Several individuals received recognition Sunday during grandstand ceremonies at the Champaign County Fair. Kylie Detwiler was crowned this year’s Junior Fair Queen.
Other notable awards went to 4-H Girl of the Year Maile Moyer, 4-H Boy of the Year Shem Pond, 4-H Advisors of the Year Jerry and Jerreta Aldridge, FFA Girl of the Year Ashley Dailey, FFA Boy of the Year Jared Weller, and Mark Sommers Memorial Award Recipient Garrett Jordan.
4-H Girl of the Year
Maile Moyer, 17, Urbana, was named the 2016 Champaign County 4-H Girl of the Year on Sunday at the Champaign County Fair. She has been an active member of 4-H for 10 years and has exhibited horses, dairy feeders, dairy heifers, poultry and photography projects during her 4-H career. She has been active in Jr. Leadership, Junior Fairboard, Jr. Dairy Council, attended camp when younger and served as a camp counselor. She has served as a representative on the county 4-H Committee and mentor in the 4-H Growing Youth to Youth Program. Maile assisted at the Ohio 4-H Teen Conference and served on the Ohio 4-H Teen advisory Council in Columbus.
She has held the office of president in her 4-H Club, Jr. Dairy Council and the County Junior Leadership Club. She was treasurer on the Junior Fairboard.
Her community service projects include volunteering at PAWS and helping with the Matt Calland Truck Pull, Great Ohio Bike Race and the Ronald McDonald House.
4-H Girl of the Year candidates were required to submit essays. The following is Maile’s submission.
4-H of the Girl Essay
“Henry Ford was a famous industrialist in the early 1900’s that once said. “Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this.” Ford’s statement an excellent description of my 4-H career in Champaign County. As a first year exhibitor and member I had no idea that my experiences in 4-H would impact me as much as they have. Not only has participating in 4-H helped me to develop a strong work ethic, but I now possess a love of agriculture and community. This organization has been an invaluable part of my life that has allowed me to become the person I am and give me the best chance at success through the many skills and lessons I have learned from it.
“Many years in 4-H have given me the tools that I need to be ready for the future and accomplish whatever I wish to do in the future career. In the first year of my membership I was extremely backward. 4-H altered my shy personality into that of a very outgoing and eager to participate member. This organization has not only benefited my personal growth, but also my future career success. My projects have taught me responsibility, time and money management, as well as how to work with others. As a very involved student I have had to learn to balance my time so that my animal projects were always cared for and project book completed. After a long day filled with school, softball practice and then an added 4-H activity. I would return home late with a pile of homework and always make sure my animals were cared for. Being involved in 4-H projects has provided me the ability to manage my time that will be vital to a future career. Another skill I learned from 4-H that will benefit me in the future is how to keep a budget and finances. The record books every 4-H member must keep showed me how careful spending can turn into a profit when I finally sold my animal. The fair also gave me great opportunities to work closely and bond with other 4-H members as well as my family in caring for my animal projects. In the future I will be able to handle relationships and work closely with others in order to accomplish a task. All of these skills gained from 4-H will provide me with an advantage in a future career.
“Not only am I more prepared for whatever career I pursue in the future because of 4-H, I am also certain as to what career that will be. The large variety of 4-H livestock projects I have taken has given me a respect and love for the agricultural community. 4-H also showed me that great things can happen when a community works together. Champaign County 4-H represent a tight-knit family that can come together to complete a task or support each other when the time arises. Because of my involvement in 4-H, I have come to love our community and hope to return to it after studying to become a large animal veterinarian at The Ohio State University. Not only am I better prepared for what lies ahead of me, but I have a solid foundation to rely on and countless memories from this great organization.
“The honor of becoming the 4-H Girl for 2016 represents not only my personal achievement but the large role that 4-H serves in the lives of its members. 4-H Girl of the year can be perceived as an award that is given to the person who has done the most for 4-H. However, the honor of 4-H Girl also represents an award disbursed to the person 4-H has done the most for. The time I have dedicated to 4-H was often for a larger purpose such as mentoring younger students or promoting our organization to the public. All of these activities accomplished a goal, but they also developed my character and skills simultaneously. 4-H Girl not only represents all of the achievements members and the organization itself can accomplish, but also the large impact that 4-H can have on the lives of its members. The 4-H Girl stand for the ideas that our program is about and because of this organization, I have been developed into a great representation of Champaign County 4-H.”
