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  • Hannah Taylor, Kaila Williams, Jeromy Knapp and Ashley Powers show off some of their state blue ribbon 4-H record books and the plaques they recieved with them. Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner

    Hannah Taylor, Kaila Williams, Jeromy Knapp and Ashley Powers show off some of their state blue ribbon 4-H record books and the plaques they recieved with them.
August 10, 2012

4-H’ers take first in blue ribbon count

Rebeka Rutledge The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Imagine keeping up with every activity you do for an entire year, writing it down and compiling it into a comprehensive notebook. It sounds simple enough but there’s a group who will tell you differently.

This year, Stephens County 4-H group had 10 members who entered a total of 30 record books in the state competition that took place in July in Stillwater.

Six came home with blue ribbons, which is not only the most the county has received in one year but also the most of any other county this year in Oklahoma.

“It was a relief and I’m excited for them,” said Kim Davis, OSU extension educator for 4-H youth development. “Every year, we always take home at least one (blue ribbon) but six state titles is great.”

Kaila Williams, Jeromy Knapp, Ashley Powers, Hannah Taylor, Meagan Bourne and Sarah McGarr each came back with a plaque, medal, blue ribbon and $1,000 scholarship.

All six had two record books for different project areas that they entered. After the books are judged, the top three in each area attend an interview where they have 15 minutes to explain their 4-H career.

“It’s a fulfillment of all your hard work and shows that it paid off,” said Powers, who won in the conservation project area. “It shows all the time you spent to make your community, county and state a better place.”

It was Powers’ first year to win and it was also Taylor’s first year to win, as well as enter. Taylor won in the horse project area, which is one of the more difficult areas.

“It was a surprise to me because it was my first time to enter,” Taylor said. “But I’ve done so much and it was fulfilling.”

On the other hand, it was Williams’ fourth year to enter and although she qualified the previous three, this was her first year to win. Unlike some other states who only focus on the previous year for the record book, Oklahoma’s books reflect the member’s entire 4-H career.

Williams has been involved in the club since she was 5-years-old.

“It was exciting to accomplish this because I’ve worked and worked to make my book grow,” she said of winning in the achievement area. “I tied for winning in both project areas I entered and they chose me as winner of achievement because I had more points there and that’s very exciting because you don’t hear of that happening, to be tied for both of them.”

For many of these members, they have looked to older members over the years and wanted to follow in their footsteps. Knapp won in his project area, shooting sports, in 2010 and this year competed in level two, while the others were in level one.

“It was definitely a difference between levels because one is about the beginning of your career and in two, you’re against state and national officers,” he said. “To go toe to toe with them was a high accomplishment and I’m proud of myself.”

In order to make the books as good as possible, the members begin putting them together in January and gave up their entire Spring Break to go to the extension office to work with Davis on them.

They are required to fill page after page with one-line bullets that run the length and width of the page detailing all aspects of their project work.

Davis credits the kids and said they do all the work, yet those youth countered and said nothing would be possible without her pushing them to do their best.

“She says we do all the work but we wouldn’t get anything done without her,” said Powers. “You’re looking at a person who puts everything together for this club and leads us and still has a smile on her face.”

The members also recognize a need for one another. They look to each other for support and help with their projects. Although many are from different towns and go to different schools, they are a network and a team.

“They’re my family, they’re who I hang out with,” said Knapp. “We’re a close-knit group and we have fun together.”

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