Awards
2012 State 4H Award Winner
Cleo Lampert has always had a special place in her heart for animals, specifically horses. She started taking riding lessons at her horse trainer’s farm where regular 4H club meetings were also held. Cleo attended a few meetings, and she thought it was fun. At eight years old, Cleo joined the West Wateree Ropes and Reins 4H club and recently joined the Kershaw County 4H Horse Club. Over the past 8 years, her main focus areas have been horses and agriculture.
A Junior at Lugoff Elgin High School, Cleo’s most recent memory in 4H occurred on the campus of Clemson University. She was named one of the 2012 State 4H winners, an honor that earned her a $500 college scholarship and a trip to National 4H Congress in Atlanta, GA this November. This award came as a result of Cleo maintaining a record of her detailed 4H activities, leadership experiences and community service. Both her scholarship and trip are sponsored by Arbor One Farm Credit.
Since being in 4H, Cleo has learned many life skills such as public speaking. She is currently the President of the Kershaw County 4H Horse Club in Lugoff where she works with younger 4Hers, organizes club fundraisers, and teaches members about various activities and events. Cleo has also made presentations to the Kershaw County Council during National 4H Week, County 4H Awards program, SC Association of Fairs meeting and at the State 4H Presentation Contest. At the presentation contest, she won 1st place for her 4H presentation where she demonstrated “How To Make A Saddle”. She also placed sixth out of eighteen at the Southern Regional Horse competition, which then qualified her for the National competition. Cleo says this demonstration boosted her self- confidence and improved her leadership skills. Speaking in front of people seems to come natural to her now.
Though Cleo loves animals and agriculture, she has learned many new things through other 4H activities. She has been involved in the Wildlife FACE project, contestant in the Miss 4H Pageant, Kids In The Kitchen, and a youth Health Rocks trainer. Being a leader and helping others comes natural to Cleo. She has led her club members in several fundraisers and community service projects such as donating books to the American Heart Association, clothing and food drives, and collecting personal items for victims of domestic violence.
In addition to 4H, Cleo’s extra- curricular activities include Future Farmers of America, ROTC, and National Technical Honor Society.
Mrs. Deon Legette has worked with Cleo for several years as the County Extension Agent. She says that she predicted that Cleo would become a winner in 4H. “I saw all of the potential she had when she was younger, and I promised her if she kept up the good work, she would make it to the top”, said Legette. Legette admits that it wasn’t always easy convincing Cleo that she needed to keep good records, but it was her commitment to the program that helped her get through it. “Without the help and dedication of her volunteer leader, Rebecca Hudson, Cleo would not have been as successful. Mrs. Hudson has volunteered for 4H for over 22 years, and she really works hard to help young people be productive adults. Cleo’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Lampert of Lugoff, have also been extremely supportive throughout Cleo’s 4H years”.
Cleo notes, “my opportunities in 4H have taught me so much more about the horse. Things I never knew or could have ever imagined before in my life! But now, I can teach younger kids about horses since I have gained so much knowledge”. After graduating from high school, Cleo plans to attend college and study equine dentistry.
4H is a community of young people across America that are learning leadership, citizenship, and community service.
State 4-H Winner
Cleo Lampert represented Kershaw County at the State 4-H Presentation Day in Columbia, where she was named the State Winner in the Horse demonstration area.
Her demonstration included steps to making a saddle. As a result of her award, she will travel to Kentucky in July to compete in the regional contest. Lampert is the daughter of Leo and Wanda Lampert of Lugoff, and she has been an active 4-H member in the local 4-H horse club for over 5 years.
The purpose of the Presentation Contest was to provide youth with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to research, plan, organize, create and deliver an oral presentation on a topic of interest.
2011 State 4-H Hippology Awards
Senior – Team (Kirstin McCutchan, Sloane McCutchan and Cleo Lampert)
9th Overall – High Overall5th Overall – Team Problem Phase
10th Overall – Station Phase
7th Overall – Exam Phase
10th Overall – Judging Phase
Junior - Team A (Morgan Smerdell, Samantha Henke, combined w/2 Lower Richland Children Spencer Sharp and Hannah Carino)
9th Individual – Judging Phase - Samantha Henke
10th Individual – Judging Phase – Spencer Sharp
5th Overall – Judging Phase
6th Overall – Team Problem
Junior - Team B (Madison Cotton, Kayleigh Gates, Hannah Gates)
4th Overall – Exam Phase
9th Individual – Station Phase – Madison Cotton
7th Overall – Station Phase9th Overall – Team Problem
6th Overall – Teams
Favor Wins 2010 State 4-H Volunteer Award
Mrs. Paula Favor was recognized for her outstanding volunteer work with 4-H at Clemson University, where she received the Glenn Krohn 4-H Volunteer Award. She also was selected as the volunteer to attend the National 4-H Conference in Washington, DC.
Length of Service
Mrs. Paula Favor began her volunteer service with the Kershaw County 4-H program over 8 years ago as the Afterschool Coordinator at Midway Elementary School. Before her 4-H volunteer career, she served in many youth leadership volunteer roles. She has always had a love for children in her school and in the community.
Impact on Youth
Many of the youth that Mrs. Favor has worked with have had many outstanding accomplishments and have credited some of their successes to their involvement in her
4-H club. Two of her former 4-Hers were State winners, and one was the Presidential Tray while in her Teen 4-H club. “She has a special way of keeping her 4-Hers “entertained”, and is thought of as a fun-loving volunteer”, said Deon Legette, County Extension Agent.
Program Responsibilities
Mrs. Favor started down her volunteer path with 4-H through the 21st Century Afterschool grant in Kershaw County, where she had over 100 youth enrolled in 5 clubs. In addition to the afterschool clubs, she became the leader of the county wide Teen 4-H club, that focuses on assisting Senior 4-Hers with personal development, leadership, citizenship, and community service skills. Though she serves as the primary leader for these clubs, she also works with numerous other volunteers.
Creativity of Program
Mrs. Favor has been creative in seeking opportunities to involve her 4-Hers in various community activities and events. She has involved them in school beautification projects, oral presentations at County Council meetings, assisting with 4-H Awards banquet, and fundraising such as 4-H Soup and Cornbread luncheon and the 4-H Community Awareness Brunch.
Level of Involvement (County )
In addition to being leader for 4-H clubs, Mrs. Favor has been active in several county 4-H events/activities. She is the Chair of the Kershaw County 4-H Advisory Committee, member of the Kershaw County Extension Advisory Council (chair of the Advocacy sub-committee), and is a 4-H representative on the county Farm City/4-H Awards Committee. For the past 7 years, she has served as the county chaperone for Senior Teen Weekend, Junior Teen Weekend and State 4-H Congress.
Level of Involvement (State)
Mrs. Favor completed the State 4-H Ambassador training, along with 2 of her
4-Hers. She constantly serves as an Ambassador for the program, no matter where she is. For the last 2 years, she has served as Director of the State 4-H Chorale at the State
4-H Congress banquet at Clemson University.