields to pursue. Upon graduating from high school, Mason plans to pursue a career in music and study business, finance and Spanish at the University of Georgia.

Elisabeth Watkins - Healthy Living Pillar Winner - 2018

Elisabeth Watkins, a California 4‑H’er, became passionate about healthy living during elementary school. After facing health challenges that forced her to stop competitive gymnastics, she found her purpose and her passion in 4‑H cooking projects. As she learned more about nutrition, living a healthy lifestyle and the impact of a balanced diet on physical and mental well-being, her interest in cooking and food production developed into life-changing opportunities and a path for her future career.

From chairing the California State Fair 4‑H Cooking Throwdown, to creating a new cooking competition in her community, to mentoring future cooking project leaders, to launching her platform Farm Girl Chef, Elisabeth has been an advocate for agriculture, cooking and good food. Elisabeth further her education at University of Nevada, Reno and dreams of one day hosting her own farm-to-table cooking show.

Cassandra Ivie - National Youth in Action Award and STEM Pillar - 2018

For Cassandra Ivie, being a part of 4‑H meant developing her passion for STEM while learning the value of unity amongst diversity.  Through 4‑H, she gained the confidence and experiences she needed to become a STEM leader; skills that she is putting into practice today.

From an early age, she sensed there was something different about 4‑H. Though her peers might be interested in different subjects, the celebration of their different strengths brought about an uncommon unity that she hadn’t found elsewhere.  In an effort to build on that unity and to provide equal opportunities to youth of all types of backgrounds, Cassandra developed the Incredible Machine, a curriculum and activities kit that teaches five types of engineering – chemical, mechanical, software, civil and electrical.  She applied for and received a $6500 grant to develop 10 Incredible Machine kits to provide STEM resources to youth in rural communities, and she has presented her curriculum for various communities and events across the nation.

A senior in high school, Cassandra is a True Leader committed to connecting youth to STEM, service, leadership and 4‑H!

Serena Woodard - Agriculture Pillar Winner - 2018

When Serena Woodard joined 4‑H and began to actively contribute to her community, she never would have guessed that one day she would need her community’s support as well.  Through her 4‑H journey, Serena developed the leadership skills she needed to start an agricultural education program called “Woodard’s Workshops”.

Since the program’s inception five years ago, Serena trained nine teen teachers and six adult volunteers to help expand the program, which has reached 36 counties and more than 40,000 youth.  She also started a community garden to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to 250 community members in need.

From a young age, 4‑H taught her the importance of using her time and resources to impact others.  But she wasn’t quite prepared for the outpouring of support she would receive from her community and Oklahoma 4‑H when her family lost their home in an arson fire.  Her 4‑H community provided necessities, clothing and other donations to her family in their time of greatest need.

Her commitment to serving others is now even stronger as she aims to keep giving back and making an impact on those around her.

Serena is a truly remarkable 4‑H'er and is a junior in high school in Canadian, Oklahoma.

Kyra-Lee Harry - Civic Engagement Pillar Winner - 2018

At just five years old, Kyra-Lee Harry’s passion for helping others was sparked when she received the unexpected and scary news that her mom’s lungs had collapsed on both sides. Though she didn’t fully understand the situation at the time, she knew that one day, she wanted to be a part of the solution and help others, just like the doctors and technology helped her mom.

In the 6th grade, Kyra-Lee joined 4‑H, and her life was forever changed. Her 4‑H leaders and mentors helped her cultivate her passion for service and STEM and encouraged her to become a powerful youth voice in her community.  At 15, Kyra-Lee was sworn in as the youngest person to ever be appointed to a community board in Brooklyn, New York.  Her commitment to listen to the needs of the youth in her community and her drive to meet those needs led to Community Board 9’s First Annual Forum at Medgar Evers College. The event reached more than 300 young people ages 13-24, and provided training in leadership, mentorship, and workplace skills, along with networking opportunities. Her leadership has inspired other Brooklyn community boards to collaborate with youth for the programs and workshops they create.

Kyra-Lee is a dynamic 4‑H’er and a freshman at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering.

