Winners and
Finalists
4‑H is proud to share the diverse stories and unique perspectives of 4‑H’ers who are leaders in their communities. 4‑H Youth in Action Award winners comes from every corner of America and are impacting their local communities in astounding ways. Check out 4‑H Youth in Action Award finalists below!
2024
finalists
Michaela Auyeung
As the youngest of three, Michaela didn’t always feel like she had her own voice or sense of identity. Joining 4-H was something her siblings had done, so she followed in their footsteps. Turns out, Michaela discovered a sense of self, her own amazing identity and a voice that needed to be heard.
Noticing how scarce STEM opportunities are for girls and the need for gender and education equality, Michaela created a program focused on solving those problems. Girls Who Love to Code was born and since its inception, has positively impacted over 250 girls with free coding classes and instruction. Gaining confidence in her speaking and teaching skills, Michaela connected with her students and realized an even broader community need—one tied to financial difficulties and the stress that it can put on a family. She’s now leading a program raising money to keep a pantry stocked with essentials for families in need. Her hard work and persistence have helped so many and put her on a path to a life full of purpose. As a senior in high school, Michaela plans to continue to advocate for gender and socioeconomic equality in education through her outreach and beyond.
Michaela Auyeung
As the youngest of three, Michaela didn’t always feel like she had her own voice or sense of identity. Joining 4-H was something her siblings had done, so she followed in their footsteps. Turns out, Michaela discovered a sense of self...
Esther Bonney
Raised with the cornerstone values of hard work, grit and determination, Esther always knew she could accomplish whatever she put her mind to. Looking for direction and wanting to be part of something bigger, Esther found opportunity in 4-H to share her voice and engage with her community. With the support of county educators and her 4-H peers, she won a grant and developed Nurture Natives, a program designed to increase biodiversity in the community and educate young people about the importance of native plants, biodiversity, pollinators and addressing invasive species. Partnering with Charles County Master Gardeners, Esther and her team published a 25-page guide to invasive species and their native look-alikes. Additionally, she led the team to distribute 550 native plants to local families by partnering with multiple local organizations. Esther eagerly shares her passion project with community leaders and industry experts, looking for ways to reach more people with her important message. 4-H lit her spark in Agriculture and has given her the confidence to share her passion and make a real impact in her lifetime.
Esther Bonney
Raised with the cornerstone values of hard work, grit and determination, Esther always knew she could accomplish whatever she put her mind to. Looking for direction and wanting to be part of something bigger...
Mahi Gupta
Mahi’s path of community service and leadership began with joining 4-H’s Be the Change Club that promotes volunteering and Puppy Tails Club which trains and fosters puppies to serve as guide dogs for the seeing impaired. Through 4-H’s States International program, Mahi hosted a Japanese student. Then she decided to travel to Japan to explore the culture firsthand, experiencing cultural diversity in a safe and supportive environment. Mahi’s travels allowed her to turn her interest in global education and awareness into a passion—forming the 4-H World Exploration Club, exposing youth to different cultures and ways of life. Her desire to empower youth blossomed into English with Friends—a program designed to help Japanese girls develop English speaking skills, helping them become more confident and independent. With a broader world view and a desire to help others, Mahi looks forward to furthering her global outreach efforts and credits 4-H for sparking her sense of compassion as well as her interest and awareness of the world around her.
Mahi Gupta
Mahi’s path of community service and leadership began with joining 4-H’s Be the Change Club that promotes volunteering and Puppy Tails Club which trains and fosters puppies to serve as guide dogs for the seeing impaired. Through 4-H’s States International program...
