Posted: February 23, 2022
At the recent Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference, 29 4-H’ers received Diamond Clover Awards, the highest achievement possible in the Pennsylvania 4-H program.
The Clover Award Program encourages 4-H members to explore new projects and activities that will help them acquire the seven leadership life skills: communicating; decision making and problem solving; getting along with others; learning to learn; managing; understanding self; and working in groups. Engagement with the Clover Award Program is generally a multi-year process and consists of planning and implementing a service-learning project in the community.
"Now more than ever, the skills learned as 4-H’ers are needed all over our world," said Jeanette Stackhouse, 4-H teen program manager with Penn State Extension. "We are delighted to see so much thought and effort go into these projects that make a great impact on the 4-H'er’s local community."
4-H’ers from the following counties received Diamond Awards:
Adams County
— Amanda Hollabaugh planned the annual picnic for the Land Conservancy of Adams County.
Allegheny County
— Norah Carter developed and led a hands-on educational program for teens and tweens about mindfulness and stress-management coping mechanisms.
Bucks County
— David Arnoldi led a lava lamp room during the virtual science night at a local school.
— Addy Hazelrigg led a pillowcase dress donation project for the Global Hope Alliance.
— Ilene Stark taught 4-H members to make toys for donation to the Bucks County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Clearfield County
— Macy Hughes led an educational demonstration on fire safety.
Crawford County
— Mallory Schroeder taught other 4-H members to safely handle, show and care for horses.
Fayette County
— Cheyenne Bash worked with an elementary school’s 4-H woodworking club to promote hand tool safety.
— Kenzie Mowry founded a 4-H club to mentor youth between the ages of eight and 12 on decision-making, friendship, trust, and safety.
— Isabel Poorbaugh taught elementary school students about food systems.
Greene County
— Hannah Cole assembled a first aid kit for her local 4-H livestock barn and arranged for volunteer leaders and County Council members to receive first aid training.
Indiana County
— Elizabeth Bruner organized a three-day wildlife, forestry and aquatics camp at a local park.
— Ryan Fabin conducted a financial workshop to teach teens about saving and investing.
— Micah Nygren performed music at a local nursing home — and brought tambourines and maracas for residents to join along.
Lycoming County
— Elizabeth Fishel ran an art camp for children at the Lycoming County Fair.
Montgomery County
— Tayler Garges educated youth on the importance of pollinators and the pollination process.
— Angela Lamina planted a garden at the Southeastern Veterans Center.
Perry County
— Elizabeth Lentz created Star Wars figures from plywood for the Christmas Walk display at a local state park.
— Autumn Moore led outdoor educational programs at a local state park.
Schuylkill County
— Collin Felty built a gaga ball pit for his community and taught other students how to play.
Snyder County
— Colette Hoffman taught embryology to first-grade students.
Somerset County
— Hannah Brehm organized and led the planting of a community garden.
— Hunter Cornell hosted a nonperishable food drive.
— Julie Mitchell organized the growing and harvest of more than 500 pounds of acorn squash for donation to the Somerset County Mobile Food Bank.
— Elizabeth Salsgiver established a library pantry for books, food and toiletries.
Union County
— Sylvia Rishel planted flowers around the courtyard at the Elmcroft Senior Living Community.
Venango County
— Cailyn Shaffer crocheted fleece blankets for residents in cancer centers, a nursing home and a homeless shelter.
Washington County
— Abigail and Jacob Mitchell built or purchased bee hotels to support community pollinators.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a community of more than 6 million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. Penn State Extension 4-H youth development educators in all 67 counties throughout the commonwealth administer local 4-H programs through nonformal education and outreach. To find your local program, visit the Penn State Extension 4-H website.