Sophia Rodriguez - Healthy Living Pillar Winner - 2018

Sophia Rodriguez knew that she wanted to help military youth like herself.  The mentorship and support she received from her family, educators, and 4‑H leaders helped her cope with the emotional toll of growing up in a military-connected family.  However, she knew many other military youth didn’t have that same privilege.

After engaging a support team of her 4‑H leader, a military family life counselor, and her peers, Sophia developed a program called “Tie Dye for Troops” to creatively help military youth understand the importance of positive mental health and how to effectively deal with challenges specific to military families.  Her father’s post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis provided Sophia with a personal understanding of these unique challenges.

Through her arts-based workshops, she has brought awareness to mental health in the military community and has helped military youth develop healthy relationships with their peers and adults.  Sophia shares her program regularly and has trained more than 150 youth and adults across the state and country to teach it as well.

Sophia is a senior in high school and, to date, has impacted more than 500 youth nationwide.

Amelia Day - National and Civic Engagement Pillar Winner - 2017

When Amelia Day escorted her father to an appointment at a veteran’s hospital in 2012, she didn’t know that the visit would spark an idea for a 4‑H service project that would reach far beyond her hometown. A 4‑H’er since elementary school, Amelia knew first-hand the transformative power of 4‑H; she’d seen the difference 4‑H opportunities made in her own life to aid her in overcoming a difficult speech impediment. At age 13, when she sensed a need for encouragement and support for our nation’s veterans, she put the leadership skills she’d learned in 4‑H into action, and Operation: Veteran Smiles was born. This service initiative provides care packages, notes of encouragement and musical therapy to veterans at the Carl Vinson Veteran’s Hospital in Dublin, Georgia. Over the past 5 years, Operation: Veteran Smiles has impacted more than 4,000 veterans and engaged more than 6,500 volunteers with the help of 4‑H clubs, volunteers and grants.  Learn more about Operation: Veteran Smiles.

Samuel Sugarman - Agriculture Pillar Winner - 2017

Growing up on a farm, Samuel Sugarman realized in his teen years that youth in his San Diego suburb didn’t experience many opportunities to be outdoors. These youth were glued to cell phones, computers and television screens much of the time and had little to no understanding of where their food comes from. A 4‑H’er since the age of 9, Samuel had developed life skills like public speaking and goal setting, while learning from adult mentors who modeled servant leadership. Drawing on these skills he’d developed in 4‑H, Samuel created the free Farm Tour Program to connect youth in his community with animals and nature. Since the program’s inception, Samuel has led hundreds of Farm Tours for scout troops, youth groups and school groups. Through these tours, he taught youth about stewardship, compassion, patience and gratitude. In 2016, Samuel was honored for his service work with the Congressional Gold Medal for Service by Congressman Darrell Issa.

Bryanne Sanchez - Healthy Living Pillar Winner - 2017

Bryanne Sanchez became an advocate for healthy living in her community as her 4‑H club's first Healthy Living Officer. Using this platform, Bryanne sought to bring initiatives promoting a healthy lifestyle to her Club and community. As her 4‑H club’s Healthy Living officer, she launched the annual Color Me Green Run in Imperial County. Annually, more than 250 runners participate in this fun, three-mile race that encourages youth and adults to stay active. She was instrumental in implementing the All 4‑Health Fair at the California State Leadership Conference, working to partner with other organizations to provide healthy living activities. Realizing that a healthy lifestyle includes both physical and mental well-being, Bryanne partnered with Creating Community Solutions to organize a Text, Talk, Act forum that provided more than 200 youth with the opportunity to discuss these topics in a healthy environment.

Ava Lonneman - STEM Pillar Winner - 2017

Ava Lonneman, a 17-year-old 4‑H'er through Ohio State University Cooperative Extension, doesn't let gender stereotypes get in her way when it comes to pursuing her dreams. Though told in elementary school that STEM "isn't for girls", Ava relentlessly pursued STEM herself and sought to bring STEM programming to her peers. As founder of a STEM mentoring program and her school's 4‑H Makers Club, Ava has reached more than 1,600 youth using 4‑H curricula such as Junk Drawer Robotics and National Youth Science Day activities. She's organized a robotics competition, and is working to organize a Technology in Fashion Expo at Kent State University. When she graduates in 2018, Ava plans to attend college and pursue a career in a STEM+M field, with the ultimate goal of becoming a university president.

