MONROE — Green County 4-H held its Recognition and Graduation Ceremony July 22 at the Green County Fair. This year’s awards included the presentation of the following awards: 4-H Key Award, Friend of 4-H Award, 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award, 4-H Lifetime Volunteer Award, 4-H Adult Leaders Scholarship Winners, 4-H Junior Leaders Scholarship Winner, Cindi Miller Memorial Scholarship Winners, 4-H Dog Project Scholarship Winner and 4-H Graduates. 

The 4-H Key Award is the highest award a 4-H member can receive in Wisconsin 4-H. It is awarded to youth who have shown consistent growth in their 4-H program, developed leadership ability and been helpful to other members in their club and community. Another requirement for this award is having been a 4-H member for at least three years with one year of youth leadership. Sponsors of the Wisconsin 4-H Key Award program include the Wisconsin Farm Bureau and Rural Mutual Insurance Company. 

The Key Award recipients this year were Joseph Crubaugh, Young Americans; Jaena Legault, New Horizons; Kelsi Mueller, Next Generation; and Linnea Tabaka, Young Americans.

The Friend of 4-H, 4-H Volunteer of the Year, and 4-H Lifetime Volunteer Awards were presented to individuals, groups or companies that stood out as outstanding supporters of the Green County 4-H program. This year, the Friend of 4-H Award was presented to the Wisconsin Bike Federation. The 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Briget Nusbaum of Monroe and the 4-H Lifetime Volunteer Award was presented to Karen Buck of Brodhead. 

Cindi Miller contributed time and effort to the Green County 4-H program, serving as a 4-H club general leader, adult advisor for the Green County 4-H Junior Leaders organization and a photography superintendent for over 20 years. She died May 2, 2015. Her family established the Cindi Miller Memorial Scholarship to continue sharing her commitment to community involvement and recognizing youth. The requirements are: have at least three years of membership in 4-H, be a high school or 4-H graduate and be enrolled in any secondary education program. Applicants go through an interview process as well. This year’s recipients were Abby Bethke, Cheese Country Clovers, and Jaena Legault, New Horizons.

The 4-H Adult Leader’s Scholarship was awarded to Joseph Crubaugh, Young Americans; Clayton Mahlkuch, Juda Jolly Juniors; and Karly Ready, New Glarus. Criteria for this scholarship include being enrolled in Green County 4-H for at least three years, being enrolled in secondary education the next year and going through the interview process. 

The 4-H Junior Leaders scholarship criteria included that the youth be enrolled in 4-H for at least three years, be a high school or 4-H graduate, be enrolled in secondary education, be active in the 4-H Junior Leaders organization for at least one year and go through the interview process. This year’s recipient was Kelsi Mueller, Next Generation. 

The recipient of the Dog Project Scholarship was Kalley Joe Crouch, Stateline. The criteria were that the recipient had to be graduating this year and be part of the dog project.

In addition to the awards and scholarships, this year’s recognition ceremony also recognized this year’s 4-H graduates. Graduates are 4-H members who have recently finished their 12th year of schooling but are not necessarily finished with their 4-H career. 

The graduates who were recognized included: Aspen Bader, Young Americans; Hunter Brewer, Jolly Mixers; Phebe Christen, Cheese Country Clovers; Kalley Joe Crouch, Stateline; Joseph Crubaugh, Young Americans; Sam Ellefson, Young Americans; Hunter Gough, Jolly Mixers; Michael Hatter, Decatur; Caitlin Holcomb, Washington Center; Madison Katzenberger, Young Americans; Dana Kehoe, Young Americans; Samuel Kind, Jolly Mixers; Kate Krebs, Washington Center; Clayton Mahlkuch, Juda Jolly Juniors; Rachel McCullough, Juda Jolly Juniors; Kelsi Mueller, Next Generation; Andrew Nimtz, New Glarus; Karly Ready, New Glarus; Dylan Steiner, Spring Grove Honest Workers; Arika Streuly, Stateline; and Karli Sutherland, Decatur.

For a complete list of scholarships or awards available, check out the Green County UW-Extension website at http://green.uwex.edu/4-h-youth-development/scholarships/ or call the Extension office at 328-9440.