PIERCE — The Pierce County 4-H Achievement Day was held Sunday, Oct. 19, in Pierce. The 4-H youth and adults participated in bingo.
The 4-H Council members were thanked for their years of service.
Kevin Flesner and Landon Koehler were recognized as retiring from 4-H Council. The 4-H leaders were also recognized for their many years of volunteering.
Leaders receiving special recogni- tion were: 10th year, Kathy Tinker and Bailey Backer; 15th year, Sarah Hilkemann; 20th year, Audra Huwaldt and Terri Sudbeck; 25th year, Vickie DeJong and Shari Kruger; 30th year, David Thomsen; 35th year, Gloria Kudera; 40th year, Joan Korth; 50th year, Sharon Lesser.
Clover Buds first-year, fifth-year
and 10th-year 4-H members were recognized and received certificates and their pins. Clover Buds members who were recognized are Tate Albers, Weston Albers, Lilly Anderson, Levi Bach, Brielle Backer, Isabel Backer, Beau Bahr, Claire Bahr, Ryker Bro vont, Kimber Christiansen, Renn Clark, Barrett Cleveland, Kyler Cleve -
land, Rhaelee Collison, Asher Dickey, Eli Dickey, Collette Doerr, Oliver Getzschman, Madeline Gubbels, Daley Hansen, Swazy Herbolsheimer, Sawyer Hinkel, Hazel Homing, Elijah Huwaldt, Jack Jessen, Kason Ketelsen, Owen Kilcoin, Baker Krueger, Em -
malynn Kuhl, Conner Lakin, Scarlett Marks, Layla Matuska, Hayleigh Melcher, Olivia Olson, Rhett Peter, Wyatt Pollreisz, Isabella Pufahl, Rylee Siebrandt, Cannon Spulak, Emma
Spulak,Emma Suckstorf, Maddox Sudbeck, Victoria Tarr, Kenley Ventei - cher, Kip Venteicher, Tucker Weinrich, Bennett Willer, Kerrigan Woita, Olivia Zautke, Nelli Zautke.
First-year members recognized were Parker Anson, Angelina Backer, Brayden Brandt, Emerson Flesner, Piper Flesner, Eely Forsyth, Hunter Gray, Pandora Gray, Erica Heilbrun, Jamie Heilbrun, Josiah Heilbrun, Hadlee Hinkel, Bentley Kruger, Ben - net Lakin, Gracie Long, Lilly Matuska, Dillon Melcher, Mason Newland, Avilene Peter, Tobias Tarr, Autumn Vanness.
Fifth-year members recognized were Isaac Endorf, Tate Hansen, Hannah Hickman, Zachary Hickman, Brysan Jones, Taylor Lambrecht, 4-H ACHIEVEMENT DAY; MORFELD OUTSTANDING Beckett Marks, Gabriel Olson, Jacey Schwede, Hallie Spreeman, Hazel Spreeman, Bailee Thelen, Thayer Thelen, Elizabeth Venteicher and Josie Wachter. The 10th year members who were recognized were Hadleigh Collison, Logan Gubbels, Keaton Olson, Dylan Schutt.
Also being recognized were the Nebraska State Fair Special Recognition winners Weston Stemick, reserve champion Hereford or polled Hereford steer; Wyatt Stemick, third place Hereford steer; Corbyn Siebrandt, first place intermediate goat showmanship, third place division 2 market wether; Matthew Alderson, photography Level 3 still life print; Brandon Thomsen, woodworking; Sara Thomsen, rocket; Zachary Hickman, lamp – special recognition.
Article writers for the 2025 Norfolk Daily News 4-H Special Edition recognition were: Ella Bauermeister, “Learning How to Make Jams and Jellies at 4-H Camp;” Luke Bauermeister,“Hydro Dipping a Deer Skull in 4-H,” and the youth who had participated in shooting sports contests through the year.
The 4-H members graduating from high school with the Class of 2026 will be Emily Endorf, Draydin Gossman, Cayden Holan, Alexandria Huwaldt, Aubrey Jensen, Jenna Schwede, Aubree Uribe, Cameron Wessendorf, Clay White and Dierck White. The graduating seniors who were in 4-H for six years or more were awarded an American Eagle silver coin by the Pierce County 4-H Council.
The Outstanding 4-H Alumni Award was presented to Kathy Tinker of Pierce. The Friend of 4-H Award was presented to Sharon Lesser.
The following awards are awarded based on the achievement application that is turned in to the Pierce 4-H Council and then voted upon. Receiving an award for their Outstanding 4-H Achievement application was Branden Thomsen of Pierce.
The following applied for and received their Level Awards through the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover Program: Level 1 – Amethyst was award to Autumn Vanness and Adley Venteicher; Level 2 – Aquamarine was award to Conner Gubbels; Level 4 – Saphire was award to Joseph Gubbels, McKaylin Passyka, and Elizabeth Venteicher. Brandon Thomsen completed the Diamond Clover and receives a 4-H Clover paper weight.
The Outstanding 4-H Exhibitor is decided by the number of ribbons that a youth receives at the Pierce County Fair. Purples are worth 4, Blues 3, Reds 2, and Whites 1. The 2025 Outstanding 4-H Exhibitor is Xavier Morfeld of Osmond.
The Outstanding 4-H Member award is voted upon at the 4-H Council Meeting. The 2025 Outstanding 4-H Member was awarded to Dierck White of Pierce.
The Pierce County 4-H Council and Extension Office Staff extended thanks to trophy donors, adult leaders, volunteers, junior leaders, and 4-H members for making the 2025 project year a great success.
