Pictured, from left, are Kosciusko County 2024 4-H Princess Jasmine Fuller, 4-H Queen Morgan Himes, 4-H King Riley Shepherd, and 4-H Prince Carter Grady.

Text and Photos
By Liz Adkins
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Riley Shepherd and Morgan Himes were crowned as the Kosciusko County 4-H King and Queen for 2024 during the annual 4-H Public Fashion Revue and Awards Night on Thursday, June 27.

Shepherd, who received 294 points in the competition, is the son of Joel and Karla Shepherd, and is a 2024 graduate of Tippecanoe Valley High School. This is his 10th year in 4-H and he is a part of the Leesburg Mighty Farmers 4-H Club. His 4-H projects include beef, swine, foods, dairy foods, and fire education. His future plans are to attend Huntington University and study agribusiness, as well as play basketball.

Himes received 295 points and is the daughter of Matt and Rachelle Himes. She is a 2024 graduate of Warsaw Community High School. This is her ninth year in 4-H and she is a part of the Leesburg Mighty Farmers 4-H Club and Junior Leaders. Her 4-H projects include swine, beef, Junior Leaders, Poss-ABILITIES, photography, homemade ice cream, arts and crafts general, communications, and cake decorating. Her future plans include attending Purdue University to study nursing and psychology.

The 2024 4-H Prince, with a total of 278 points, is Carter Grady. He is the son of Matt and Wendy Grady, and is going to be a junior at Wawasee High School. This is his eighth year in 4-H and he is a part of the Leesburg Mighty Farmers 4-H Club and Junior Leaders. His 4-H projects include aerospace, beef, DCFS, electric, goats, Junior Leaders, Legos, shooting sports, swine and tractor. His future plans include attending college to major in an ag course of study.

Jasmine Fuller was crowned as the 2024 4-H Princess with a total of 284 points. Fuller is the daughter of Chad and Tara Fuller, and is going to be a junior at Tippecanoe Valley High School. This is her eighth year in 4-H and she is a part of the Mentone United 4-H Club. Her 4-H projects include goats, DCFS and consumer clothing. Her future plans include getting her Masters in Accounting and to get her CPA.

4-h’ers Recognized

Recognition was also given to 4-H’ers who are last-year members and 10-year members The top ten ten-year 4’H’ers were also announced.

Ten-year members are Chase Bays, Dean Boggs, Devin Boggs, Jennifer Brace, Hadley Burbrink, Hannah Burkholder, Austin Craig, Emma Engelhaupt, Kendall Gibson, Libby Haab, Samantha Hartman, Annalisa Hertzler, Kylie Keirn, Abbi Kohler, Charlie Krull, Caleb Lechlitner, Cooper LeCount, Sarah-Ann Marshall, Abbylene McCoy, Macy Petersen, Austin Polk, Lucy Redman, Porter Rich, Ariel Ross, Zackary Schultz, Riley Shepherd, Harrison Stofer, and Andon Zehring.

The top ten ten-year 4-H members, in no particular order, are Macy Petersen, Zackary Schultz, Jennifer Brace, Cooper LeCount, Annalisa Hertzler, Charlie Krull, Libby Haab, Emma Engelhaupt, Caleb Lechlitner, and Riley Shepherd.

Last-year members are Leah Henderson, Morgan Himes, Caden Holloway, Railly Miller, Luke Ransbottom, Allie Ridenour, Joe Sponseller, Dom Ward, and Cale Wise.

Friends of 4-H and Scholarships

Prior to the announcement of 4-H royalty, the 2024 Friend of 4-H individual and business awards were presented. Cheryl Van Laeken and Janelle Deatsman won individual awards, and Deatsman Grain Farm was recognized as the 2024 Friend of 4-H Business award recipient.

Kosciusko County 4-H Council Scholarships rewarding active 4-H members for outstanding achievement, service, leadership, and citizenship in the 4-H program were also presented. Libby Haab, Morgan Himes, Caleb Lechlitner, Cooper LeCount, and Riley Shepherd received scholarships.

Other groups also give special scholarships that are awarded during fair week. Haab and Himes received the Anglin-Bishop Award and Scholarship. This award was created in memory of Mike Bishop and Jeremiah Anglin, two junior leaders who passed away during their 4-H careers. It is meant to recognize a junior leader who exemplifies what it means to be a junior leader, 4-H member, and for outstanding achievement, service, leadership, and citizenship in the junior leader program.

The Dennis Polk Family and Creighton Brothers also sponsor scholarships for Kosciusko County 4-H youth. Cooper LeCount received the Indiana 4-H Foundation Endowment Scholarship sponsored by the Dennis Polk family. Hannah Burkholder and Morgan Himes received the Indiana 4-H Foundation Endowment Scholarship sponsored by Creighton Brothers. Caleb Lechlitner received the Indiana 4-H Foundation Endowment Scholarship sponsored by the Purdue University College of Agriculture.

Most Influential Volunteers

Awards are also presented by 4-H youth to adult volunteers they feel have had the most positive influence on them throughout their 4-H career.

Listed below are the 4-H’ers who presented the awards, followed by their recipients:

• Hannah Burkholder – Charity Trump
• Austin Craig – Dina Cruz
• Morgan Himes – Matt Himes, Rachelle Himes, Sonja Hesser, Devin Hay
• Libby Haab – Wyatt Haab
• Caleb Lechlitner – Dr. Bruce Lamb, Beth Lamb
• Zackary Schultz – Bob Ferguson
• Lucy Redman – Tammy Boggs
• Porter Rich – Jason Rich
• Riley Shepherd – Karla Shepherd

Pictured are the Kosciusko County 2024 4-H Royalty contestants. From left are Riley Shepherd, Carter Grady, Jasmine Fuller, Lyllian Johnson, Eva Everest, Emerson Krull, Corissa Knepper, and Morgan Himes.