4-H Awards and Recognition 2026

For 32 years, the Jensen family has been a wonderful example of what it means to make 4-H a family affair. James and Jody have shared their time and talents across so many areas of the program—from Hogs and the Turkey Show to indoor exhibits at the fair, sewing, crafting, fine arts, STEM, and so much more. James can always be counted on to pitch in, including spending countless hours working tirelessly at the turkey plant, while Jody leads the Sewing Circle Club and a community craft club. They are both go-to people for sharing ideas, lending a helping hand, and encouraging other volunteers and youth. Perhaps their greatest contribution is the 4-H legacy they have created within their own family. All of their children grew up participating in 4-H, and now that tradition continues with their grandchildren. They have instilled a true love for the county fair, making it a family tradition where generations come together to spend countless hours helping with the indoor exhibits and participating in weeks events. The Jensen family doesn't just participate in 4-H—they have made it a part of who they are and have helped make it a part of the lives of so many others. We are grateful for the 32 years of service, friendship, and family tradition they have shared with our 4-H program.

Over the past two years Box Elder County 4-H has received grant funding from the Kiwanis Club to give more opportunities to youth in our Shooting Sports Program and Horse Program. Grant funding for these programs have made a real difference in what our youth are to experience. Youth in our horse program were able to attend 4-H Ignite in Washington DC, and host workshops focused on the skills they have learned in 4-H. These lessons include public speaking, patience, confidence, and the value of hard work. Our Shooting sports program has exploded the past few years. Each club series fills, and has a wait list. The Kiwanis grant has helped purchase supplies to allow us to keep these clubs at a low cost, while still allowing us to adequately teach safety and responsibility.  What we appreciate most is that their support isn’t just helping us purchase supplies or make programs possible, with your partnership we are helping create opportunities for kids to learn skills, find something they love, build confidence, and make memories that will stay with them for years to come. We are so grateful for the Brigham City Kiwanis Club sees benefit in the importance of investing in our community’s youth. Thank you for believing in our kids and supporting our programs. 

Brick Bots is our Club of the Year for the 2025–26 year, recognizing the creativity and extra effort their club leaders put into making each club meeting a meaningful experience for their 3rd–5th grade members. This year, they took their club to a new level by adding team-building activities that challenged youth to work together, communicate, and think creatively. The club meetings had youth working with a partner to build a LEGO creation in a limited amount of time, turning a simple building activity into a lesson in teamwork, problem-solving, and cooperation. The club also embraced our club attendance incentive program, encouraging youth to stay engaged and committed throughout the year. Brick Bots is a great example of how a club can take an existing interest and turn it into opportunities for youth to develop skills that extend far beyond the project itself. We are excited that the club will continue this year with new volunteers stepping in to help lead it. The foundation built by last year's leaders will continue to give these youth opportunities to build, create, work together, and grow as 4-H members.

Under the direction of their fearless leader Lanette Sorensen, the 4-H PAWS for applause Dog Club has always taken a community first approach. This means that club meetings include going the extra mile to clean up and maintain the fairgrounds where they practice. But this is truly just the start. For eleven years now Lanette has created a club culture that focuses on giving back. For example- last year when Alice C. Harris called needing volunteers to clean up their open fields, which had become a hot spot for local K9s on potty breaks,  the PAWS for applause dog club showed up in full force with shovels and gloves-fully embracing the 4-H pledge and giving their hands to larger service. The club does service like this more than any other club we could think of! This last year in particular Lanette and the club, facilitated a special opportunity for our community to come together and heal from the loss of our local law enforcement officers, which included Lanette’s husband Lee who was a true friend to the 4-H programs. The Hike to Heal event allowed us  to remember Lee at one of his favorite places as the 4-H  youth walked with their dogs and interacted with first responders and members of the community. In addition Lanette encourages donations to the “friends of the fair” which benefits youth in the 4-H livestock program, expanding her influence beyond the dog club. In the midst of unimaginable loss, Lanette and the club  could have understandably turned inward and focused simply on finding their own way through grief. Instead, they continued to turn toward the people and community around them. They chose to give when they were  hurting, to serve when their own hearts were heavy.  Through Lanette’s time,  compassion, and the example she has set through her club, Lanette and the Dog Club  have given our community far more than we could have ever asked for. 

