The 2018 Racine County 4-H Communications & Performing Arts Festival, held on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Union Grove High School, was a fantastic showcase of the leadership, communication skills, and talent of community youth. This year’s theme was “Connected.”
Over 110 youth from nine 4-H clubs participated in the festival with 196 entries total. Categories included performing arts, posters, creative writing, demonstrations, speeches, public service announcements, photos, computers and creative arts. The event’s emcees were the 2018 Racine County 4-H Outstanding Teens Alyson Buchholz and Abbie Hammer.
“Best All Around Communicator” awards were presented to youth who were recognized for their outstanding achievement in three exhibits that best showcased their communication skills representing a single theme. The award given in the event theme “Connected” category went to Sophia Matuszek, a 5th grader in the Raymond 4-H Club. Awards for original themes were given to 9th grade Raymond 4-H club member, Jake Matuszek, for his “Family” themed entries and to 10th grade Yorkville 4-H club member, Alec Edstrom, for his “Poultry” theme entries.
Twenty acts competed for “Best of Show” honors in the Performing Arts category. Awards went to Abbie Hammer, a 12th grader in the Burlington Back 40 club, for her vocal and ukulele solo, and to the Kan-Do 4-H club for their skit, “A Night in the Box”. Club member participants were James Bratz (5th), Cheyenne Brown (2nd), Max Frederick (9th), Makayla Miller (6th), Ella Reinholtz (6th), Ashley Schaal (4th), Michael Schaal (8th), Brody Stratton (4th), Carha Usher (6th) and JohnPaul Usher (5th).
State Fair delegates in the Performing Arts category are nominated to perform on the Youth Expo Stage at the Wisconsin State Fair. They were Abbie Hammer; Josephine Weisensel, an 8th grader from Tucker 4-H club, for her piano solo performance “Sonatina in C Major Movement 3 & Waltz in A Minor;” and the Kan-Do 4-H club skit “A Night in the Box.” The State Fair alternate is Cheyenne Brown, Kan-Do 4-H club for her individual vocal, “Space Unicorn.”
Performing Arts Spotlight ribbon recipients were Jonathan Cowan (6th), Burlington Back 40, for his piano solo, “Boogle Fun;” Zachary Cowan (8th), Burlington Back 40, for his piano solo, “Knight Rupert;” and Cecelia Rose (5th), Raymond 4-H, for her clarinet solo, “Over the Rainbow.”
The State Fair delegate from the demonstrations category was Alec Edstrom, a 10th grader from the Yorkville 4-H Club, for his poultry demonstration. The alternate was Mikayla Johnson, 13th grade in the All 4 One club.
Other Spotlight Award winners were: Caleb Deschler (photography), Megan Draheim (writing and photography), Alec Edstrom (speech and photography), John Folbrecht (writing), Francesca Frederick (creative arts), Mikayla Johnson (demonstrations), Megan LaRose (computers and creative Art), Rabeka Liberto (demonstrations), Jake Matuszek (writing, speech-reading, photography), Sophia Matuszek (photography), Audriana Meinholz (posters), Abigail Schmidt (posters), Katie Schmidt (posters), Nathan Strickland (speech-PSA), JohnPaul Usher (creative arts), and Mary Weisensel (creative arts).
Other 4-H participants were: Maddie Allender, Erin Bartelson, Addison Bartelt, Hollyn Bartelt, Paige Betthauser, Samuel Bronner, Zachary Brown, Ashley Chapeta, Tyler Deden, Kevin Ehrhart, Mary Folbrecht, Lillian Friedrich, Elanore Friesema, Lincoln Friesema, Savanna Gallagher, Raymond Gomez, Ryan Gomez, Andrew Grimes, Alex Grochowski, Haley Gustin, Celeste Guthman, Emma Henningfield, Sarah Henningfield, Andrew Janes, Emily Janes, Jarrett Janes, Stephen Janes, Josiah Johnson, Leah Johnson, Colleena Jones, Colton Klunk, Lilly Koldeway, Jonathan Kosinski, Damon Krampitz, Tucker LaRose, Jason Liberto, Tyler Licht, Caria Luedtke, Tess Luedtke, Roman Markiewicz, Cole Maurice, Charlie McSorley, Alayna Meinholz, Alivia Meinholz, Amelia Meinholz, Rita Michaelis, Gabriella Miller, Victoria Miller, Mason Obermeyer, Emma Obershaw, Alyssa Petrie-Boehm, Chase Pirocanac, James Pirocanac, Page Pirocanac, Allyviah Renzulli, Reid Renzulli, Matt Rossman, Bennett Roszkowski, Lydia Rowntree, Maggie Rowntree, Ella Schamber, Amelia Schmidt, Katie Schmidt, Liberty Schoepke, Milania Schuebel, Ben Sendelbach, Piper Sendelbach, Faith Serrelli, Jasper Serrelli, Antoine Skora, Tabresha Skora, Fiona Valy, Abby Waterworth, Taylor Wawrzyniakowski, Jack Welbon, Whitney Welbon, Aubrey Young, and Owen Young.
Congratulations to all of the participants for all their hard work and for sharing.
The 2017 Racine County Fair Fairest of the Fair, Sarah Eulgen, participated as a special guest and speaker.
The Racine County 4-H Ambassadors assisted during the day with the food booth, check-in, judge’s helpers and in the performing arts area. Those assisting included Paige Betthauser, Megan Billmyer, Emily Bird, Alyson Buchholz, Cody Deschler, Alec Edstrom, Max Frederick, Chris Hinkel, Abbie Hammer, Rachael Kalbas, Megan LaRose, Chase Pirocanac, Paige Pirocanac, and Emma Scott, and Jennifer Hinkel and Krystle Henningfeld, Ambassador Advisors.
The 2018 organizing committee was led by Ann Voge and Kevin Ehrhart. Other committee members included Kathy Ehrhart, Mackenzie Geschke, Miranda Henningfeld, Linnet Henningfeld, Chris Hinkel, Megan LaRose, Ellen LaRose, Helen Lena, Julie Rossman, Christy Schamber, and Jen Reese, UW-Extension. Other volunteers that assisted included Mary Jane Anderson, Kristina Edstrom, Sarah Eulgen, Jennifer Janes, Jarrett Janes, Emily Janes, Stephen Janes, Joy Pirocanac, Payton Simon, Nathan Strickland, Josephine Weisensel, Carha Usher, JohnPaul Usher, and Wendy Usher.
Racine County 4-H would like to recognize Union Grove High School and Pete Wood, facility manager for the use of the building; student techs, Ashley Werner and Hailey Kayler, who worked the sound and lights; advisor Mike Kurhajec for his technical assistance; the judges who took time out to share and educate our youth; and to all family and community members for your support of the Racine County 4-H program.
Wisconsin 4-H Youth Development is part of the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, with more than 150,000 youth in urban, suburban and rural settings involved with 4-H and other UW-Extension youth programs in the state’s 72 counties. Wisconsin 4-H’s 16,000 adult volunteers serve as mentors and role models who provide a safe, interactive place for youth to take risks, practice their independence and master new skills. Adults who volunteer for 4-H learn and strengthen skills that help them in the workplace and to become better connected to their communities. Find out more about Wisconsin 4-H at http://4h.uwex.edu/.
UW-Extension offers timely access to University of Wisconsin research and knowledge through educational colleagues in 72 county offices, on five 4-year campuses and within three tribal nations, offering educational programs that address the important issues of individuals, families, businesses and communities.
For information on joining Racine County 4-H, contact the Racine County UW-Extension Office at (262)767-2929.