Ruwanthi "Ru" Ekanayake - National and Healthy Living Pillar Winner - 2016

Ruwanthi “Ru” Ekanayake launched the first-ever 4‑H Healthy Living blog, allowing 4‑H’ers to share their stories, build bridges and create national discussions about health. She also organized a successful Healthy Living Summit across nine counties in California through the University of California Cooperative Extension, which led to more youth starting local healthy living programs including farm-to-table gardening and cyber-safety programs. As a member of the National 4‑H Healthy Living Ambassador Team, she is committed to helping people live their best lives by advocating a more holistic approach to healthy living that includes healthy nutritional habits as well as mental and emotional well-being.

Jacob Shuman - Agriculture and Animal Sciences Pillar Winner - 2016

Jacob Shuman became an advocate for bees through Ohio State University Cooperative Extension after finding out that Ross County was one of the unhealthiest counties in Ohio. In response to these findings he developed Teens Educating Adults and Children about Honey Bees (TEACH B) program. Through the TEACH B program, Shuman leads live bee education, demonstrations and lessons on the importance of bees to agriculture and the economy. He is an Ohio State ambassador and the recipient of the National 4‑H Council Merck Youth Agriculture Advocacy Award, and he has the honor of being recognized by Ohio Senator Bob Peterson for his work in environmental sciences.

Alexandria “Lexie” Lerblance - Civic Engagement Pillar Winner - 2016

Alexandria “Lexie” Lerblance is the co-founder of the Teresa Lane Compton (TLC) Memorial Wig Closet. The appointment-only closet is named after her grandmother, a hairstylist who recently died of cancer. The wig closet provides free high-quality wigs, head coverings, bras and prosthesis to cancer patients going through treatments. Lerblance has had the opportunity to spread the word about cancer awareness through various speaking engagements including the Pink Ribbon Luncheon and the Federal Board of Education. Utilizing the leadership skills she has gained through Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension, the TLC Wig Closet has raised over $15,000 in donations.

Thaddeus Hughes - STEM Pillar Winner - 2016

Through talks, demonstrations, workshops and interviews, Thaddeus Hughes has engaged more than 6,000 youth in the wonders of science. He has been a mentor for FIRST Lego League and the Illinois State Robotics Competition for four years. As a mentor, Thad has been responsible for organizing and demonstrating new technologies and the engineering process. Simultaneously, he developed an afterschool program through the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension called Spinning Robots in which he taught 50 middle schoolers basic circuitry and how to build simple robots. He is currently studying engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the top school in the nation for engineering.

Nosa Akol - 2015 Youth in Action Award Winner

National 4‑H Council is pleased to announce the winner of the 2015 Youth In Action Award is Nosa Akol. Nosa is a 17 year old senior at Binghamton High School in New York. Her 4‑H experience began when she joined CITIZEN U 4‑H her freshman year of high school.

According to Nosa, CITIZEN U 4‑Hhelped her overcome bullying, develop self-confidence and build leadership and public speaking skills. She was a delegate at the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute. As a Wallace-Carver Fellow, Nosa received a paid internship at the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health at Cornell University where she worked as a Biological Science Aide.

Nosa, was also invited to be a panelist at the Norman Borlaug Symposium where she had the opportunity to speak with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack about how micro-farming could help women and girls in South Sudan. In addition, Nosa delivered the keynote address at the 4‑H Career Explorations at Cornell University.

Within her community, Nosa was involved in the Great Pothole Solution Project to help map the location of potholes throughout the city of Binghamton. This spring, Nosa will partner with 4‑H alum Lazarus Lynch to lead a Hunger Banquet and Poverty Simulation to educate her community about childhood hunger and how they can become “hunger champions” in the fight to end world hunger.

As Nosa says, “My experiences in CITIZEN U 4‑H undid years of painful bullying opened new doors and opportunities for me, and set me on a path to be an agent for change. 4‑H changed my life.” Congratulations Nosa!