Venya Gunjal
Over the course of nearly ten years, Venya has perfected the art of balance. Juggling her personal life and a demanding academic schedule, she's become a master of both domains—and her time with 4-H has equipped her with the tools to excel in each. At an early age, 4-H ignited Venya’s passion for STEM, which has since blossomed into a goal to pursue biological engineering, aiming to teach and innovate solutions that transform lives. Through 4-H, she's been presented with countless chances for personal and academic growth, broadening her horizons and connecting with people of diverse backgrounds. Through her progress, she worked to relaunch her school’s STEAM Symposium, introducing students countywide to STEAM subjects, and paving the path for budding innovators and change-makers. Recognizing the disparity in STEAM opportunities available to students, she founded STEAMPark, Inc., an endeavor focused on providing free STEAM enrichment activities to elementary students. With gratitude to 4-H for shaping her journey, Venya envisions a vibrant future as a leader and community change-maker.
Venya Gunjal
Over the course of nearly ten years, Venya has perfected the art of balance. Juggling her personal life and a demanding academic schedule, she's become a master of both domains—and her time with 4-H has...
Jenessa Dugger
Whether she’s leading a workshop, judging a 4-H contest or assisting with a service project, Jenessa is focused on working hard and being a good listener. Having struggled with severe anxiety and heart issues as a young person, she’s using her strength in public speaking to bring awareness to the importance of a balanced lifestyle and healthy living. With her non-profit, Art for Hearts, Jenessa raises money by auctioning locally donated art to help other heart patients financially and advocate for heart health. Inspired by all she’s learned through 4-H, she’s also found a leadership role on her tribe’s reservation—honoring her heritage and centering on the real needs of her community. Focused on the future and ready for her next challenge, Jenessa found a safe place in 4-H to thrive, learn and grow skills she’ll use for a lifetime.
Jenessa Dugger
Whether she’s leading a workshop, judging a 4-H contest or assisting with a service project, Jenessa is focused on working hard and being a good listener. Having struggled with severe anxiety and heart issues as a young person...
Kaitlyn Culbert
Known as the “Bee-Girl”, New Jersey 4-H member Kaitlyn “Katie” Culbert is passionate about pollinators. As the leader of the first beekeeping club in her county, Kaitlyn’s 4-H outreach efforts are designed to foster interest with a younger generation of beekeepers. Wanting to share her passion, Kaitlyn built connections with her community to establish multiple pollinator gardens, one with more than 600 native plants to help support the thriving hives. In addition to securing grants, she has also launched a YouTube channel, “Katie’s Adventures in Beekeeping”. 4-H has given her the tools to connect with others and share her vision—creating awareness to inspire innovative and sustainable environmental solutions to help protect our fragile bee population. Kaitlyn’s excited about the opportunities 4-H has provided her and the skills and confidence to instigate positive change in her community and beyond.
Kaitlyn Culbert
Known as the “Bee-Girl”, New Jersey 4-H member Kaitlyn “Katie” Culbert is passionate about pollinators. As the leader of the first beekeeping club in her county, Kaitlyn’s 4-H outreach efforts...
Pranav Kalidindi
Always a very shy child, Pranav joined the 4-H Innovation Club to pursue his deep interest in STEM. Presenting his projects not only gave him confidence but excellent public speaking skills. Realizing many youth in his community were also passionate about STEM but lacked the guidance to pursue STEM opportunities, Pranav took the skills he’d learned in 4-H and created a robotics club. The success he saw in sparking other kids’ interests inspired him to get involved with community issues, implementing projects focused on recycling methods and detecting impurities in drinking water. Always researching and finding new ways to help people through STEM, Pranav has developed a stress relief app to detect, predict and reduce stress, a posture monitor to help prevent spinal issues and an air quality monitor. The current president of the 4-H Innovation Club and STEM Ambassador for Virginia, Pranav made the STEM content more engaging and promoted teamwork and collaboration, allowing members to learn from one another’s challenges and successes. Through 4-H, Pranav found a safe, supportive environment to pursue his spark, draw inspiration, grow as a leader and become an engaged 4-H mentor.
