YOUTH NEWS
4-H Dairy Quiz
Vermont finished third at the 2023 North American 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl after the first-place New York and second-place Wisconsin teams. The national competition was held Nov. 3 and 4 in conjunction with the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky.
Members of the Vermont team were Torrey Hanna, Addison; Amy Vaughan, Newbury; Morgan White, Whiting; and Elizabeth Waterman, Thetford Center. They were coached by Stacey Bowen, North Clarendon; and Judy Vaughan, Newbury.
The two-day event got underway with a written test that was used to seed the state teams for the double-elimination competition. Many of the questions focused on the management of calves and heifers, animal welfare and technology, the topic areas of emphasis for this year’s competition. Elizabeth Waterman had the fourth-highest individual score on the test.
Fourteen teams competed in fact-paced, buzzer rounds, answering questions about dairy breeds, herd health, reproduction, calf raising, feeds and forages, milk production, dairy products marketing, livestock diseases, farm management practices and the dairy industry, among other topics. Vermont beat Minnesota to capture third place.
Trip funding was provided in part by the state 4-H Dairy Committee. Each team member also took part in local fundraising efforts to help cover the cost of the trip and received a K. Stewart Gibson Award, a scholarship given in honor of a former UVM Extension dairy specialist.
4-H Bovine Bonanza
The annual 4-H Bovine Bonanza took place Nov. 4 at the University of Vermont Paul R. Miller Research and Educational Center in South Burlington. Participants, ages 8 to 16, were divided into age groups, and rotated through sessions on body conditioning and scoring, mastitis, the milking process, nutrition and reproduction. Certificates of participation were awarded to:
Addison County — Desiree, Leone and Renee Plouffe, Sophia Stocker, Alexis, Erin and Robert Whipple, all of Bridport; Bella Roell, Bristol; Emma Deering, Blake Moulton, both of Middlebury; Hailee Allen, Peyton Ball, Lacey Barber, Brailey Livingston, all of New Haven; Claira and Emma Lucas, Amelia and Olivia Tudhope, Boston and Isabella Wilbur, all of Orwell; Jayden Ploof, Kylee and Sophee Shepard, all of Panton; Gracelynn Barber, Taryn Burns, Ellis, Sutton and Tenley Chittenden, Nevada Davis, Ruby Hubbell, Ellie McCullough, Ella Pope, Kendall Thompson, Alyssa Warren, all of Shoreham; Peyton Anderson, Samuel Luis, both of Whiting.
Caledonia County — Ryan Holbrook, Hardwick.
Chittenden County — Noa Sauve, Colchester.
Franklin County — Harper Cole and Cameron Rhodes, both of St. Albans.
Lamoille County — Bayden, Brody and Ella McAllister, all of Morrisville.
Orleans County — Eva Bury, Derby; Alexa Graham, Holland; Deegan Michaud, Greensboro; Emma Pothier, Newport Center.
Rutland County — Camille Plouffe, Bomoseen.
Washington County — Emmeline, Jasper and Patrick Paquet, Madalyn Perry, Ella Purchase, Katelyn Sibley, Carys Wood, all of East Montpelier.
4-H staff honored
Four UVM Extension 4-H staff members were recognized for their contributions to 4-H youth development. The awards were announced at the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals annual conference Oct. 9-12 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Martha Seifert, Addison County 4-H educator for the past 15 years, received the Meritorious Service Award, which recognizes the ongoing achievements of NAE4-HYDP members who have served the 4-H program for more than 15 but less than 25 years. Seifert manages the highest club youth enrollment in the state, overseeing 21 4-H clubs.
Liz Kenton, the UVM Extension Youth Agriculture Project coordinator, was the Distinguished Service Award recipient, presented to a member who has served more than seven years but less than 15. Kenton oversees the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics program.
Molly McFaun, recipient of the NAE4-HYDP Achievement in Service Award, joined UVM Extension 4-H in 2018. Growing up in 4-H, her current role is 4-H educator for Orange and Washington counties. The Achievement in Service Award recognizes individuals who have been involved in 4-H professional development for more than three years but less than seven.
Allison Smith, former Vermont 4-H assistant director, and Jennifer Lobley, a University of Maine Extension educator in volunteer development, won a national Communicator Award from NAE4-HYDP. They developed a social media package campaign, creating graphics related to volunteerism and volunteer recruitment. This award recognizes individuals for their significant accomplishments in presenting 4-H to the general public, civic and 4-H groups and others through public information methods.
VTAEYC awards
The Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) recognized Tammy Gosley, of Bennington, as the 2023 Vermont Early Childhood Educator of the Year. Gosley is a lead teacher with Head Start/Early Head Start of Bennington County. The annual award honors exceptional early childhood educators and spotlights the importance of high-quality early childhood education for Vermont’s children, families and communities.
In addition to Early Childhood Educator of the Year, VTAEYC presented awards that recognize excellence and advocacy among individuals at all career stages who are working both within and in support of early childhood education. The awardees are:
Children’s Champion, State Rep. Jessica Brumsted of Shelburne;
Distinguished Service, Betsy Rathbun-Gunn, of Manchester, director of Bennington County Head Start/Early Head Start;
Early Childhood Education Student of the Year, Matthew Moore, of Sharon, recent graduate of Community College of Vermont;
Emerging Leader, Caitlin D’Onofrio, of Burlington, early childhood educator at Robin’s Nest Children’s Center;
Outstanding Members, Dr. Kaitlin Northey, of Burlington, assistant professor of early childhood education at the University of Vermont; and April Zajko, of St. Johnsbury, early childhood educator and Community College of Vermont faculty member.
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