This feature originally ran in our Community Matters magazine.
For the second year, The Cullman Tribune has had the privilege of covering many of the 4-H happenings throughout Cullman County. This year, however, was especially memorable.
Each year, 4-H students take part in a variety of contests and educational opportunities that culminate with County Round Up, where they showcase everything they have learned and accomplished. This year, 4-H Youth Development Coordinator Kerri Roberts invited me to serve as a photography judge during the competition.
It was an incredible experience to meet the bright young minds behind the submitted photographs, hear them speak about their passions and creative inspiration and even challenge them to think about their future goals. That experience gave me a new appreciation for the student reports we share with you throughout the year. Behind every report is a student with unique talents, interests and a story worth telling.
Below, you’ll hear directly from the students who served as their club reporters this year. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about their experiences and, like I did, come away encouraged by the passion, leadership and potential of the next generation.
Hayden Arrington
Fairview | Mrs. Moore | Fourth Grade
This year was my first year to participate in 4-H Club. To begin this year we elected club officers in each homeroom class. In our club meetings we learn about agriculture and talk about future projects. We try to meet once a month or just as often as we can because it is important to discuss and plan for each upcoming project. Meeting so often is also helpful in preparing for summer camp and the following year.
This year’s projects were fun and allowed us to be creative. One of my favorite projects was making a birdhouse and baking cookies. Making a birdhouse seemed to be everyone’s favorite, there were so many that participated. I also really enjoyed the photography and the showing how to make food in five minutes project. I found it neat that there are so many foods that can be created in five minutes.
Being a part of 4-H has helped me challenge myself and think outside the box. It has also helped me accomplish achievements I have never reached before. It has helped me learn new things I can take with me for the future. I like that being involved in 4-H helps kids who do not always like regular sports to win awards and build self confidence. I think 4-H is fun and that every kid should try to be a part of it.
Boone Epperly
Cold Springs| Mrs. T | Fourth Grade
This year in 4-H we have learned how to do our 4-H pledge. We also learned our monthly 4-H challenges such as cooking. My favorite challenge was the birdhouse. Our 4-H president is Carter Myrex.
I enjoy 4-H because it gives children a chance to do fun learning challenges. I also like 4-H because they have summer activities. I think that 4-H has help me and my classmates to be creative. All of these things I’m learning in 4-H make me a better person now and in the future.
Aubrie Claire
Cullman Christian School | Sixth Grade
The 4-H program was a nice added touch to this year.
I really liked seeing what my classmates made with all their creativity. The lessons we did to top-off each meeting were so fun and interesting. I also loved participating, especially in art, which is my favorite. That’s another reason I love 4-H. People have so many talents and 4-H gives people the opportunity to show their talent. Winning felt amazing! It was so nice to see different classmates win different categories.
The winners in each category will go on to the county round up in April. I can’t wait to see how they do there and if they get to move on. It can be intimidating, but it’s so neat to see kids from all over the county come together and to not only show off their talent, but be proud of it. This is what makes 4-H so special.
Mia Bryant
Holly Pond | Sixth Grade
What did we do this 4-H year?
This 4-H was probably one of my favorite years. Our teacher was Mrs. Roberts and we did many activities such as learning about rockets, doing art, photography, birdhouse building, chef, the $15 challenge, elect officers, interior design, launch rockets, and cookies. In my opinion even if you didn’t participate in a competition you still won.
In our first 4-H meeting we elected officers. Our president A.J. Peterson, our vice president Zachary Wilkans, our secretary Kaileigh Manfeild, and our reporter me, Mia Bryant. At second meeting we did the $15 challenge and art which Kaileigh won first for both, Mia won second for art, and Jayden won third for art. At our third meeting we did the cookies and birdhouse challenge which Kaileigh won first for both, we also shot water rockets in which the 1/3 went the highest and skewered a balloon. Lastly, we did the chef and photography, which Kaileigh won first in chef and second in photography and Mia won first in photography. In my opinion this was a great way to end my 4-H years.