For more than 21 years, Karolina Munns has shared her time, talents, and heart with 4-H. She has been a strong supporter of our FCS programming, especially Sewing, Fashion Revue, and Cloverbuds. When I first started in this position, I remember Karolina coming to me concerned about the future of the FCS program as participation numbers were declining. Rather than just worry about it, she was enthusiastic about helping me rebuild the program. Her energy and encouragement gave me the push I needed to focus on growing our sewing clubs and making sure Fashion Revue continued to be a strong part of our program. Karolina is the kind of volunteer who is always willing to lend a helping hand and step in wherever she is needed. She has made a lasting impact on countless youth by sharing her skills, encouraging them to try new things, and helping them gain confidence. We are grateful that she will continue sharing her leadership this year as an advisor for Junior Teen Council. Karolina’s dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to serve are exactly what make a great 4-H volunteer, and we are so grateful for the years she has given and will continue to give to our program.

We are especially excited to recognize Shaunie Mackey who is also the Junior Livestock of Box Elder Secretary as Volunteer of the year. Shaunie does so much behind the scenes to make sure the Junior Livestock show is successful. She works hard to make sure the youth are registered, informed, and ready for the fair. She keeps track of details, answers questions, helps families navigate the registration process, and is the front lines of all complaints. She does this all with a smile because of the love she has for these youth livestock programs. Her dedication doesn’t stop there, she also has a club of her own. She works directly with the youth in her club to prepare them for success in the show ring. She is actively investing her time in helping kids learn, grow, and gain confidence through their livestock programs. What makes her such a special volunteer is that she gives her time in so many different ways. She is willing to do the behind-the-scenes work that many people will never see, also while being a club leader, and a show mom to her two cute girls. Her dedication, dependability, and genuine care for our youth are exactly what being a 4-H volunteer is all about. Thank you for everything you do for the youth in Box Elder County with livestock projects. We are grateful for you and proud to name you our Volunteer of the year.

This couple has been amazing at making sure youth in the shooting sports program have opportunities to shoot. They have given their time, knowledge, and energy to make sure our youth continue to have the opportunity to participate in shooting sports. Keeping a program like this takes more than showing up on the day on the activity. Both Trevor and Chrissy have made sure to do the appropriate training needed to become Level 1 certified in Archery, Rifle and Shotgun. They have spent countless hours giving to the 4-H program by running weekly activities, building better storage for supplies, and teaching the youth. These volunteers have taken on the responsibility to provide our youth with a safe, positive place to learn new skills and challenge themselves. Their willingness to jump in has made a real difference for our program and most importantly, for the youth who enjoy to participate in this program. We are incredibly grateful for the time and heart that they have put into the 4-H shooting sports program. Thank you Trevor and Chrissy for tackling the challenge and keeping our local shooting sports program moving forward. We are lucky to have you. 

Most 4-H members find one or two program areas that they focus on and participate in. This years Member of the Year is a little bit different. Over the past 10 years she has been involved in Livestock, Shooting Sports, Horse, Dog, and Leadership. Her involvement across so many different areas has made her an incredibly well-rounded 4-H member and a wonderful example of what it means to take advantage of the opportunities 4-H has to offer.  Daci Munns 4-H journey has also been filled with some very special experiences. She grew up alongside her dog patch in the dog program, and he was a very important part of her 4-H experience. Sadly she lost him this last year, her last year in 4-H. She chose to get a puppy and continue her involvement in the dog program. She is an active member of the Shooting Sports program as well and has been an ambassador for the program and helps run events each week. For 10 years she has shown up, tried new things,  and taken on leadership responsibilities.Her 4-H story is a wonderful example of commitment, resilience, leadership, and making the most of every opportunity. We are so proud to have been a part of helping her grow into the woman she is today. Congratulations Daci on being the 4-H member of the year!