4-H'ers celebrate with recognition, awards ceremony

Grace Aker, the winner of the 4-H spirit Award poses with the sponsor of the award, Scott Herrick of Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home. Banner Graphic/JOSH GARVEY

GREENCASTLE -- On Saturday night the Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building was running out of chairs at the 4-H Recognition Program.

The program is an award ceremony honoring achievement in a variety of categories. There were close to 50 categories that received some sort of recognition during the hour-long ceremony.

Mark Evans, the county extension director 4-H youth educator, said this event represents the end of the calendar year for 4-H, and that this event makes for a nice capstone to the year for children who have participated in different aspects of 4-H.

"These awards kind of top off the accomplishments for them for the year of all the projects and work they've done through the year," Evans said.

The Spirit of 4-H Award, which Evans called the organization's highest honor, went to Grace Aker, who is currently a freshman at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology majoring in mechanical engineering.

Aker said she was glad she lived in a county where 4-H was so important to the community.

"It really means a lot to me because 4-H has always been a big part of my life and my family," Aker said. "We're very much centered around 4-H and it's just been a great experience for me for leadership skills and I've learned so much from it."

Aker was involved in a number of different 4-H projects including forestry, entomology, floriculture, pigs and goats. She said her favorite project was floriculture.

"My grandma was really big into gardening, and I think I got that gene passed down to me," Aker said.

Evans talked about the dedication that kids have to 4-H in Putnam County. He said that 92 percent of the kids involved in the group completed at least one project this year.

"I know a lot of counties that wish they had 75 percent," Evans said.

Evans said even though 4-H stresses children learning, awards are a nice addition to that.

"4-H is focused more on learning than on ribbons as far as accomplishments go, but everybody likes a ribbon or trophy, too," he said.