Delaware 4-H Senior Spotlights 2023
Delaware 4-H congratulates 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!
Caroline Allen – Westville 4-H Club
Caroline is a 12-year member of Delaware 4-H. She has served as a delegate to several national 4-H events and currently serves as president of Kent County Jr. Council and State Teen Council. She has been recognized with the Michael Everline Leadership Award, with the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award, as a finalist for the Delaware Jefferson Award for an Outstanding Young American, with the Tim Echols Political Involvement Scholarship, and twice with the Prudential Spirit of Community Service Merit Award.
Caroline is graduating from Liberty University Online Academy with honors. She was named valedictorian of her graduating class of 1,200. She has served as president of the honor society and enjoys traveling the nation teaching hands-on leadership and government with TeenPact Leadership Schools. In her free time, she enjoys running her graphic design and merchandise business. In the fall, she will be attending Lipscomb University in Nashville, majoring in Finance.
Alyssa Carpenter – Bridgeville Mustangs 4-H Club
Alyssa gained her excitement of 4-H while watching the adventures of her older sister, Brittany Carpenter, and friend Jenna Anger. From planning community enhancement projects, Legislative Day, Fall Overnighter, Operation Christmas Child, and Archery to serving as a camp counselor, Alyssa could not wait to join in the fun! She joined 4-H at the age of 8 and tried everything she could as an Exploring 4-H’er. She has held many leadership roles within the Bridgeville Mustangs and served on many committees as a Sussex County Junior Council member. Her favorite 4-H events have been the Haunted Trail, Environmental Camp, 2nd Week State Camp (Go Turtles), and serving as a Counselor at the county camps. She is currently a senior at Sussex Technical High School, where she is in the Environmental tech area and member of the National Honor Society and FFA. Her many hours of community service through events like Coastal Clean Up, Community Night Outs, and Beach Grass Replenishment assisted in fulfilling her requirements for both.
After graduating in June, she looks forward to the start of her higher education at Delaware Technical Community College in Environmental Science. Her love of the environment and the great outdoors may find her returning to her 4-H roots at the University of Delaware in the future.
Dakota Carmona – Harbor Lights 4-H Club
Dakota has been a 4-H member for nine years. She has participated in
4-H at the county and state level in Public Speaking, Demonstrations and has entered more than one hundred entries at the State Fair throughout her 4-H years. Dakota held an officer position as the Harbor Lights’ treasurer for four years. She participated in the 2019 National 4-H Healthy Leaving Summit. Dakota has enjoyed being a camp counselor, as well as class leader, and has never shied away from leadership positions when called for. After 2 years of hard work and while in the midst of Covid, Dakota has worked hard and is completing her Diamond Clover project. For this project, she has demonstrated the love for her community by making Bundles of Love for all the residents of a local nursing home and encouraged other club members and other organizations to help as well.
As you can tell, Dakota loves her community and her state. She will be attending The University of Delaware this fall where she will be majoring in Business with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and minoring in accounting.
Ashlyn Elliott – Clover Knights 4-H Club
Ashlyn Elliott is a member of the Clover Knights 4-H Club and has been an active member of 4-H for the past eight years. She currently serves as the 4-H State Teen Council vice president, the Sussex County 4-H Junior Council treasurer, and the Health & Safety chairperson for her club. In addition to her leadership roles, she has also participated in several other 4-H activities, including Favorite Foods, photography, community service, Jr. Leader Weekend, State Teen Conference, Legislative Day, and State Fair, as well as served as a camp counselor for various 4-H camps. She has enjoyed being a part of 4-H and the skills she has learned, but her favorite has been being a part of the Exchange Group. Ashlyn is looking forward to her 4-H exchange visit to Minnesota this summer.
