Georgia 4-H celebrates stand-out youth, staff and supporters at 83rd State Congress

Georgia 4-H recognized excellence in youth participants, adult leaders and program supporters during the annual 83^rd 4-H State Congress in Atlanta in July.

The weeklong event for top 4-H’ers includes the state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action contests for youth and recognition for champions of youth development programming.

Delegates compete for Master 4-H’er status

More than 200 youth delegates competed in 53 Project Achievement areas, with the highest-scoring competitor in each area receiving Master 4-H’er status as a state winner. Project Achievement is a core Georgia 4-H program element, equipping young people with lifelong leadership, creativity, public speaking and recordkeeping skills.

At the high school level, students choose a project of interest from a list of areas that include agriculture, human development, performing arts, communication, engineering and workforce preparation. Students subsequently research a topic, create and deliver a detailed presentation, and participate in related community service and civic engagement activities.

The State Congress competition includes individual interviews with qualified professionals who engage with 4-H’ers about their project work.

Leadership in Action winners address community needs

Eight finalists competed in the Leadership in Action contest, which calls for 4-H’ers to identify a community need and work to meet that need through planning and implementing original projects and initiatives. Competitors prepare application packets and participate in district-level interviews to be selected as state finalists.

Lizzy Norton of Spalding County and Hartley Williamson of Montgomery County were selected as the 2026 Leadership in Action state winners.

In response to low literacy rates in her region, Norton created the “Book Bug Project,” an initiative to repair and restock neighborhood Little Free Libraries and distribute books locally through a “read-and-share” cart. She has secured more than $50,000 in grant funding and distributed 13,000 books.

After Hurricane Helene caused widespread tree damage in her area, Williamson founded the “Falling in Love with Trees Again” project. She distributed replacement trees to senior citizens and families with challenging circumstances, improving community morale and supporting the environment. She secured a grant from Georgia ReLeaf through her advocacy, which has served 125 households.

Other finalists included Mihir Bag and Daniel Cerrillo Jr., both of Tift County; Lesley Nichols of Coweta County; Kimora Odom of Dooly County; Sophie Roesch of Stephens County and Grace Stewart of Habersham County.

State winners from all 4-H contests in the 2025-26 program year were celebrated during State Congress. Leaders in the 4-H camping program and 4-H center administrators also received recognition. The 2025-26 Board of Directors was honored for its year of service and the 2026-27 Georgia 4-H Board of Directors was inducted.

Outstanding Georgia 4-H faculty and supporters recognized

University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead received the Friend of 4-H Award, which is presented to individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding and exemplary contributions to the Georgia 4-H vision and mission.

Morehead has been a steadfast supporter of 4-H during his 13-year term as university president, attending major 4-H events. Each year, he meets with newly elected State 4-H officers and offers an introduction to UGA and personal insight on leadership growth and citizenship.

Morehead has been a champion for Georgia 4-H messaging and programming, regularly sharing the value Georgia 4-H brings to the university, and numerous 4-H alumni have served in his cabinet. The Friend of 4-H Award is presented in conjunction with the Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals.

Stephen Shimp, executive director of Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter, received the Green Jacket Award. This prestigious award honors individuals who have shown outstanding, significant and ongoing statewide support to Georgia 4-H. As leader of the fairgrounds and agricenter, Shimp partners with 4-H to host 12 different livestock species shows, as well as educational exhibits and contests, fundraising efforts, rally space, and Project SAFE contests. In addition to extensive preparation and planning, the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter provides approximately $150,000 in donations to support these activities. Shimp is a local 4-H volunteer in Houston County and serves more than 80 youth as a certified SAFE coach. He continues to seek ways to bolster 4-H impact, and he embodies the spirit of the 4-H Green Jacket Award, graciously sponsored by Georgia Electric Membership Corporation.

Madison County 4-H Agent Michaela Brown received the Ryles Rising Star Award. This award recognizes an outstanding 4-H staff member for significant contributions to the success of 4-H in the first five years of their employment. Brown delivers 17 in-school meetings each month to multiple grade levels, serving nearly 500 youth per year. Since joining UGA Cooperative Extension in January 2025, she has significantly increased Madison County participation, and her 4-H’ers consistently perform at the top level of many contests. She earned her master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communication from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2026. She holds leadership roles at the district and state level, including advisor to the Northeast District Senior Board of Directors. “The sky is the limit on what Michaela can do. She has already identified more areas to increase 4-H growth and impact,” said Al Parker, Northeast District 4-H Program Development Coordinator.

Emanuel County Extension Coordinator and 4-H Agent Jakyn Tyson received the William H. Booth Award, which recognizes 4-H Extension agents for outstanding career achievements and strong commitment to community support. With 18 years of service to Extension, Tyson has influenced thousands of 4-H’ers, families and community members.

In addition to standard 4-H programming, she has piloted financial literacy and career preparation initiatives with widespread success. Tyson has generated more than $350,000 in grants and donations for 4-H programs and delivered more than 75 professional presentations at the state and national level. She has coached 41 youth to state-winning Master 4-H’er status, served as the president of the Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals and received numerous professional awards. This award is also sponsored by Georgia Electric Membership Corporation.

The William H. Booth Award is presented in conjunction with the Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals and Georgia Electric Membership Corporation. Additional William H. Booth Award finalists include Elizabeth Conway of Athens-Clarke County, Katrina Searcy of Tift County, and Dinah Rowe of Heard County.

Community support empowers youth development

State Congress is made possible by generous contributions from partner organizations. Major sponsors include Georgia’s EMCs, Atlanta Gas Light, Georgia 4-H Foundation, and Georgia Master 4-H Club. Georgia 4-H Foundation pillar and presenting sponsors include the Harley Langdale Jr. Foundation; Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher; META; and Chemours.

Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the premier youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches hundreds of thousands of people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.

For more information about Georgia 4-H, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit georgia4h.org.