Andres Parra - 2014 Youth in Action Award Winner

Andres Parra is a remarkable Arizona 4 H’er who credits 4 H for putting him on a path to success, and empowering him to have a similarly positive impact on his peers and community.

Growing up as part of a Mexican immigrant family, Parra experienced many obstacles in life and struggled to find motivation to excel in school. He was introduced to the 4‑H/United Healthcare Eat4‑Health program and discovered a passion for nutrition and exercise that led to more productive academic and personal health habits.

These habits led to compelling personal results for Parra, who dropped from 200 to 146 pounds by his senior year. Through the program, Parra also had an opportunity to lead community events and interactive educational activities empowering other young people to pursue healthy lifestyles. As a teen ambassador, Parra taught more than 200 5th and 6th graders about nutritious eating habits and healthy choices.

His success as a youth ambassador opened the door to work for University of Arizona as an Instructional Aide at the Tucson Farm Village, where he taught nutrition to youth through the 4‑H Pima County Cooperative Extension program.

Parra is currently attending Pima Community College and plans to transfer to the University of Arizona and major in Nutritional Science.

Elisabeth D. Willis - 2013 Youth in Action Award Winner

Elisabeth D. Willis is a junior in high school student, born and raised in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. She has been an Oklahoma 4 H’er since the age of five. In 2009, she applied and was selected to serve as a Oklahoma State 4 H Ambassador and is currently serving in her fourth year in this role. Her service has included travel to various places including Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Georgia.

Elisabeth is being honored with the Youth in Action award for her service learning project which has raised $10,000 for the Therapeutic Equestrian Association of McAlester (TEAM). TEAM is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping youth and adults with disabilities

access equine therapy. Many of the volunteers who make TEAM possible are present or past 4‑H members and their parents. Elisabeth helped establish a local TEAM 4‑H club to raise awareness of the program, as well as hosting an annual musical festival, all profits of which go directly to TEAM.

Elisabeth says, “4‑H has impacted my life in so many ways. It has not only provided me with leadership development but also service learning project opportunities. Being so active in 4‑H as well as other organizations has challenged my life in an abundant way. I have learned through past 4‑H experiences that with help from others, I am not alone.”

In addition to her involvement in 4‑H, Elisabeth also plays basketball and is an active church member. Her future goals are to attend a bible college for at least one year and then to attend Southwestern Christian University, majoring in Sports Therapy.

Nate Seese - 2012 Youth in Action Award Winner

Nate Seese is an active 15-year-old who found a way to make a difference in his Byron Center, Michigan, community through 4 H.

When he joined the organization five years ago, he was able to combine his passion for raising livestock and his commitment to serving those in need. During his time in Byron Center Busy Workers 4‑H Club, he raised market lambs and hogs, and showed his projects at the Kent County Youth Fair.

But there was something more he wanted to do. Something that could reach beyond the applause for a profitable auction of his livestock.

Nat saw hunger was a problem in his community when he volunteered at the local food pantry. There, he says, it was “flooded with people who needed help.”

He coordinated with local businesses and found a way to donate meat from his 4‑H projects to local Byron Center’s food pantry. In two years, he’s provided 1,000 lbs of meat.

When he is not working on his 4‑H projects, the high school freshman is active in the jazz band and his local church. He also volunteers with a number of local organizations serving dinners and lending a hand at the Buist Community Assistance Center.

Nate plans to attend college after high school, and is considering studying Food Sciences or Pharmacy.

Morgan Billingslea-Walker - 2011 Youth In Action Award Winner

The 2011 4‑H Youth in Action Award was given to Morgan Billingslea-Walker. While overcoming personal health issues, Morgan led the effort to make health and nutrition programs available to those in her neighborhood. She has offered them the opportunity for a better, healthier lifestyle.

Samantha Jo Ridley - 2010 Youth In Action Award Winner

The 2010 4‑H Youth in Action Award was given to 4‑H’er Samantha Jo Riddley, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota, and the first to attend college. Through 4‑H, she has helped her community in many ways, and has used her involvement in archery to bring the tradition back to her tribe.