In addition to 4-H, Ashlyn has also been a leader and role model at her school. As a senior at Sussex Technical High School, she currently serves as vice president of the National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society, as well as Senior Class treasurer. She has served as a class officer all 4 years of high school. She is also a member of the Multiplying Goods Club/Students in Action Club, where she recently received a Jefferson Award for her commitment to public service. Ashlyn is in the Health Pro technical area, recently obtained her CNA certification, and is currently employed as a CNA. Ashlyn plans to continue her education at Delaware Technical and Community College in the Fall of 2023.
Vanessa Gaines – Westville 4-H Club
Vanessa has been a member of the Westville 4-H Club since she was 5 years old. Through the years, she has had the experience to learn and grow in a variety of project areas. Some of her favorites have been public presentation, goats, pigs, foods, and photography. She has enjoyed her years learning from others and having the opportunity to mentor younger members.
Vanessa is not only very active in 4-H, she is also active in her church and Caesar Rodney High School. Vanessa has been a member of the Cross-Country team for 4 years and was a captain for 3 of those years. She has also been on the softball team for 4 years and is a captain this year. She is active in CRHS FFA as well. In church, she participates in the youth group, the volleyball team, and the adult choir. Vanessa’s knowledge and life lessons learned in 4-H has helped shape her into the fabulous young lady she is today.
Brenna Geidel – Peach Blossom 4-H Club
Brenna Geidel has been in 4-H since she was five years old, and she is a 14-year member of the Peach Blossom 4-H Club. In her time in
4-H, she has worked with project areas including Foods, Sewing, and Outdoor Adventure, but her main project areas have been Leadership, Dairy, and Goats. 4-H has shaped Brenna into a leader; while she has held roles in her club, county, and state organizations, Brenna is currently vice president of Peach Blossom and Kent County Jr. Council, and she is secretary for Delaware State 4-H Teen Council. Her work through 4-H has also allowed her to be an advocate for Delaware agriculture, and she is proud to serve as both the 2022 Dairy Princess and the Delaware State Farm Bureau Youth Ambassador. Brenna has loved showing livestock, and showing her pygmy goats and dairy heifers at the Delaware State Fair was always the highlight of her 4-H year.
Outside of 4-H, Brenna is a senior at Caesar Rodney High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, president of her school’s chapter of the Tri-M Honor Society, president of choirs, and president of Arabic Club. In addition, she plays both clarinet and saxophone in the symphonic and jazz bands, and throughout high school, she was a varsity athlete on both the cross country and lacrosse teams. Brenna is a champion-level competitive Irish dancer at the Hester Academy of Irish Dance, and she volunteers as a teaching assistant for the beginner and intermediate classes. Brenna also volunteers for the Delaware Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Board, the Foodbank of Delaware, and the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve. Brenna will continue her education at the United States Naval Academy, where she plans to major in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Seth Genshaw – Seaford Blue Jays 4-H Club
Seth Genshaw is a graduating senior from Abeka Academy of Pensacola, Florida. Seth is currently the president of the Seaford Blue Jays 4-H Club. Along with serving as president, Seth has also enjoyed the role of club treasurer. Growing up in 4-H has exposed Seth to an exceptional network of mentors while teaching him the leadership qualities necessary for his future success.
Seth has worked at Chick-Fil-A, Seaford, for three years while accomplishing high school. He values this experience and the second-mile customer service knowledge he has acquired. This summer, Seth will be working as a Park Patrol Officer at Trap Pond State Park in Laurel. In the fall, he is attending Del Tech in Georgetown to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice.
Gianna Joella – Hollymount 4-H Club
Gianna has graced us with her unstoppable smile and quick wit for nine years. She has served as Hollymount’s reporter for almost that long. She served as vice president for a year and has helped on our planning committee to decide what Hollymount focuses on in meetings and the community during the year. Gia is now training her sister to take over as reporter. Cooking and photography have always been her projects, and her pictures of her many travels with her family have always been incredible!
Gia will be attending the University of Delaware next year, majoring in Games Studies and eSports, which is game development, programming, marketing, and all things in between. We are super excited to see where this will take Gia. Her kindness, smile, and enthusiasm are infectious. We cannot wait to see where this next chapter leads Gia!