Mia Ann Wilbanks
Holly Pond | Mrs. Bell | Sixth Grade
4-H this year has been really fun! I have enjoyed all the things we have done this year. But my favorite was when we went outside and the bottle flew up in the air! It was very interesting to watch. There is also fun things you can participate in if you wanted to! 4-H is where you can get confidence in yourself and go up there and have fun! Also you can try new things during 4-H. You do lots of crafts and art in 4-H, even you can make foods and build blocks!
If you win in 4-H you could go to county. Then, you can go against people and experience new things. Also in the Summer you can go to 4-H camp and you can meet new friends. And go on adventures and have fun with no cellular device. You can experience new things with new people!
Griffin
East Elementary | Fifth Grade
I thought that our fourth grade 4-H year was a fun and exciting experience this year! Our President-Jude, Vice President-Cole, Secretary-Willa, and Reporter-Griffin were all very helpful with our activities!
We had our beautiful art challenge winners were First Place-Ruby Drew her dog, Second Place-Jude drew his ocean scene and Griffin drew his Titanic, and Third Place-Willa drew her bedroom. These drawings were all very wonderful and pleasing to the eye!
Our next activity of the year was the cookies challenge, First Place-Ruby, Second Place-Kinsley, and Third Place-Willa. These contenders all worked very hard on their cookies.
The last two activities were the photo, and the chef. The contenders for the photos were First Place-Sylvia with her newborn cow, Second Place-Ruby with her chicken on a tractor, Third Place-Griffin with his farm, and Rhys with his tractor.
Our cooking challenge only had two contenders, but we made it work. First Place Killian with his Apple-Nutty Butty Collage, and Second-Sylvia with her Avocado Toast.
Our last thing was rewards for Willa and Griffin for their amazing peanut essays! As you can see, we had an astonishing year in 4-H.
Rowan Foster
Parkside | Fourth Grade
Thank you for letting us be a part of 4-H this year. I had a great time. My favorite part of 4-H was both the challenges and seeing what people had brought. My favorite challenge was the CHEF Challenge, and my second favorite challenge was the one we just did, the Free-style Challenge. I loved during the CHEF Challenge how Callie and Lillie had stayed on task and did good! And during the Free-style I loved Layla’s squishes but I especially loved how Callie did a twist braid. I thought it was very unique. I can’t wait for 4-H next year and I can’t wait to see what we do next year.
Emma Millican
Cullman Classical Homeschool Academy | Seventh Grade
This year our CCHA homeschool group had the opportunity to be involved with 4-H. Mrs. Kerri would come to us and it was something we all looked forward to each month. We would have projects to complete on our own and bring them to present in front of the group. My personal favorite was the CHEF challenge, but they were all fun and I learned something new with every one of them. It was also enjoyable to watch the others present theirs and to see the creativity they came up with. Doing these projects taught us how to plan, be creative, and speak in front of a group.
In addition to the challenges each month, Mrs. Kerri would have experiments for us to do. She would explain a concept, then allow us to try it out. This was my personal favorite thing to do each meeting. My top picks were putting skewers into a balloon without popping it and making butter by shaking a marble in a jar with cream. We always left having learned something new in the fun ways that she prepared for us.
I would like to thank 4-H for taking the time for our group and I hope this is something that will continue. Thank you especially to Mrs. Kerri for coming to us and preparing all the fun activities. We will remember them and all the memories made by our meetings.
Laiken Uhrig
Good Hope Elementary | Ms. Kilpatrick | Fourth Grade
I am Laiken Uhrig. I attend Good Hope Elementary. This is my first year in 4-H. We meet with Mrs. Gilmore when we go to Science class. Every time she comes we get to participate in different projects. We have had projects like the photo challenge, chef, freestyle, block rocks, $15 challenge, and art. Personally I have enjoyed the art and cookies. That is because I won those projects.
The project that was the hardest was the $15 challenge. Our $15 challenge was we had to go to a thrift store and buy clothing and bring the receipt and it had to be under $15. There weren’t as many students doing that one. Next year, maybe this project will be replaced with something like cake decorating! I look forward to seeing what projects Mrs. Gilmore comes up with next year!