Pranav Kalidindi
Always a very shy child, Pranav joined the 4-H Innovation Club to pursue his deep interest in STEM. Presenting his projects not only gave him confidence but excellent public speaking skills. Realizing many youth in his community were also passionate about STEM but lacked the guidance...
Clara Kee
Joining 4-H in the first grade, Clara found a place to thrive, finding her spark in unexpected places like baking, sewing, art and public speaking. Clara discovered a world where she not only fit in but felt welcome and excelled. Understanding the feeling of being on the outside, Clara had a special desire to help when her extended family welcomed two foster children into their lives. With both emotional and physical trauma—love, acceptance and stability were something new for them. Learning all she could about the foster system and how she might be able to help foster kids in her community, Clara put her 4-H skills into motion and created The Snuggle Bug project. With donated and recycled material, Clara began making quilts for children to have something familiar and of their very own. With a spark to serve her community paired with confidence and compassion, Clara is poised to better herself and the world around her.
Clara Kee
Joining 4-H in the first grade, Clara found a place to thrive, finding her spark in unexpected places like baking, sewing, art and public speaking. Clara discovered a world where she not only fit in but felt welcome and excelled. Understanding the feeling of being on the outside, Clara had a special desire...
Kashvi Ramani
A born writer, Kashvi wasn’t always confident with her skills. She jumped into 4-H presenting a piece called The Power of Poetry at a Presentation Day event. Little did she know the power and influence poetry would have in her own life. Armed with a growing assurance in her writing and speaking skills, 4-H helped Kashvi find opportunities to grow in the areas that sparked her interests, specifically writing and performing arts. Running webinars and workshops to engage others and start conversations around the inequality and racism that exists in today’s world, Kashvi found a path of service to promote peace and societal growth. Transforming her interests into skills, Kashvi uses poetry and her speaking skills as tools of self-expression, amplifying her voice to reach and help others. Targeting different social issues, she joined Mending Walls, an organization focused on creating murals expressing hope, peace and self-growth. Recently elected the Youth Poet Laureate of Virginia, Kashvi continues to advocate in a wider-reaching space, amplifying voices that need to be heard and bringing recognition to the issues she believes in.
Kashvi Ramani
A born writer, Kashvi wasn’t always confident with her skills. She jumped into 4-H presenting a piece called The Power of Poetry at a Presentation Day event. Little did she know the power and influence poetry would have in her own life. Armed with a growing assurance...
Ronak Suchindra
4-H has had a huge impact on Ronak’s life. Joining at the age of eight after attending a fair, Ronak’s first joined the 4-H Lego Robotics club, where he now serves as a team captain with advanced robotic skills and competes at a national level. Since he can remember, Ronak has had a passion for teaching, volunteering and creating an impact in his community. Working at homeless shelters, soup kitchens and raising funds for local food banks have taught him the importance of teamwork and communication. With these skills in place, he created Kids Connect, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization where youth volunteers empower others by educating the younger generation in STEM skills. Since its launch, Kids Connect has reached over 4,000 kids through 50 STEAM related workshops. Ronak’s passion keeps him busy and he’s striving to make a positive impact—working with educators and state leaders to improve STEM education in several states to help create a future-ready workforce. A Gold Clover Award winner and currently working towards a Diamond Clover Award, Ronak confidently takes on new challenges and believes 4-H has helped him become the person he is today.
Ronak Suchindra
4-H has had a huge impact on Ronak’s life. Joining at the age of eight after attending a fair, Ronak’s first joined the 4-H Lego Robotics club, where he now serves as a team captain with advanced robotic skills and competes at a national level...