Kaitlyn Johnson – Country Clovers 4-H Club
Kaitlyn Johnson is a member of the Country Clovers 4-H Club. She has served as the club president for the past 3 years, served as secretary for 3 years, and treasurer for 2 years prior. Kaitlyn enjoys volunteering in the community with her club and giving back to the church where club meetings are held by helping with their chicken dinners. She is currently working on her application to achieve her Diamond Clover Award with the George Washington Carver Early Learning Center. She is hoping to teach these students where their food comes from and how to plant vegetables in raised garden beds, which she will help construct. Fair projects and judging competitions have been a major part of Kaitlyn’s entire 4-H career. She has participated in Sewing & Textiles, Poultry, and Horticulture Judging. 4-H has enhanced her public speaking skills through county and state demonstrations. Kaitlyn had the honor of representing Delaware 4-H and Sussex County 4-H this past year at the National 4-H Conference in Washington DC and the National 4-H Congress in Georgia. It was a very rewarding experience, and she met incredible 4-H members from across the United States. Furthermore, Kaitlyn has been a counselor for younger member weekend and state 4-H environmental camp.
Kaitlyn is currently a senior at Indian River High School and a member of numerous clubs. She plays tenor saxophone in concert and jazz bands. This year, Kaitlyn was chosen to serve as the president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She also served as the captain of her color guard team for 2 years, which involved leading practices in addition to writing routines for parades and halftime shows. Kaitlyn is an active member of the National Honor Society, Leo Club, and Drama Club. Her biggest passion is robotics, which she has been a member of for seven years. She has served as our team captain for the past 2 years. Through her robotics team, Kaitlyn has represented Indian River High School at regional and state robotics competitions. Recently, she applied for and received several scholarships that will help further her education as she will attend the University of Delaware this fall and major in mechanical engineering.
Eason Li – Meado-Larks 4-H Club
Eason is an active member of the Meado-Larks Club. He joined 4-H as a Cloverbud when he was 5 years old. Eason has served as the Treasurer for New Castle County Jr. Council and as a State Ambassador on the Delaware 4-H State Teen Council. He has loved doing activities and competitions in photography and horticulture areas. He also enjoyed serving as a camp counselor for the Environmental Camp and Animal Science Camp during the summer as well as submitting exhibits for the Delaware State Fair. Eason will be attending Johns Hopkins University this fall, where he will major in Economics and continue to “Make the Best Better.”
Sydney Messick – Peach Blossom 4-H Club
Sydney Messick is a senior at Lake Forest High School and an 11-year member of the Peach Blossom 4-H Club. She is involved in the Lake Forest High School FFA, a member of the National Honor Society, and a Director of the Delaware Appaloosa Youth Association.
Sydney’s favorite 4-H memories are competing in the horse bowl and winning the Betty Niblett Perpetual Trophy at the State 4-H Horse Show. Her favorite 4-H projects are her market lambs and horses.
Sydney is attending Delaware Technical Community College in the fall with a major in Agribusiness Management. She then plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness at Delaware State University.
Peyton Parson – Vernon Creek 4-H Club
Peyton Parson will be graduating from Lake Forest high school this June. She has been an active member of the Vernon Creek 4-H club since she was seven years old. She has involved herself in projects such as Archery and showing pigs over the last few years. Peyton is currently serving as an officer in her 4-H club.
Peyton enjoys playing volleyball and lacrosse for her high school as well as serving in the children’s ministry at her church at Calvary Wesleyan in Harrington. Peyton is looking to pursue a career as a vet tech and will be attending Delaware Technical College this fall.
