Delaware 4-H congratulates all of our 4-H High School Seniors! We are proud of each one of you! All of you have made a positive impact on our program and we look forward to what your future holds! Thank you to all members who submitted Senior Spotlights below!
Brielle Carter – Peach Blossom 4-H Club
Brielle Carter is the 17-year-old daughter of Shane and Danna Carter from Harrington, Delaware. Brielle is a senior at Lake Forest High School, where she maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of National Honor Society. She has served her Class of 2022 as President for the past four years by planning and preparing pep rallies, homecoming floats, and prom. Brielle is a four-year member of the Lake Forest FFA Chapter and currently serves as the chapter Vice-President. She has been involved in planning and preparing horticulture and landscaping displays, marketing plans, and speeches for competing at the Delaware State Fair or National FFA Convention in Indiana each year. She’s worked with her chapter to support their annual mum, citrus, and strawberry fundraiser sales. Brielle received the 2021 Youth Senate nomination for her school.
Outside of school, Brielle is a 12-year member of the Peach Blossom 4-H Club. She started showing sheep at the age of ten. Brielle has developed her speaking skills over the years by participating in the demonstration and public speaking contests at the county and state levels. Coastal Cleanup, Envirothon, and countless hours as Kent County 4-H Day Camp Counselor are just a few examples of her community service. She has also attended state 4-H Camp for the past 10 years. Brielle has served in various officer positions in her club and is currently President of her club. She serves as Vice President of the Kent County 4-H Junior Council and President for the Delaware 4-H State Teen Council. She has also had the privilege of earning and attending National 4-H Congress held in Atlanta, Georgia.
In her spare time, Brielle attends church and youth group meetings at Manship Chapel, where she also plays on the volleyball team, bakes cookies for prisoners, and attends youth retreats at Camp Pecometh. In the summer, Brielle enjoys showing sheep at the Delaware State Fair and is a member of the Delaware State Fair Junior Fair Board. Also, in the summer, she works for her grandparents at Little Wagon Produce.
Brielle’s life is an example of the 4-H motto she has practiced, “To Make the Best Better.” She has spent her youth aspiring to make her best better with great ambition and perseverance. It makes no difference what role she takes on as athlete, student, or volunteer; Brielle Carter is a leader in all she does. Brielle hopes to continue her education at the University of Delaware with an Agricultural degree.
Diamond Carmona – Harbor Lights 4-H Club
Diamond Carmona has been a 4-H member for almost 9 years. Without a doubt Diamond has grown so much and has acquired many life skills. She has not only become a great public speaker and leader but has also committed to bigger responsibilities that go beyond herself. She has held many offices within the Harbor Lights 4-H Club and has always been a smiling face new members can turn to. At the county level, she has been an active Junior Leader who has participated and volunteered for many events. Diamond always thinks about the people around her and has grown to be a reliable young woman. For the past two years she has been the State Teen Council Secretary where she has gone to do many amazing things for 4-Hers all throughout the state. Harbor Lights could not be prouder to have her as a member.
Aside from 4-H, Diamond excels in academics and other extracurriculars as well. Diamond is among the top of her class and has proven to be a rigorous learner who has taken many AP, Honors, and Dual Enrollment courses throughout her time in high school. Despite these past two years where students were challenged the most, Diamond has risen above and has gone beyond proving to everyone just how resilient and hard-working she is. She is one of the founding members of HOSA where she has held many offices during her time and is even going to nationals for her accomplishment. She is also the Vice President for National Honor society where she can continuously engage with and help her community. It goes without saying that Diamond is an exceptional individual who will go on to do many great things. We look forward to seeing what she will accomplish during her time at the University of Chicago where she will be majoring in Global Studies.
Mason Cathell – Clover Knights 4-H Club
Mason Cathell is a Senior at Sussex Tech High School in the Electrical & Green Energy technical area. He has been active in the Raven Nation Marching Band, Pep Band, Jazz and Concert Band all 4 years of high school. He is a member of the National Honor Society. During his high school career, he represented Sussex Tech at Governor’s School of Excellence, Boy’s State and County Honors Band. This fall he will attend the University of Delaware to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Mason is a member of the Sussex County Clover Knights 4H Club. He has fond memories of participating in Archery and Robotics Club activities and enjoys the club’s monthly service projects. But his favorite part of 4H is creating and building items to enter into the Delaware State Fair.
Zoe Cunningham – Harbor Lights 4-H Club
Zoe Cunningham is in her 12th year as member of the Harbor Lights 4-H club. She has been very involved over the years with consistent participation in club meetings, community service events, as well as county events. At the county level, she has shined in the realm of public speaking and favorite foods. At the club level, she has participated in many theatre arts productions, helped organize activities, and held several offices. Her favorite event overall was the state teen conference.
Zoe is currently wrapping up her senior studies as a homeschooler and has her sights set on Johnson University in Tennessee for the fall. She is planning to major in worship leadership. Congratulations Zoe!
Wesley DeFord – Bridgeville Mustangs 4-H Club
Wesley is a member of the Bridgeville Mustangs 4-H Club and 13 year member of 4-H. He has served numerous officer positions and various committees including Vice President. This past fall, he represented Sussex County and attended the 100th celebration of National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, GA. His favorite 4-H memory is State 4-H Camp where he will be Voice of the Turtle People this year for week 2!