4-H Boy of the Year
Shem Pond, 18, Woodstock, was named the 2016 Champaign County 4-H Boy of the Year Sunday at the Champaign County Fair. Pond has been an active member of 4-H for 10 years and has concentrated his project on the dairy industry, taking dairy cows and heifers owned by himself and his family. He has been a member of the Junior Dairy Council and Junior Leadership Club and attended 4-H camp for 10 years as a camper and counselor. Shem was a member of the Ohio Dairy Quiz Bowl Team and competed at the national level and is a member of the Ohio Holstein Junior Organization.
Shem has won multiple awards with his animals, participating in Dairy Quiz Bowls, Judging Contest and Skillathons. He was the top Dairy Exhibitor winning the Leslie Broshes Herdsman award.
He has held offices of president, treasurer and secretary and helped organize fundraisers. His leadership roles included being a mentor in the 4-H Growing Youth to Youth Program.
4-H Boy of the Year candidates were required to submit essays. Here’s is Shem’s essay.
4-H Boy of the Year Essay
“4-H has had an enormous impact on my life, Even though it takes up a lot of my time during the school year and during the summer, the things I learn and get back from 4-H make it worth every second that I put in. I have met many amazing people throughout my years as a 4-H member, and I have made many friendships that will last a lifetime. I have also learned a lot about how to be a leader through 4-H, which will help me in every step of my life. I have no doubt that my years in 4-H will continue to affect me beyond my last year as a member.
“I have been greatly affected by 4-H throughout my years as a member, and 4-H has definitely contributed to my personal development. Caring for my dairy heifers has taught me how to take on responsibility. I am responsible for making sure that my animals are fed and well taken care of throughout the entire year. I have to make sure that all of my projects are healthy as well. Being responsible for these animals has taught me to take initiative every day and make sure that everything runs smoothly, and to take care of issues immediately. However, being a part of 4-H is much more than just taking care of projects. 4-H is about becoming a part of a community. Through 4-H, I have been able to join organizations such as Junior Leadership, Growing Youth to Youth, and I have had the privilege of being able to serve as a 4-H camp counselor for the past 4 years. All of these things have allowed me to meet new people in my own community. People that I would have never met otherwise. Being exposed to all of these people has helped me grow into the person that I am today, so I am very thankful that I was able to be a part of 4-H and enjoy all of these experiences.
“I have also learned to become a better leader from my last 10 years in 4-H. I have had many opportunities within my club and outside of my club to learn, demonstrate, and hone my leadership skills. I have been elected to offices in my 4-H club, each office requiring more leadership and responsibility than the last. Now, I am the president of my 4-H club, which leaves me with the responsibility of running each 4-H meeting and keeping everyone focused. Through this position, I also demonstrate leadership to my fellow members by holding votes for motions to pass, suggesting motions, and walking younger members through the process of each meeting. Being a 4-H camp counselor has also contributed tremendously to my leadership skills. As a camp counselor, I have been tasked with coming up with workshop ideas for camp, running those workshops, and being responsible for campers, which has forced me to step up and become a better leader to keep camp running smoothly.
“Receiving the honor of being named 4-H boy of the year would be a crowning achievement in my 4-H career. I remember looking up to winners in past years and wanting to work harder in 4-H and be just like they were. They inspired me to become more involved in 4-H, which in turn has made me a better citizen and person as a whole. I have met people I will never forget, made memories that will last a lifetime, and made lasting friendships through my time in 4-H I hope that whoever wins this award this year will inspire the younger generation to stay in 4-H, make amazing memories, and become better people for our community and for themselves, just as past winners inspired me.”
FFA Girl of the Year
Ashley Dailey is the daughter of Bill and Kim Dailey of Mechanicsburg. Ashley is a 2016 graduate of Mechanicsburg High School where she was a four-year member of the Mechanicsburg FFA Chapter. Ashley was the president of her senior class and was a member of the academic honor roll every quarter of her high school career. In her senior year she was also the president of the National Honor Society.