Austin Quackenbush – Bridgeville Mustangs 4-H Club
Austin has done a lot of things many were not sure he could. He loves not only 4-H but staying busy in activities like Special Olympics and karate. He has won many ribbons, medals, and belts from trying all kinds of things, from public speaking to softball or a new form; no matter the color earned, we know he always gives his best, and we are so proud of him. If Austin absolutely had to pick a favorite 4-H event, it would have to be State Camp…Go Turtles, but he loves them all! Aside from attending State Camp, another absolute favorite of his and a proud moment for us is Austin getting to be a counselor for Younger Member Weekend and Day Camps! He currently holds an adult yellow belt in Kenpo karate. Another awesome accomplishment he has under his belt is making the honor roll all throughout high school, and he even has licenses!!
One of Austin’s proudest moments is becoming a Quackenbush. Many may know him as Austin Jewell, but this past year he was officially adopted. He was never anything less than a son to us, but we are more than happy to share our last name with such an awesome man. We can’t wait to see where life leads him!
Paige Taylor – Bridgeville Mustangs 4-H Club
Paige Taylor is the 18-year-old daughter of Corey and Heather Taylor from Bridgeville, Delaware. Paige is a senior at Woodbridge High School, where she maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. She has served her Class of 2023 as Secretary by helping to plan and prepare for pep rallies, homecoming floats, and prom. Paige is a member of the Woodbridge FFA Chapter. She has been a part of an Agricultural Sales team, a Horse Judging Team and has earned her State Degree. Paige received the 2021 HOBY Leadership Conference nomination for her school. She is currently serving as the vice president of her National Technical Honor Society. She is also involved in Spanish National Honor Society and is the drumline captain at her school, in addition to being a co-drum major.
Outside of school, Paige is a 12-year member of the Bridgeville Mustangs 4-H Club, where she is currently serving as president and is very active in the horse project. She started showing horses at the age of eight. Paige has developed her speaking skills over the years by participating in the demonstration (4-H) and public speaking (FFA) contests at the county and state levels. After graduation, Paige plans to attend Salisbury University with a major in Secondary Education with a concentration in English and plans on riding for the Equestrian team. She has future plans to obtain a master’s degree in Speech Pathology.
Daisy Timney – Heavenly Hooves, Summit Bridge, and NCC Sheep Clubs
Daisy Timney is a member of The Heavenly Hooves, Summit Bridge, and NCC Sheep Clubs. She is also the President of her FFA Chapter at MOT Charter School and Delaware’s Sheep and Wool Ambassador. Daisy has enjoyed many years in 4-H, participating in Favorite Foods, Horse Bowl, and Demonstration contests, as well as her sheep and horse projects and exhibiting at the Delaware State Fair. In September, Daisy will be attending Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where she will begin a double major in Interior Design and Small Business Development/ Entrepreneurial Studies.
Weston Williams – Harrington Sunshine 4-H Club
Weston Williams is a 14-year member of the Harrington Sunshine 4-H Club. Throughout his tenure in 4-H, he has participated in many project areas, including sewing, goats, woodworking, foods, outdoor adventures, global education, shooting sports, leadership, horticulture, financial literacy, business and entrepreneurship, and arts and crafts. While these project areas were interesting, his favorite projects were Photography and Engineering. Weston participated in the National 4-H Youth Photography Summit, the National 4-H Conference, and the National 4-H Congress. He was selected as one of 10 members of the National Leadership Team for National 4-H Congress in 2022.
Weston will graduate from Greenwood Mennonite School in May. While at GMS, he has been a member of the Track & Field Team, the photographer for the Yearbook, owned his own vending machine business, had a role in the school Drama Production and this year, he served as Class President. Weston will continue his education this fall at the University of Delaware, where he will major in Mechanical Engineering.
Maura Breeding – Harrington Sunshine 4-H Club
Maura Breeding is a senior at Caesar Rodney High School. She has been involved with 4-H and FFA for several years. Through 4-H and FFA, she has raised and shown goats, lambs, and pigs. Maura also served as chapter and club officer. In the Fall, Maura will be attending Eckerd College and plans to double major in Environmental Studies and Marine Science.
