LIVINGSTON COUNTY — The Livingston County 4-H Program is proud to announce that Katie Hill has been named Outstanding 4-H Member for 2013. The Outstanding 4-H Member Award is the highest award given for 4-H achievement and overall involvement in Livingston County 4-H. A plaque and $100 scholarship is awarded to the winner.
Upon joining 4-H, Katie began pursuing her interest in animals. From that point, as Katie puts it, “Noah’s Ark began to grow”. Katie’s passion for animals and hard work has helped her excel on the regional, state, and national 4-H levels. She has qualified for numerous horse educational events and has shown on the regional and state levels throughout her 4-H career. For the last two years, Katie has competed strongly at the state 4-H skill-a-thon contest at the NYS Fair – qualifying for the state team both years.
This year, Katie will be a member of the New York State 4-H Skill-a-thon Team competing at the national competition in Louisville, KY in November. However, Katie’s true passion is poultry. Her experiences in raising and showing fancy birds and meat birds have helped her gain a wealth of knowledge that she has used to mentor younger members in the poultry program. The knowledge Katie has gained has helped her to become a Junior Poultry Superintendent at the state fair and a member of the 2012 New York State 4-H Poultry Judging Team that competed at the national contest in Louisville, KY. These impactful experiences helped Katie decide she would like to pursue a career in avian science.
Katie wrote this in her application essay, which inspired us all: “My experience in 4-H has opened so many doors for me when it comes to my future. Next year, I will be heading to college where I plan on studying environmental science with a focus in wildlife management and avians. My 4-H poultry experiences have instilled in me a great love for birds, which is why my dream career involves avian habitat management, rehabilitation, and rescue… Not only has 4-H given me passion and direction for my future, but also the skills that will serve me for the rest of my life…By far, 4-H has helped me become a driven individual who is ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow.”