Ashley excelled in FFA. In her senior year she was recognized as a gold rated secretary with a perfect score on her secretary’s book. Ashley participated in several Career Development Events throughout her FFA years. In her freshman year she finished 2nd in the county in the Creed speaking contest. Public speaking soon became Ashley’s passion. In her senior year she was the Champaign County, as well as the sub district, champion in prepared public speaking and went on to compete in the district finals. In the Job Interview competition of her senior year she was also the Champaign County Champion. As a junior, Ashley was the County Champion in Rural soil judging and competed at the District level. Ashley also competed on her chapter’s Equine judging team.
Ashley was awarded her FFA State Degree in the spring of 2015. Her projects in FFA consist of showing market hogs and market ducks at the county fair. She has raised mini Australian Shepherd puppies as part of her SAE projects. Ashley also assists her parents in running “Dailey Stables” at the Champaign County Fairgrounds. She assists her parents in the training of many horses at the fairgrounds and is very proud of the fact that her family’s horses own the records at the Champaign County track. Ashley is a two-time State Barrel Racing Champion at the Ohio State Fair along with her favorite horse, “Badger.”
Ashley is a past member of the Champaign County Junior Fairboard as well as the Champaign County Horse Council. In high school Ashley was a member of the Student Council as well as the Marching Band, the Mechanicsburg Choir and the Spanish Club.
Ashley has volunteered in many community service activities that include raising awareness of pediatric cancer, assisting at McAuley Center by spending time with the elderly, as well as volunteering at PAWS Animal Shelter.
As her senior year in high school came to a close, Ashley received many accolades.
She received an FFA Booster Scholarship and was very proud to receive the 1st Mack Hartley Award. This award goes to a member of the Mechanicsburg FFA who goes above and beyond what is expected to make the chapter the best it can be. Without a doubt, the highest honor Ashley received was a full academic scholarship to attend Wilmington College this fall where she will major in Ag – Business.
FFA Boy of the Year
Jared Weller is an incoming senior at Urbana High School. He is the son of Tim and Stacie Weller and resides in Urbana. During his past 3 years as an FFA member of the Urbana FFA chapter he has served the chapter as current Vice-President and past reporter and student advisor.
He received his State FFA Degree this spring. Jared’s Supervised Agricultural Experience is job placement at Maple Lane Farms where he assists with managing animal production, pot-to-plant trees, and assists in sales.
Jared was a member of the Meat Evaluation team, Soils, Job Interview, Public Speaking and Food Science Career Development Events. He attended State FFA Conventions, State Leadership Night, Washington Leadership Conference, and Champaign County Administration Dinner. Jared completed over 100 hours of community service above and beyond what was required to earn his State FFA Degree by participating in Cardboard City, Relay for Life, Trick or Treat for Cans, and Meals of Hope, to name a few.
Jared has aspirations to become a state FFA officer, as well as attend a military academy. He is an advocate for community service and puts forth great efforts to work with others to help the community.
The FFA Girl and Boy of the year are selected from their involvement in their FFA chapter and state and national associations. Members’ applications are reviewed for growth in their area of SAE and community involvement. Members must also have earned the State FFA Degree. Interviews are conducted as needed. The FFA Girl of the Year is sponsored by Koenig Equipment and FFA Boy of the Year is sponsored by Farmers Equipment. Each will receive a scholarship award.
Mark Sommers Memorial Award Recipient
Garrett Jordan is a 2016 graduate of Graham High School. He is the son of Rick and Tara Jordan and resides in Urbana. During his years as an FFA member of the A.B. Graham Ohio Hi-Point FFA chapter his Supervised Agricultural Experiences included chopped wood sales and creating and organizing an annual Memorial Day Bass Fishing Tournament from the ground up. Garrett competed in the Outdoor Recreation proficiency area with his fishing tournament. He served as the chairman for two years and built a solid foundation for other FFA members to take it over.
Garrett was a member of the Wildlife Management Career Development Event team. He also competed in Farm Business Management and Greenhand FFA Quiz CDE teams.
Garrett will be majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries at South Dakota State University, where he also will wrestle.
