Outstanding 4-H youth and supporters celebrated at Georgia 4-H State Congress

Georgia 4-H celebrated excellence in youth participants, adult leaders, and community supporters during the annual 4-H State Congress in Atlanta July 23-26. A week-long event for top 4-H’ers at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia, State Congress includes the state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action contests for youth.

Senator Larry Walker III, Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter, Sonya Jones, and Lauren Clark received prestigious awards as champions of youth development programming.

More than 200 youth delegates competed in 49 Project Achievement areas, with the highest-scoring competitor in each area receiving Master 4-H’er status as state winners.

Project Achievement is a core Georgia 4-H program element, empowering young people with leadership, creativity, public speaking, and record keeping skills that will last a lifetime. At the high school level, students choose a project of interest from a list of areas that include agriculture, human development, performing arts, communication, engineering, and workforce preparation. They subsequently research the topic, create and deliver a detailed presentation, and participate in related community service and civic engagement activities. State Congress competition includes individual interviews with qualified professionals who engage with 4-H’ers about their project work.

To view a complete list of State Congress Project Achievement participants, visit this link.

Eight finalists competed in the Leadership in Action contest during State Congress. Leadership in Action calls for 4-H’ers to identify a community need and work to meet that need by planning and implementing original projects and initiatives. Competitors then prepare an application packet and participate in interviews at the district level to be selected as state finalists.

Addy Winchester from Pulaski County and Leila Rimes were selected as the 2025 state Leadership in Action winners.

Winchester created the Mighty Showmanship event, an opportunity for youth with disabilities to experience success in the livestock show ring. This show invited youth to participate in a swine show with support from peer mentors and provided a supportive and inclusive show environment. Rimes responded to the need for access to menstrual health products in rural areas and created the “4-HER” project. This initiative resulted in the placement of personal care boxes in 4-H center restrooms and distribution of 600 personal care packages in Southwest Georgia.

Other finalists were Sheila Flores from Pickens County, Tyson Mathis from Oconee County, Melinda Kaye Mercer from Bleckley County, Prayushi Padhi from Cobb County, William Parish from Gordon County, and Aubrianna Stewart from Bryan County.

Special event Master 4-H’ers from the 2024-25 program year were also recognized at State Congress.

Senator Larry Walker III received the 4-H Green Jacket Award. This prestigious award honors individuals who have shown outstanding, significant, and ongoing statewide support to Georgia 4-H programs. Sen. Walker serves the citizens of Georgia’s District 20 and currently holds the role of Senate Majority Caucus Secretary and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. He has shown unwavering support to 4-H in his role as a legislator, including hosting Georgia 4-H Day at the Capitol for five consecutive years and leading the Citizenship Ceremony at 4-H State Council. He led the effort to appropriate $3 million in the Fiscal Year 2023 amended budget to support the Rock Eagle 4-H Center cabin replacement campaign and acts as a significant advocate for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Sen. Walker embodies the spirit of the 4-H Green Jacket Award, graciously sponsored by the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation.

Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter (GNFA) received the Friend of 4-H Award. This award is presented to individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding and exemplary contributions to the Georgia 4-H vision and mission in conjunction with the Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals. For more than 30 years, GNFA has offered world-class facilities as a partner in providing meaningful experiences for thousands of youth through agriculture and animal science education. The GNFA staff works alongside Extension and 4-H professionals to host more than a dozen livestock shows every year and supports educational contests that include public speaking, cooking, and performing arts. Signature programs like the Legislative Showdown and 4-H Day at the Fair offer youth powerful opportunities to engage with elected officials, showcase their skills, and advocate for agriculture.

Sonya Jones, Pulaski County Extension Coordinator and 4-H Agent, received the William H. Booth Award. This award recognizes 4-H Extension agents for outstanding career achievements and strong commitment to community support. With over 22 years of service in Pulaski County, Jones has built a dynamic 4-H program centered on her personal motto of “Place, Potential, Purpose, and Passion.” During her tenure, she has created programming for youth with disabilities, established a Culture Connection day camp, and led a “Pulaski Proud” virtual exchange for seven other states that have a county named Pulaski. She has earned numerous awards at the national level, revitalized the Pulaski County volunteer program, and secured more than $10,000 in county endowment funding. She empowers youth to discover where they belong and who they can become through 4-H.

Lauren Clark, Screven County 4-H Agent, received the Ryles Rising Star Award. This award recognizes an outstanding 4-H staff member for significant contributions to the success of 4-H in the first five years of their employment. Clark manages a 4-H program for more than 700 youth and partners with over 40 volunteers to provide high-quality programming in Screven County. In her short tenure, she has established a brand new 4-H horse program and a poultry judging team. She inspired supporters in Screven County to reach the second-highest number of donations in the state during the annual Georgia’s annual $4 for 4-H fundraiser. “While the growth in participation is impressive, Lauren’s unwavering commitment to the youth and families of Screven County is what truly sets her apart,” said Lee Anna Deal, Southeast District 4-H Program Development Coordinator.

The William H. Booth Award is presented in conjunction with the Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals and the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation. Additional William H. Booth Award finalists include Meridith Meckel from Burke County, Jacqueline Nunn from Putnam County, Octavia Jackson from Lamar County, and the late Allie Griner from Gordon County.

Leaders in the 4-H camping program and 4-H center administrators also received recognition during State Congress. The 2025-2026 Georgia 4-H Board of Directors were inducted into their positions of leadership, and the 2024-2025 Board of Directors were honored for their year of service.

State Congress is made possible by generous contributions from organizations that support positive youth development in Georgia. Major sponsors include Georgia’s EMCs, Georgia 4-H Foundation, and the Georgia Master 4-H Club. Georgia 4-H Foundation Pillar and Presenting sponsors include Harley Langdale Jr. Foundation, Inc., Premium Peanut, Kelly Loeffler, META, and Chemours.

Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships, and community awareness. As the premier youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than hundreds of thousands of people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.

For more information about Georgia 4-H, contact your local University of Georgia County Extension Office or visit www.georgia4h.org.