Thirteen Wayne County 4-Hers have been selected to receive $8,000 in scholarships to recognize their 4-H experience, scholastic achievements and community work.
Mackenzie Hartzler, Kara Jones, Abigail Steen, Olivia Stoudmire and Caden Zimmerly earned General 4-H Scholarships to be presented prior to the junior fair swine auction on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 8:30 a.m. in the Wayne County Fair Event Center.
Hartzler is the daughter of Nolan and Stephanie Hartzler of Marshallville. A Smithville High School graduate, she is studying early childhood education at Ashland University. She was an officer in her FFA chapter and Smithie Whiz Kids 4-H Club. She took livestock projects and served on the junior fair board. She is active in her church and school activities including the National Honor Society and cheerleading.
Jones is the daughter of James and Michelle Jones of Apple Creek. The Central Christian High School graduate is attending Ohio State University to study sustainable plant systems. As a member of the Trailblazers 4-H Club, she won the Outstanding Club Member Award, served as treasurer and helped with service projects. She raised and showed market and fancy poultry and won Outstanding Awards for her 4-H still projects. She volunteers at her church and was a National Honor Society member. She won honors for her school STEM and Science Fair projects and athletics as a tennis player.
Steen is the daughter of Scott and Karen Steen. She is an 11-year 4-Her of Baughman Guys & Gals and a summa cum laude graduate of Chippewa High School. She is pursuing a nursing degree at the University of Akron-Wayne College with hopes of being a labor and delivery nurse. Her market rabbit projects won champion honors, and her Pocket Pets still project won Best of Show. She also took pet rabbit and market livestock projects. In high school she played varsity soccer and basketball and was a National Honor Society member.
Stoudmire is a Norwayne High School graduate and the daughter of Kevin and Melissa Stoudmire of Sterling. As a freshman at the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster, she is pursuing a degree in animal science with a minor in agribusiness. She wants to work in animal nutrition or reproduction. An FFA member and 10-year 4-Her, she won Outstanding Market and Breed Exhibitor awards for her goat projects and champion and showmanship honors with her swine and horse projects. She played varsity volleyball and served on the Wayne County Community Youth Foundation.
Zimmerly is the son of Scott and Heather Zimmerly of Marshallville. He is a Smithville High School graduate, attending OSU ATI to earn an associate degree in crop management and soil conservation. He served on his FFA chapter’s officer team and was a member of Smithie Whiz Kids 4-H Club, taking market livestock projects. He is involved in his church’s youth group and was a member of his school’s National Honor Society and Foreign Language Club.
At the same auction, Alayna Perdicas will be presented the Pat Kanehl Memorial Scholarship, given in memory of dedicated 4-H volunteer Pat Kanehl to recognize a 4-Her’s leadership skills and strong equine background. A certified equine massage therapist and barefoot trimmer, Perdicas is continuing her training at Progressive Hoof Care Practitioners, which teaches proper barefoot hoof care. She operates her own small business, Balanced & Barefoot. Perdicas is the daughter of Paul and Marlo Perdicas of Marshallville and a homeschool graduate. She has shown horses in 4-H for 10 years, winning honors for versatility, horsemanship, reining, classical dressage and contesting.
The winners of the F. Doyle Findley Scholarship are Madison Wade and Emma West. This scholarship is given in memory of former Wayne County 4-H agent Doyle Findley and honors academic achievement and commitment to livestock projects. They will receive their scholarships prior to the junior fair beef auction on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. in the Fair Event Center, along with Morgan Wiles, recipient of the Wayne County 4-H/FFA Beef Committee Scholarship.
Wade is the daughter of Mark and Terri Wade of Dalton. She is attending Tennessee Tech University Honors College to major in animal science with a focus on genetics and breeding. She served as an officer in FFA and Dalton-Kidron 4-H club and was selected for junior fair royal court. As a junior fair board member, she held the role of dog committee superintendent. She’s involved in her church youth group, and her school activities include National Honor Society, Student Leadership Council and swim team.
West, the daughter of Doug and Sharla West of Dalton, is a graduate of Dalton High School and Wayne County Schools Career Center. She is a freshman at OSU ATI majoring in animal industry and agribusiness. A member of Dalton Equestrians 4-H Club, she took market livestock projects, winning Outstanding Exhibitor, Showmanship and champion honors. She was involved in her church youth group and was a Sunday school teacher. Her school activities included National Honor Society, FFA, drama, volleyball and Student Leadership Council.
Wiles, the daughter of Jason and Sandy Wiles of Creston, is a graduate of Norwayne High School and a freshman at Purdue University studying animal science. She plans to become a livestock nutritionist or large animal veterinarian. She was an FFA and 4-H member and took market livestock, clothing and quilting projects. She was a junior leader and junior fair board officer and Cloverbud and junior camp counselor. She is involved in her church’s youth group. In high school she played basketball and ran track and was an FFA member.
Elizabeth Laney, daughter of Tom and Margie Laney of West Salem, will receive the 4-H/FFA Dairy Committee Scholarship prior to the dairy products auction on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. in the Coliseum. She is a Norwayne High School and Wayne County Schools Career Center graduate. She passed her registered dental assisting test and is attending Shawnee State University, majoring in dental hygiene. A member of the Buckeye Bunch 4-H Club, she took dairy and market beef projects and won showmanship, Outstanding Exhibitor and champion honors. In high school she played in the band, ran track, played volleyball and was a National Honor Society member.
Three scholarships will be presented prior to the junior fair bake auction on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. in the Fair Event Center. Lillian Ediger, daughter of Luke and Stephanie Ediger of Dalton, will receive the Diane Hange Scholarship, and Sarah Hovest, daughter of Andrew and Carrie Hovest, and Megan Tenney, daughter of David and Julie Tenney of Orrville, will receive Bake Auction Scholarships.
Ediger, a Dalton High School graduate, is studying to be a veterinary technician at Kent State Tuscarawas. She hopes to become a large animal veterinary technician. In the Dalton-Kidron Big Four Club, she served as an officer and took market livestock and still projects. Her school activities included volleyball and basketball, choir, and National Honor Society. She also volunteered for Stirrup Courage, a nonprofit organization that brings out courage and confidence in children.
Hovest is attending University of Akron-Wayne College, majoring in marketing. As a 4-Her she was involved in Junior Leaders and Wayne County Food and Fashion Board. She took a variety of 4-H projects including babysitting, clothing, room design and STEM. She also played volleyball and participated in dance.
Tenney is a 13-year member of the Dalton-Kidron Big Four and has taken a variety of creative arts projects, along with food and nutrition and market poultry and rabbit projects. She would like to be a 4-H adviser. She has been a Bible class and church camp teacher and Vacation Bible School assistant. She is attending OSU ATI, majoring in animal science.