Madi Klaire Kilpatrick
Good Hope Elementary | Ms. Kilpatrick | Fourth Grade
At our first meeting we talked about projects and voted on our class President, Vice President, Secretary, and Reporter. Mrs. Gilmore went over the rules and explained what 4-H was. Our second meeting we brought our projects and Mrs. Gilmore called us up to describe our projects. After our projects were voted for, the winners got fancy ribbons. Everyone that participated got a ribbon though, I thought that was nice. Before our officers closed the meeting, Mrs. Gilmore told our class about the next projects.
Every meeting we let our President and Vice President lead us in the Pledges, call roll, and talk about unfinished business. Our projects were voted on, ribbons were given, and we took pictures. One thing I really liked about our meetings were the lesson Mrs. Gilmore taught us. My favorite was the one called Shake and Bake. Parker and Ellah put heavy whipping cream and a marble in a cup with a lid. Mrs. Gilmore said it would make butter. She talked about how chemical reactions happen, and even let us try the butter on a cracker! Next year, I hope we get to participate and learn from Mrs. Gilmore.
Lawson Fulmer
West Point Intermediate | Fourth Grade
4-H is so fun. We do a lot of fun things. You do some competitions and first, second, and third place all get ribbons. Some of the competitions we did this year are the 15 dollar challenge, cookie challenge, chef, photo, and birdhouse. I am sad that we only have 5 4-H meetings. This was a great year for 4-H.
Kayson Dye
West Point Intermediate | Mrs. Johnson | Fourth Grade
This year in 4-H we participated in several super cool projects. Everyone enjoys when Mrs. Gilmore comes to teach us. Some of my favorite memories are when we had the birdhouse and cookie competition. It was so fun to see all the creative and yummy ideas everyone had. Also, we practiced being good sports by not sulking when we lost and congratulating the winners.
4-H is a global organization that works to teach and instill good values and character into the students in our community. We follow a routine of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and repeating the 4-H pledge before every class. Each officer has a specific role. All our officers took their roles very seriously. I especially think our president enjoyed pounding his desk gavel to call the meeting to order. Even though this year is coming to an end, there are summer programs that students can attend and we can all look forward to meeting again in fifth-grade.
Kylie Simmons
West Elementary | Mrs. Griffith
Hi, I am Kylie Simmons, the 4-H reporter at West Elementary. My homeroom teacher is Mrs. Griffith.
We did so many fun things in 4-H this year! Some of my friends made art, cookies, and birdhouses. My favorite project was teaching the class how to do something. I chose to teach bracelet making.
Projects were definitely my favorite thing about 4-H! They are something to be looking forward to doing. Mrs. Gilmore did a very good job keeping us excited about her coming. She made 4-H so fun, and we had an amazing time in 4-H this year.
Madelyn
West Elementary | Mrs. Meharg | Fourth Grade
Hi! My name is Madelyn, and I am Mrs. Meharg’s 4th grade class reporter. Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, 4-H has turned Mrs. Meharg’s classroom into a busy and exciting place. At the beginning of the year, not many students participated in the activities. However, as the year went on, more and more students joined the competitions.
We had five meetings during the year, which gave everyone time to work on their projects in between. At our first meeting, we received color-changing pencils and flyers that told us about the competitions we could enter. Some of the competitions included the $15 Challenge, Art Competition, Birdhouse, Interior Design, Cookie Contest, Photo, LEGO, and Demonstration. Each one was fun and creative in its own way.
My personal favorite was the chef demonstration because I loved watching the meals being made right in front of us. There were also lots of delicious snacks to try! I think Milly did an amazing job because she acted like she was cooking in her own kitchen. She looked so comfortable that it seemed like she didn’t even notice we were there watching. This year in 4-H has been a great experience. Some students loved watching, and others loved presenting their projects. As the class reporter, I enjoyed seeing and sharing it all!
