Wooster 4-H member earns national trip with woodworking award

When Caleb Mairs chooses his 4-H woodworking projects, he has two goals in mind: to learn a new skill and “be better than the year before.”

Those carefully laid plans have earned him a trip to National 4-H Congress in November as the first-place winner of the Ohio Woodworking 4-H Achievement Award.

Mairs, the son of Melissa and Ryan Mairs of Wooster, said the award meant his hard work on his projects paid off.

“It’s been the talk of many family dinners,” he said.

Mairs is a member of the Springville Cowpokes 4-H Club, Wayne County Junior Fair Board and Junior Leaders. He also exhibits a market swine project.

Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards are a gateway to state and national trips and scholarships. The Ohio 4-H Achievement Record is a comprehensive record of a 4-H member’s career, accomplishments and achievements and includes a video submission. There are 30 different project categories in which to apply to receive a sponsored trip, as well as a few other state leadership opportunities.

While Mairs is working on his woodworking projects, usually there’s a looming presence behind him, he said. His grandfather Larry Bishop, owner of Quaker Ridge Custom Wholesale Cabinetry, “is always pushing me to be better. He’s the reason I put a professional edge on my work.”

“My project work and woodworking have impacted my life and 4-H career because it has taught me tenacity,” Mairs said in his video submission. “Sometimes the plans you make end up looking miles different than the plans you made at the beginning of the project. The bottom line is making sure you have a backup plan, then a backup plan for that.”

Mairs started out making a step stool and progressed to a raised panel bathroom cabinet, trophy box, fishing workbench and bookshelf.

“This year’s project is something I’ve never done before,” he said.

All but one of his projects have earned Outstanding awards at the county and state levels. He is also a Clock Trophy winner at the Ohio State Fair — meaning he won his project category. Among his 4-H woodworking projects, his favorite, he said, is the workbench.

“Woodworking has also taught me how to overcome challenges and reach my goals,” Mairs said. “I’m so grateful to win the woodworking award because it allows me to meet like-minded individuals. Thank you for allowing me to make connections to the 4-H world.”