Megan Moore
As a young person with anxiety, Megan decided to take steps to overcome her mental health challenges—so she started small and joined her local 4-H club. Surprising herself, Megan thrived and developed the fundamental skills that shaped her into a confident young leader. Using the 4-H motto as a compass, she was inspired to think beyond herself, participating in community fundraisers and events. Megan was encouraged to engage in activities that honed her social skills where she showed compassion, learned about and celebrated peoples’ differences. She learned there is strength in working together and learning from mentors and peers. 4-H also helped her develop self-esteem, taught her the importance of making healthy choices and the fundamentals of successful stress management. Committed to serving others, Megan focused her leadership skills and completed a project focused on recycling plastic to create sustainable tables and benches for people with different abilities. Working collaboratively and using problem-solving skills, Megan coordinated a community team and her project continues to thrive. Looking to the future, Megan hopes to become an elementary teacher and is excited to share the importance of exploring new things.
Megan Moore
As a young person with anxiety, Megan decided to take steps to overcome her mental health challenges—so she started small and joined her local 4-H club. Surprising herself, Megan thrived and developed the fundamental skills that shaped her into a confident young...
Vishal Swamy
Vishal has always loved nature but didn’t have the opportunity to explore his passion to the fullest. Feeling like he was overlooking the world around him, Vishal joined the 4-H steward program and quickly discovered his love of teaching kids and the joy he derived from interacting with others. Inspired by a revitalized commitment to nature and environmental sustainability, Vishal founded the Steward Sustainability Leadership Institute (SSLI) in collaboration with Michigan State University. This initiative has since evolved into an officially recognized 4-H Club. A platform for other young leaders to educate, design and implement environmental projects in their own communities, the SSLI is in its third year of conceiving projects to reduce waste, conserve resources and improve the overall quality of life for everyone. Thankful for the opportunities and experiences he’s had in 4-H, Vishal is a leader who’s committed to using the skills he’s gained in 4-H not only to help ignite the spark in others but to be a part of a larger movement towards creating a more sustainable future.
Vishal Swamy
Vishal has always loved nature but didn’t have the opportunity to explore his passion to the fullest. Feeling like he was overlooking the world around him, Vishal joined the 4-H steward program and quickly discovered his love...
2023 Winners
Matias Habib
Agriculture
Matias Habib never aimed to be a leader of sustainable agriculture. However, when the invasive species Japanese Beetle devastated his family’s orchard, Matias spent his summer applying his 4‑H Entomology knowledge to study natural methods to combat the beetle. He presented his research at the Illinois State 4‑H Fair, and there the Entomologist judge gave him words of inspiration: “You’re innovating in a billion-dollar industry. Keep it up.” So he did. COVID gave Matias extra time to focus on his work, and he spent his summer building a lab, researching, running tests on a myriad of plant oils and other substances, and ultimately developing a patent-pending, all-natural formula that protects foliage from the Japanese Beetle and other pests. With the support of his 4‑H leaders, Matias launched his own business – TerraBuster – and began selling his unique bio-pesticide online and in local nurseries. Now expanding TerraBuster’s line of products to repellents for other pests that threaten crops. In line with his personal commitment to environmental sustainability, he reduces single-use plastics through refillable spray bottles, keeps carbon emissions low by local sourcing and distribution, and raises awareness of damaging toxic chemicals.
Matias’ interest in science and organic agriculture is rooted in childhood challenges. Growing up overseas, he struggled with language barriers and social anxiety. Often feeling like an outsider, he was eventually diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He now realizes those differences are vital tools to empower his passion and focus on science. Through 4‑H, Matias found the connection, inspiration, and confidence to turn his ideas into reality. A senior at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, Matias plans to pursue a career to develop innovative solutions that protect the environment.
Sruthi Sudarsan
Civic Engagement
As a child, Sruthi struggled to speak due to her social anxiety, but she found her voice and confidence through her 4‑H club’s puppetry and public speaking projects. Empowered by her 4‑H community and impassioned to civic engagement, Sruthi has in turn taken her rightful place as a leader and advocate for those without a voice.