Wesley attends Woodbridge High School in Greenwood, DE. He is an extremely active member of FFA where he has held officer positions including Treasurer and Sentinel. As a freshman he received the Green Hand award, earning his Blue Jacket. This year he completed his State FFA Degree. He was the Captain of the Cross Country team where he lettered all four years. Wesley is also an active member of the Bridgeville Fire Company. After graduation, Wesley plans to attend Trade School to become a Lineman.
Hayden Jackson – Westville 4-H Club
Hayden Jackson has been a member of Westville 4-H since he was 5 years old. He has been involved and participated in many different 4-H activities over the years including Favorite Foods, woodworking, photography and etc. Some of his favorite memories, events, and activities in 4-H are State Camp, the Livestock overnighter, the Livestock shows, and the Delaware State Fair along with the many friends he has made over the years.
As a senior at North Caroline High School, Hayden was one of the team captains of the Varsity Soccer team and the Track and Field Team. He was involved with SGA, ED rising and the CCTC program. For the past four years he has also been a part of the BUSA travel soccer team and he is an USSF certified soccer referee. Hayden plans to attend Chesapeake College in the fall to begin his degree in Childhood Education and then transferring to Frostburg University to complete his Bachelors in Childhood Education with a minor in Coaching.
Liam Jones – NCC 4-H Counselor
Liam Jones is a Senior at Saint Mark’s High School. He has been a part of 4-H for 10 years and has truly enjoyed being a part of 4-H. He started as a Day Camper, then a CIT, then a Counselor. He also enjoys going to State Camp.
Liam lives in Landenberg PA with his parents, his brother Gavin, and his dog, Shamrock. He loves to go to the beach! Anything water related. He plans to study pre-physical therapy at either James Madison University or Coastal Carolina University.
Bethany Knutsen, Peach Blossom 4-H Club
We are so proud of Bethany! She has always pushed herself towards excellence in everything she does. She will be gradating first in her class with a 4.0 GPA. She has served in many leadership positions within 4H, FFA, and National Junior Honor Society. In addition, she has represented her farming roots well by serving as DE Dairy Princess for 2 years and as Farm Bureau Ambassador. Bethany also remained active in sports throughout high school and was recently voted “most athletic female” by her Senior class. She was captain of her soccer team all 4 years and captain of her field hockey team this past year as well. Bethany plans to attend University of Delaware in the fall to major in Plant Science and minor in Soil Science with a focus on Agronomy.
Autumn Lenhart, Clover Knights 4-H Club
Autumn Lenhart has been a member of the Clover Knights 4H Club since she was 5 years old. She has enjoyed many of her experiences during her time in 4H. She has really enjoyed being part of the Horse Bowl team. Autumn loved public speaking and felt that it was instrumental in helping her to her overcome her speech impediment and to be confident when presenting at school. And of course the highlight of the year was always the State Fair. Being a plant lover by nature, she always looked forward to visiting the Master Garden with Mr. Bo.
Autumn will be graduating from Sussex Technical High School as a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society. Her course of study is Early Childhood Education and she has been doing work-based-learning at the PACTT Center at Sussex Tech. In the Fall, Autumn will be attending the University of Delaware to become an Occupational Therapist.
Sundene Lodge – Hollymount 4-H Club
Sundene Lodge has been in 4-H for 12 years as a member of the Hollymount Club. She has served as club photographer, treasurer and Vice-President. She has participated in International Dinner many times and counts it as one of her favorite 4-H activities. She has also enjoyed Winter Fun Day, Younger member fall retreat, pumpkin contest and the haunted trail. Her favorite community activities are beach clean ups and beach grass planting. State camp was a highlight for her for several years.
Outside of 4-H, Sundene is a member of Milford High School’s swim and lacrosse teams, serving as captain of the lacrosse team her senior year. She is also an active member of FFA and was a state winner for her Supervised Agriculture Experience in Equine. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and has been a member of the Chincoteague Pony drill team for many years. Sundene will attend Salisbury University with a major in Earth Science with a focus on Marine Geoscience.
Leighton Webb – Peach Blossom 4-H Club
Leighton Webb of Greenwood is a 13- year member of Peach Blossom
4-H Club and a 2022 graduate of Lake Forest High School. Leighton has served his club as treasurer and secretary and currently serves as treasurer of Kent County 4-H Junior Council. His 4-H projects include field crops, tractors, and shooting sports. Leighton is a junior leader for the Peach Blossom Archery project group, serves as a youth member on the Delaware 4-H Shooting Sports Advisory Committee, and attended National 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador training.
Leighton is a member of the Lake Forest High School varsity baseball team and the National Honor Society. He enjoys hunting and fishing. Following graduation Leighton will continue as an integral part of his family’s farm operation, Lea View Farms, and plans to continue his education at Delaware State University studying agronomy.
Lauren Williams and Kassidy Kohland – Ponies & Pintails 4-H Club
Congratulations to Lauren Williams and Kassidy Kohland from Ponies and Pintails 4-H. Lauren and Kassidy have been lifelong friends who spent their entire childhood in 4-H and showing horses. Both have held officer positions in 
Ponies and Pintails and continue to demonstrate leadership and be role models for the younger members of the club. Lauren will be pursuing her degree in Elementary Education at Delaware State University. She also plans to ride for the Delaware State University Equestrian Team. Kassidy will also attend Delaware State University to pursue her degree in Agriculture while continuing to build her professional career training and showing hunter/jumper horses.