Middlebury--The 2023 Addison County 4-H Achievement Night was held November 18 at Mary Hogan School in Middlebury. This evening is the culmination of the 4-H year for the members who have worked hard on their project areas to receive recognition for their efforts. 

The Mountain View 4-H Club, Bridport, and Weybridge Willing Workers, Weybridge, served as the host clubs for the event. Participants included 49 youths, 11 leaders and 38 guests, who shared a potluck dinner and took part in a fun Jeopardy-style game about 4-H, led by Mountain View 4-H Club members Torrey Hanna, Addison, and Katherine Whipple, Bridport. 

Several participants received certificates of participation or excellence, medals or continued achievement awards for their work in specific projects. To be eligible to receive any of these awards, 4-H’ers have to be members in good standing, attending at least 75 percent of both club business meetings and applicable project meetings. They also are required to complete their member and project records and receive a recommendation from their club’s adult leader.

A certificate of participation is awarded to recognize outstanding work in a project and requires six to eight hours of sequential project-related activities. A certificate of excellence is awarded to those 4-H’ers who meet the requirements for a certificate of participation but also complete more than eight hours of project-related activities, including developing and conducting a visual or verbal presentation that shares project skills, knowledge or information with an audience beyond the club level.

Medals are awarded to 4-H’ers who previously earned a certificate of excellence in their project area, are enrolled in that project for a minimum of two years and participate in a project area learning experience beyond the club level, such as a workshop, quiz bowl or livestock show. The highest recognition, the continued achievement award, is given to 4-H’ers who previously received a medal and have continued to excel in that project. 

Award winners, listed by club, were:

BETTER DAYS 4-H CLUB, BRIDPORT: 

  • Certificate of Participation: Aliyah Bradford (equine, communication arts) and Chase Petrin, (poultry, communications arts), both from Addison; Alexis Freegard, Bristol (equine) 

CRITTER CREEK 4-H CLUB, SALISBURY:

  • Certificate of Participation: Natalie Layn, Bristol (gardening) 
  • Certificate of Excellence: Natalie Layn, Bristol (sheep)

KELLOGG BAY 4-H CLUB, FERRISBURGH:

  • Certificate of Participation: Lacey Barber, New Haven (dairy); Hailey Chase, Bristol (gardening, sewing); Logan Kirkpatrick, Addison (dairy)
  • Certificate of Excellence: Thomas Allen, Ferrisburgh (dairy); Hailey Chase, Bristol (dairy); Lola Rollins, North Ferrisburgh (dairy); Eliana Vunables-Vogel, Addison (dairy)
  • Medal: Mackenzie Chase, Bristol (dairy, poultry); Emma Deering, Middlebury (dairy); Roxanne Griffin, Vergennes (dairy)
  • Certificate of Continued Achievement: Caroline Allen, Ferrisburgh (dairy)

MOUNT INDEPENDENCE 4-H CLUB, ORWELL:

  • Certificate of Participation: Payton Lucas (dairy) and Olivia Tudhope (dairy), both from Orwell
  • Certificate of Excellence: Taryn Burns (dairy) and Sutton Chittenden (dairy), both from Whiting; Morgan White, Shoreham (leadership)
  • Medal: Tenley Chittenden, Whiting (dairy)
  • Certificate of Continued Achievement: Morgan White, Shoreham (dairy)

MOUNTAIN VIEW 4-H CLUB, BRIDPORT:

  • Certificate of Participation: Caroline Allen, Ferrisburgh (equine); Tessa Busky, North Ferrisburgh (equine); Colton Butler (dairy), Desiree Plouffe (sewing), Renee Plouffe (sewing), Kendall Thompson (dairy) and Robert Whipple (beef), all from Bridport; Normandie Cesario, Cornwall (equine, dairy, community service); Gabby Ellis, Shoreham (beef); Torrey Hanna, Addison (dairy); Claira Lucas, Orwell (beef)
  • Certificate of Excellence: Emma Lucas, Orwell (beef); Camille Plouffe, Bomoseen (dairy); Desiree Plouffe (dairy, community service), Renee Plouffe (dairy, community service) and Sophia Stocker (dairy), all from Bridport
  • Medal: Michael Plouffe (leadership) and Erin Whipple (leadership), both from Bridport
  • Certificate of Continued Achievement: Michael Plouffe (dairy, community service), Alexis Whipple (beef, community service), Erin Whipple (beef, community service) and Katherine Whipple (beef, community service), all from Bridport

NEW HAVEN DAIRY, NEW HAVEN:

  • Certificate of Participation: Alyssa Warren (dairy), Shoreham; Dayton Needham, New Haven (dairy); Sophee Shepard, Panton (dairy)
  • Certificate of Excellence: Gracelynn Barber (dairy, sewing), Shoreham; Jayden Ploof (dairy) and Kylee Shepard (dairy), both from Panton; Bella Roell, Middlebury (dairy); Isabella Wilbur, Orwell (dairy)
  • Medal: Peyton Ball, Vergennes (dairy)
  • Certificate of Continued Achievement: Brailey Livingston, New Haven (dairy)

PRIME CUTS, SHOREHAM:

  • Certificate of Participation: Damian Fitzsimmons, Shoreham (beef)

SHELBURNE EXPLORERS, SHELBURNE:

  • Certificate of Participation: John Belter, Essex Junction (dairy)
  • Certificate of Excellence: Jordan Hutchins, North Ferrisburgh (dairy); Noa Sauve, Colchester (dairy)

SHOREHAM EARLY BIRDS, SHOREHAM:

  • Certificate of Excellence: Gracelynn Barber, Shoreham (poultry)

SILVER HOOVES, SHOREHAM:

  • Certificate of Excellence: Serenity (Iris) Bassett, New Haven (equine)
  • Certificate of Continued Achievement: Shyanne Wedge, Shoreham (equine) 

WEYBRIDGE WILLING WORKERS, WEYBRIDGE:

  • Certificate of Participation: Haylee Clark, Middlebury (sewing); Sophia Welch, Bridport (sewing) 

Several 4-H leaders also were recognized for their years of service. 

  • First year: Tara Barber, Karissa Livingston and Samantha Sturtevant, all from New Haven; Kelsey Bradford and Anna Willenbaker, both from Addison; Jacqueline Chase and Scott Gordon, both from Bristol; Makayla Davis, Shoreham; Abby Reen, Lincoln  
  • Five years: Becky Allen, Vergennes; Kristina Reen, Lincoln; Kristy Whipple, Bridport  
  • Ten years: Barbara Palmer, Weybridge; Cady White, Whiting 
  • Twenty years: Kylie Chittenden, Whiting 
  • Twenty five years: Cindy Kayhart, New Haven; Kathy Kennett, Vergennes  
  • Thirty years: Kathy Nisun and Susan Quesnel, both from Salisbury 
  • Forty five years: Diane Norris, Shoreham 

A drawing of members in good standing was held for the Outstanding Member of 2023. The winners were Gracelynn Barber, Shoreham; Taryn Burns, Whiting; and Gabby Ellis, Shoreham. They each received $50 from the Addison County 4-H Foundation to be used for their 4-H project.  

The 4-H Foundation also had a drawing to choose one member in good standing for a 4-H backpack. The winner was Emma Lucas, Orwell. In addition, the foundation donated door prizes that were drawn throughout the night for both members and volunteers.