One member of Chester County 4-H recently received the Spirit of 4-H Award, and three others were presented with certificates of achievement.

The Spirit of 4-H Award honors the 4-H member who has demonstrated the most spirit, enthusiasm and willingness to do anything for 4-H or the community. Club leaders nominate one member from each club, and nominees are asked to complete and return an application. The 4-H Program Development Committee reviews the applications and selects the winner. The award was first presented in 1998 by the Saddle Up 4-H Horse and Pony Club.

This year, the Chester County Spirit of 4-H Award was presented to Emma Uhlman, a 10-year 4-H member who participates in the Beef, Sheep, and Swine clubs. The West Whiteland Township resident credits 4-H with helping to prepare her for the future, discover a passion for agriculture and teach her about hard work. She has engaged in several community events to promote agriculture and made many friends through her 4-H journey. Her leader, Tiffany Bell, noted that Uhlman is highly motivated and always willing to volunteer for leadership roles within the Beef Club. Uhlman plans to attend Penn State in the fall. She received a plaque in recognition of her Spirit of 4-H Award, and her name will be emblazoned on a plaque displayed at the 4-H Center.

The winners of the certificates of achievement are Audrey Ibach, River Lease and Olivia Macomber.

Ibach is a six-year member of the Northern Chester County Horse Club. In this club, she has held various leadership positions, helped with the club's horse show and participated in several community events representing 4-H. She has attended the 4-H State Leadership conference to build her leadership and communication skills and competed in the hippology contest to expand her equine skills.

Lease is a nine-year member who participates in the 4-H livestock program, raising and showing goats, sheep and beef as well as being a member of the livestock judging team. He said his 4-H experiences have opened his eyes to careers in agriculture and led him to his current job at a local dairy farm as well as his own small farm-to-table business selling homegrown meat and eggs. His leader, Betsy Macauley, said he exemplifies the spirit of 4-H and has demonstrated significant leadership development. Lease mentors less experienced members of the judging team without hesitation and positively represents Chester County at local, regional, state and national livestock events.

Macomber is in her final year of 4-H after an exemplary nine-year 4-H career. She credits 4-H with helping her grow to be the person she is today and helping her to transition from being shy to being able to speak to groups with confidence. The 4-H community has continued to support her as she moved out of state for college while staying active on the Chester County livestock judging team and participating in club meetings using virtual meeting platforms. She has participated in various Pennsylvania and national agriculture and leadership conferences through her involvement in 4-H and the Twin Valley FFA programs.

Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a community of more than 6 million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. Penn State Extension 4-H youth development educators in all 67 counties throughout the commonwealth administer local 4-H programs through nonformal education and outreach. To find a local program, visit https://extension.psu.edu/programs/4-h.