Over 100 impressive entries from Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren Counties were showcased at the 2025 Illinois State 4-H Fair, highlighting the creativity, dedication, and talent of our area youth.
Participants competed in a wide range of general project categories, including woodworking, visual arts, horticulture, and animal science. Awards were presented based on the following criteria:
• Champion – Top score for the day
• Reserve Champion – Second highest score
• Inspire Award – Given at the judge’s discretion for exceptional creativity, innovation, or uniqueness in an exhibit Local youth earned multiple honors, including Inspire Awards for standout originality and Champions for top-tier excellence in their project areas. These achievements reflect months of hard work and a deep commitment to learning and growth.
McDonough County award recipients: Champion:
Kamara Zimmerman- College and Career Readiness/Build Your Future Isabella Crabb-Foods & Nutrition/Food Preservation/ Food Preservation Combination Kade Ruebush-Natural Resources/Sportfishing 2 Samantha Johnson-Visual Arts/ Chalk, Carbon, Pigment Division B on Paper Finn Chatterton-Visual Arts/Plastic Block Art Lucy Seggelke – Babysitting/ Babysitting Display Reserved Champion: Blakley Thompson-Visual Arts/Chalk, Carbon, Pigment Division A on Canvas Emmalyn Wilson-Visual Arts/ Scrapbooking-Intermediate Avery Bulter – Visual Arts/ Food decorating – Beginner Brynlee Finch – Foods & nutrition – Food Preservation Pickles and Relishes
Inspire Award:
Corda Adkins-Covert- Clothing & Textiles/ Sewing 3-Clothes Charlotte Rigg-Horticulture/ Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs/Fruit and Vegetable Display Theodore Miguel, Eli Butler, Austin Butler, and Lonny Hull-Intercultural/ Passport to the World-Group Violet Zimmerman-Natural Resources/Outdoor Adventures 1-3 Charlotte Hunt-Visual Arts/Quilts Dominic Gravina- Woodworking/ Woodworking 1 Miles Chatterton – Visual Arts/ Leather Illinois Extension is proud to support these young leaders and celebrate their success at the state level. Their accomplishments are a testament to the strength of our 4-H programs and the vibrant communities behind them.
For more information about 4-H in Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren Counties, visit Illinois Extension 4-H.
