Iowa Delegates to 2011 National 4-H Congress Announced

AMES, Iowa – Twenty-one 4-H’ers have been selected to represent Iowa as delegates for the National 4-H Congress entitled “Become a Catalyst of Change,” in Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 25 -29.

The youth are sponsored by the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa 4-H Foundation National 4-H Congress Endowment and will get a chance to listen to speakers, participate in workshops and serve the Atlanta community.

Gail Castillo and Wade Weber, 4-H youth program specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will accompany and chaperone the 21 young people.

• Adair County 4-H’er Kysa Downing, Creston, is the daughter of Steve and Karen Downing.

A six-year 4-H member, Downing has been involved in the beef, home improvement, visual art, clothing and citizenship project areas. She has served as president, vice president and secretary of her 4-H club. She has participated in the Adair County 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

[PHOTO] Kysa Downing

• Clay County 4-H’er Andrew Buenger, Everly, is the son of Joel and Paula Buenger.

A nine-year 4-H member, Buenger has been involved in the photography, sheep, food and nutrition, woodworking and horticulture project areas. He has served as club treasurer, photographer and historian. He has participated in the Clay County 4-H Council, Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has given me many opportunities to understand how to be a good leader and a good citizen,” said Buenger.

[PHOTO] Andrew Buenger

• Fayette County 4-H’er Brianna Lee, West Union, is the daughter of Darrell and Rhonda Lee.

A nine-year 4-H member, Lee has been involved in the photography, food and nutrition, clothing and woodworking project areas. She has served as her club vice president and historian. She has participated in the Fayette County 4-H Council, County Youth Committee, State 4-H Council, CWF and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has helped me by providing opportunities where I can step out of my comfort zone,” said Lee.

[PHOTO] Brianna Lee

• Fayette County 4-H’er Whitney Stahr, West Union, is the daughter of Roger and Wendy Stahr.

An eight-year 4-H member, Stahr has been involved in the clothing, food and nutrition, consumer management, citizenship and dog project areas. She has served as club president, vice president and historian. She has participated in the Fayette County 4-H Council, County Youth Committee and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has had a huge impact on me as a person,” Stahr said. “I am a better citizen, a good leader and an effective communicator as a result of the 4-H program.”

[PHOTO] Whitney Stahr

• Fremont County 4-H’er Billy Dyke, Sidney, is the son of Dean and Sue Dyke.

A seven-year 4-H member, Dyke has been involved in the leadership, citizenship, communication and photography project areas. He has served as club president and historian. He has participated in the Fremont County 4-H Council, Area 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Technology Team.

“4-H has opened many doors for me,” Dyke said. “I have grown so much as a person, as a citizen and as a leader because of Iowa 4-H.”

[PHOTO] Billy Dyke

• Hamilton County 4-H’er Nicole Heinrichs, Webster City, is the daughter of Mike and Alice Heinrichs.

An eight-year 4-H member, Heinrichs has been involved in the photography, food and nutrition, leadership and citizenship project areas. She has served as club president, treasurer and secretary. She has participated in the Hamilton County 4-H Council, State 4-H Council, CWF and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has helped influence me as a person by giving me leadership skills that will help me to lead and be a part of a group,” said Heinrichs.

[PHOTO] Nicole Heinrichs

• Harrison County 4-H’er Victoria Thompson, Woodbine, is the daughter of Scott and Kim Thompson.

A nine-year 4-H member, Thompson, has been involved in the dog, veterinary medicine, photography, communication and animal science project areas. She served as president, vice president and activity director of her club. She also has participated in the Harrison County 4-H Council.

“Now that I am a senior, I realize how much 4-H has helped influence me and my future plans,” Thompson said. “4-H has helped prepare me for my future by making me a better leader, a more confident public speaker and a more focused, detail-oriented person.”

[PHOTO] Victoria Thompson

•  Johnson County 4-H’er Conner Graves, Iowa City, is the son of Joe and Leann Graves.

A seven-year 4-H member, Graves has been involved in the horticulture, food and nutrition, citizenship, leadership and photography project areas. He has served as his club’s president, vice president and treasurer. He has participated in the Johnson County 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has helped me gain confidence and develop leadership skills, as well as given me the opportunity to help others in many ways,” said Graves.

[PHOTO] Connor Graves

• Johnson County 4-H’er Rebecca Haugland, Solon, is the daughter of Brett and Lisa Haugland.

An eight-year 4-H member, Haugland has been involved in the rabbit, home improvement, food and nutrition, photography and science and engineering project areas. She has served as club president, historian and leader’s assistant. She has participated in the Johnson County 4-H Council, Area 4-H Council, State 4-H Council, CWF and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has helped me to become a more active individual in all aspects of my life,” said Haugland.

[PHOTO] Rebecca Haugland

• Johnson County 4-H’er Natalie Kasper, Tiffin, is the daughter of Teresa Marshall-Kasper.

A nine-year 4-H member, Kasper has been involved in the clothing, food and nutrition, visual art, woodworking and goat project areas. She has served as club secretary. She has participated in the Johnson County 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has allowed me to learn and develop skills and interest areas outside of school curriculum,” Kasper said. “It has also given me the opportunities to aid my community, mentor children as they develop skills and experiment in areas which may become my future career fields.”

[PHOTO] Natalie Kasper

• Lee County 4-H’er Haley Wellman, Houghton, is the daughter of Miles and Cindy Wellman.