In 2020, the year that saw millions of homeless and low-income families face unprecedented challenges to meet basic needs, Sruthi’s heart was moved to care for the 28,000 homeless individuals in the San Francisco Bay area. She founded Project C.A.R.E (Comfort and Relief Essentials) to address preventable medical conditions through basic hygiene, first aid and medical education. Since the founding of her project, Sruthi has worked diligently to alleviate the strain on her community, providing thousands of medical and hygienic supplies and hundreds of volunteer hours in community development and educational services. Her efforts to address preventable medical conditions have been felt globally as well. Sruthi expanded her work to Cambodia, raising money to provide a preschool both a fully equipped bathroom with running water and education on the importance of basic hygiene. Through her organization, Sruthi also hosts a youth mentorship program every six weeks to train students to find their civic engagement spark, fundraise, budget, recruit volunteers, execute their missions, and eventually mentor future program participants. To date, Sruthi has taught 150 middle schoolers in California to become dynamic community leaders and activists. A senior in high school, Sruthi hopes to create her own state-wide 4‑H youth leadership curriculum and continue expanding her mentorship work and medical outreach. Sruthi’s collegiate plans include a major in neuroscience, with her sights set on attending medical school.
Norah Carter
Healthy Living
Growing up with a disability saw Norah Carter consistently underestimated. When she discovered competitive therapeutic horseback riding through her local 4‑H club, Norah seized her spark and derived a world of new opportunities. She quickly developed confidence, leadership skills and a dedication to community service and advocacy that guides her present passions and future pursuits. Overcoming physical barriers routinely erected by ableist bias positioned Norah to practice and multiply her mental strength and resiliency. Through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, Norah realized other students could benefit from the coping skills and mental health practices she had harnessed. Adapting 4‑H health curricula, Norah hosted five health workshop series addressing various mental health issues for diverse audiences. She further expanded her offerings into educational workshops focused on anxiety reduction, trigger identification and stress management, all to empower previously incarcerated youth, urban kids, and suburban tweens. Her community partners and avid supporters estimate she has equipped more than 400 students in her state with these vital life and health skills.
Norah continues her workshops both virtually and in person, hoping to see students support their peers and impact communities through their resiliency. Now a student at Denison University, Norah is majoring in Global Health and Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She aims to work in public policy or law as an advocate for those with physical and mental disabilities.
Nicole Cash
STEM
Like many LGBTQ youth across the country, Nicole experienced rejection and personal loss after coming out. Through 4‑H, she found refuge – a place to belong, helping her discover her passion for nature while cultivating her exceptional leadership skills. These skills proved essential when a family approached her Robotics team, Rogue, in search of an affordable mobility device for their disabled son. Inspired by the Go Baby Go organization, Nicole took on the challenge and channeled the command and creativity she honed in 4‑H to lead her team in building a modified Power Wheels ride-on car for the boy – delegating tasks to teammates, assisting with coding, sourcing materials, and managing both legal and client communication. After witnessing the massive change and immense joy the finished product brought a family in need, Nicole and her team founded their own chapter of Go Baby Go, the first in the Midwest. Her robotics team went on to publish an online manual detailing their inventive approach toward coding, creating 3D-print files, and capturing imagery that propelled the project from start to finish. Their resource, designed with the needs of others in mind, led to the creation of an interactive map that connects families looking to build mobility devices with other Go Baby Go affiliated robotics teams. To date, Nicole’s team has built six devices, and the online manual motivated more teams to complete at least 27 more nationwide.
Nicole is working towards expanding her Go Baby Go chapter to other robotics teams across the country. Pursuing a career as a conservational naturalist, she is studying Ecology and Outdoor Recreation at Northern Michigan University, where she strives to create positive change in her community and the local ecosystem.
2022 Winners
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.
2021 Winners
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 | January 2, 2004 – September 29, 2021
Elizabeth Weidner was no stranger to adversity. At age 12, she was diagnosed with stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma cancer and spent much of the next five 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. Elizabeth 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 received treatment. She leaves behind a legacy that will live on forever.