J.G. Higginbotham
West Elementary | Mrs. Darnell | 4th Grade
Hi, my name is JD from West Elementary School in Cullman, AL. Mrs. Gilmore teaches 4-H for us, and it is held in our science classroom. Our chef project winner was Violet Smith. She was also our birdhouse contest runner up. I was honored to win our cookie and birdhouse contests.
The time has come for our last 4-H meeting on March 10, 2026. It is a sad time for all of us. We will all miss her very much, and I hope she feels the same. With any luck we will all have her again next year. She taught us many new things like what the 4-H pledge really means. She taught us how to churn butter with a marble and milk. She also taught us how scientists take care of whooping cranes. We had the best time! Maybe I will see everyone at the 4-H summer camp next year!
Carter Black
West Elementary | Fifth Grade
This year for 4-H, we had meetings and lessons at school, plus activities at home so we could learn by doing. We did lots of hands-on projects and won ribbons through challenges and contests. Our families even got to be part of it as they watched us practice, bake and build.
Our class enjoyed the cookie, birdhouse and Lego contests. We built birdhouses out of different materials and learned about the birds that might live in them. We are looking forward to learning new things next year as we focus on Head, Heart, Hands and Health.
Kayla Lam
Sacred Heart | Mrs. Holmes | Fifth Grade
Hi, my name is Kayla and I’m in the 5th grade. I’ve learned a lot and had a lot of fun this year in 4-H. Like when we had the choice to make a craft or buy an outfit. I had built a dollhouse and won first place! The process of making it was fun and exciting, although it could get a little stressing at some points. The outfits were also great. Our 4-H director had also gave a lesson about how to pierce a balloon without popping it. Now that’s a lesson I would never forget. Ms. Gilmore was also a very nice and fun director so this was my favorite year of 4-H.
I also loved when we did a cookie baking contest and bird house contest. All the cookies tasted like heaven and the bird houses looked amazing! Overall this was a great 4-H year and I wouldn’t want to change.
Khloie Heald
Harmony
Have you ever been a part of something that helped you learn, grow, and have fun all at the same time? That is what 4-H has been like for me. Being in 4-H has given me the chance to try new things, meet new people, and important skills that I can use the rest of my life.
During my time in 4-H I have worked on several projects that helped me learn and grow. I participated in activities like the five-minute food making. One memory I will always remember is we accidently messed up on something, but our 4-H lady helped us and taught us how to do it the right way and gave us another chance. That experience taught me the importance of hard working and never giving up.
My favorite thing about 4-H is we can feel comfortable to go to the front of the class and present. I enjoy it because it helps me feel confident and proud of what I can do. 4-H is not just about projects, but also about learning, friendship, and becoming better.
Jaela Robertson
Cold Springs | Mrs. Brown | Fifth Grade
This school year has been awesome but the things me and my class enjoyed the most was… 4-H! 4-H is a very fun and educational program. Our president Zayli is a very good president. She has done an Amazing job. There is an opportunity for everyone to participate in something that they love to do and enjoy.
Now our Secretary Amber has also been doing an awesome job. We love 4-H and we just want to say that there is an opportunity for the shy ones and whatever they like to do for in 4-H and our vice president Brianna (Bri) always subs in when our president isn’t here. She says our pledge and is always brave enough to just step up there in front of the class.
We got to make a birdhouse and on Feb 25th we did a five minutes or less and then we had a cultural picture contest. We have done a drawing contest and so much more. There is also going to be a ______ and also a freestyle contest.
Thank you for your time.
Kassie Taylor
Holly Pond | Mr. Kusz | Fifth Grade
My favorite thing about 4-H was the drawing contest, but is 4-H really about the contest? I think it’s about showing how our minds work in a way but in a fun way.
Here is what some of the other kids thought:
I love the 4-H teacher and all the projects that the students did. I actually love everything in 4-H.
My favorite thing we did in 4-H is when we had the cookie/birdhouse contest.
I liked the cookies challenge, it was fun baking the cookies and presenting them.
We got to make very fun projects in 4-H.