A nine-year 4-H member, Wellman has been involved in the beef, swine, home improvement, leadership and citizenship project areas. She has served as club president, vice president and secretary. She has participated in the Lee County 4-H Council, State 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has helped influence me because it has given me many opportunities to have several leadership roles, helped teach me about responsibility, given me chances to strengthen my communication skills and become a better citizen through different community service projects,” said Wellman.

[PHOTO] Haley Wellman

• Lucas County 4-H’er Greg Beard, Chariton, is the son of Randy and Jackie Beard.

An eight-year 4-H member, Beard has been involved in the swine, sheep, communications and photography project areas. He has served as club president, vice president and reporter. He has participated in the Lucas County 4-H Council and County Youth Committee, Area 4-H Council, State 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“I am always learning new things through 4-H,” Beard said. “4-H will help me be a successful adult.”

[PHOTO] Greg Beard

• Madison County 4-H’er Sarah Al-Mazroa, Peru, is the daughter of Paul and Darla Millhollin.

An eight-year 4-H member, Al-Mazroa has been involved in the beef, food and nutrition and communications project areas. She has served as club vice president and secretary. She has participated in the Madison County 4-H Council, County Youth Committee, State 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has shaped me into the person I am today,” Al-Mazroa said. “It has helped build my leadership and communication skills that will be with me for the rest of my life.”

[PHOTO] Sarah Al-Mazroa

• Marion County 4-H’er Jennifer Adrian, Knoxville, is the daughter of Elizabeth Adrian.

A nine-year 4-H member, Adrian has been involved in the clothing, food and nutrition, photography, communication and leadership project areas. She has served as club president, vice president and secretary. She has participated in the Marion County 4-H Council, County Youth Committee, Area 4-H Council, State 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“Throughout my nine years of 4-H, I have had the opportunity to participate in many new and challenging experiences,” Adrian said. “I can look back and see how I have grown from a reluctant fourth grader to a strong believer in the merits of 4-H.”

[PHOTO] Jennifer Adrian

• O’Brien County 4-H’er Megan Haupert, Granville, is the daughter of Tom and Marlene Haupert.

An eight-year 4-H member, Haupert has been involved in the clothing, photography, food and nutrition, home improvement and citizenship project areas. She has served as club secretary and treasurer. She has participated in the O’Brien County 4-H Council, State 4-H Council, CWF and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

[PHOTO] Megan Haupert

• Tama County 4-H’er Claire Reinhard, Gladbrook, is the daughter of Lisa Reinhard.

Reinhard has been involved in the veterinary science, home improvement, photography, consumer management and dog project areas. She has served as club president and treasurer. She has participated in the Tama County 4-H Council.

“As a child, I was pretty quiet and never wanted to get out of my comfort zone. 4-H has taught me to not be afraid to try new things,” said Reinhard.

[PHOTO] Claire Reinhard

• Washington County 4-H’er Lauren Carter, Washington, is the daughter of John and Kim Carter.

An eight-year 4-H member, Carter has been involved in the communication, swine, visual art, 4-H history/family heritage and beef project areas. She has served as club president, vice president and treasurer. She has participated in the Washington County 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has taught me to be responsible and keep accurate records,” said Carter.

[PHOTO] Lauren Carter

• Woodbury County 4-H’er Natalie Lord, Sioux City, is the daughter of Ed and Eileen Lord.

An eight-year 4-H member, Lord has been involved in the communication, food and nutrition, citizenship, photography and consumer management project areas. She has served as club president, secretary and historian. She has participated in the Woodbury County 4-H Council, State 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has been a very influential and worthwhile experience for me,” Lord said. “Being involved in 4-H has forced me out of my comfort zone and molded me into the well-rounded teenager that I feel I have become.”

[PHOTO] Natalie Lord

• Woodbury County 4-H’er Mark Rippke, Moville, is the son of Paul and Carolyn Rippke.

An eight-year 4-H member, Rippke has been involved in the beef, citizenship and photography project areas. He has served as club treasurer. He has participated in the Woodbury County 4-H Council, County Youth Committee, State 4-H Council, CWF and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has greatly improved my confidence,” Rippke said. “In June 2010, I went on the Citizen Washington Focus trip, which gave me great new friends and benefitted my communication skills. Since then, I have become increasingly involved in 4-H by serving on the county and state councils and helping organize and lead events in my county and region.”

[PHOTO] Mark Rippke

• Worth County 4-H’er Angela Benjegerdes, Mason City, is the daughter of Karl and Tina Benjegerdes.

A seven-year 4-H member, Benjegerdes has been involved in the communication, food and nutrition, clothing, swine and visual art project areas. She has served as club reporter. She has participated in the Worth County 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference.

“4-H has helped me grow so much as a person over the seven years I’ve been involved with the program,” said Benjegerdes.

[PHOTO] Angela Benjegerdes

• Worth County 4-H’er Sophia Benjegerdes, Mason City, is the daughter of Karl and Tina Benjegerdes.

A nine-year 4-H member, Benjegerdes has been involved in the communication, swine, clothing, citizenship and visual art project areas. She has served as club secretary and recreational officer. She has participated in the Worth County 4-H Council and the Iowa 4-H Youth Committee.

“There is no doubt 4-H has made me a more confident person,” Benjegerdes said. “I joined 4-H as a very shy fourth grader and am thankful for every opportunity 4-H has led me to.”

[PHOTO] Sophia Benjegerdes

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