Hazen Union High School in Hardwick was abuzz with activity on Saturday, April 5, as Northeast Kingdom 4-H’ers gathered for the 2025 Northeast Regional 4-H Spring Showcase to demonstrate what they’ve learned in 4-H project and club work this year.

Participants from 16 4-H clubs presented action exhibits, stage acts, illustrated talks, demonstrations, photographs, posters, videos and tabletop exhibits. They also modeled outfits in a fashion review and as smart shoppers, the latter allowing them to demonstrate their fashion sense and budgeting abilities by putting together an outfit for $25 or less.

Rosette ribbons were awarded to the top entry in most categories. Several entries were selected to continue on to 4-H State Day, a premier statewide event slated for May 17 in Barre.

4-H'ers at a table presenting work
Lunenburg 4-H’er CJ McNeely (left) observes as Piper Parsons, Derby, and Taylor Peck, Sheffield, present their team demonstration, “Ouch Pouch,” at the 2025 Northeast Regional 4-H Spring Showcase, April 5 in Hardwick. (photo: Holly Ferris/UVM Extension)
4-H'er at a table presenting work
Breeana Garcia of Woodsville, New Hampshire, member of an Essex County 4-H club, waits for visitors at the 2025 Northeast Regional 4-H Spring Showcase to ask her about her tabletop exhibit, “First Aid Kit for Dogs.” (photo: Amanda Turgeon)
4-H'ers at a table presenting work
Amanda Royce, University of Vermont Extension 4-H volunteer and outreach coordinator, listens to Morrisville 4-H’ers Hazel Kelley (left) and Emma Drapper as they demonstrate how to milk a cow in their team demonstration at the 2025 Northeast Regional 4-H Spring Showcase, April 5 in Hardwick. (photo: Holly Ferris/UVM Extension)
4-H'ers at a table presenting work
At the 2025 Northeast Regional 4-H Spring Showcase, April 5 in Hardwick, Kingdom Hoofbeats 4-H club members Alina Phillips, Newport (left) and Quinn Charest, Derby Line, talked to visitors about ways to reuse, not discard, items. (photo: Sonia Koehler)
4-H'er at an easel presenting work
Danville 4-H’er Caleb Morrison presented an illustrated talk on cats vs. dogs at the 2025 Northeast Regional 4-H Spring Showcase, April 5 in Hardwick. (photo: Holly Ferris/UVM Extension)

4-H’ers and their entries, listed by county of their club, are:

Caledonia County Club Members

  • ACTION EXHIBIT: Blazing Bridles 4-H Club, Danville (“Lucky Jewelry Hanger.” Participants: Devin Davidson and Eva Lamothe, both from Barnet; Kaylee Demars and Thea Ross, both from St. Johnsbury; Jaida Jenkin, Wheelock); Blazing Bridles 4-H Club, Danville (“Memory Shoes.” Participants: LeighAnn Judd, Wolcott; Adriana Holbrook, Hardwick; Catherine Mangan, Cabot; and Natalie Taylor and Jenesy Zwart, both from Danville)
  • ILLUSTRATED TALK: Amos Dedam, Groton (“Getting my Goats”); Caleb Morrison, Danville (“Cats vs. Dogs”); Luke Morrison, Danville (rosette ribbon winner, “The Founding of Luke’s Military Museum”)
  • PHOTOGRAPHY: Kaila Call, Waterford; Lily Call, Waterford; LeighAnn Judd, Wolcott; Thea Ross, St. Johnsbury; Jenesy Zwart, Danville
  • TABLETOP DISPLAY: South Kirby Hilltoppers, South Kirby (rosette ribbon winner for Caledonia County, “Maple Sugaring Past and Present.” Participants: Kaila and Lily Call; Tiernan Hardman-Whitbread, Noah Rock, Lachlann Wolfe, Finnley Wood and Jacob Davis-Ickes, all from Waterford); Waterford 4-H, Waterford (“Working Steer.” Participants: Connor and Emmett Hoyt, South Royalton)
  • TECHNOLOGY (4-H VIDEO): Kaila and Lily Call, Waterford (rosette ribbon winner, “Are You Bored, You Need 4-H!”)

Essex County Club Members

  • INDIVIDUAL DEMONSTRATION: Breeana Garcia, Woodsville, New Hampshire (rosette ribbon winner, “How to Do CPR on Your Dog”)
  • PHOTOGRAPHY:  Evangelynd Ahlmann, Lunenburg; Breeana Garcia, Woodsville, New Hampshire
  • POSTER: Maddox Richardson, Lunenburg; Paytin Richardson, Lunenburg (rosette ribbon winner for Essex County)
  • SMART SHOPPER: Breeana Garcia, Woodsville, New Hampshire (rosette ribbon winner)
  • STAGE PRESENTATION (GROUP): Addalynn and Madison Fuller, Lunenburg (rosette ribbon winner, dance)
  • STAGE PRESENTATION (INDIVIDUAL): Madison Fuller, Lunenburg (rosette ribbon winner, song)
  • TABLETOP DISPLAY: Breeana Garcia, Woodsville, New Hampshire (rosette ribbon winner for Essex County, “First Aid Kit for Dogs”); Jacqueline Lear, Bath, New Hampshire (“Quarter Horse History”); CJ McNeeley, Lunenburg (“Box Truck vs. Covered Bridge”)

Lamoille County Club Members

  • DEMONSTRATION (TEAM): Emma Draper and Hazel Kelley, both from Morrisville (“How to Milk a Cow”)
  • FASHION REVUE: Tea Ferris, Jeffersonville (rosette ribbon winner, crocheted tunic)
  • PHOTOGRAPHY: Willa Niles, Jeffersonville
  • POSTER: Charlotte Niles, Jeffersonville; Willa Niles, Jeffersonville (rosette ribbon winner for Lamoille County)
  • TABLETOP EXHIBIT: Bayden McAllister, Morrisville (rosette ribbon winner for Lamoille County, “Parts of a Dairy Cow”)

Orleans County Club Members

  • ACTION EXHIBIT: Kingdom Hoofbeats, Derby Line (rosette ribbon winner, “Galloping Through Careers.” Participants: Penelope Longe, Newport; Carlie Rondeau, Coventry; and Abby Shelp, Derby); Kingdom Hoofbeats, Derby Line (“Never Refuse to Reuse.” Participants: Quinn Charest, Derby Line, and Alina Phillips, Newport); Kingdom Hoofbeats, Derby Line (“Ouch Pouch.” Participants: Taylor Peck, Sheffield, and Piper Parsons, Derby)
  • DEMONSTRATION (TEAM): Penelope Longe, Newport, and Carlie Rondeau, Coventry (rosette ribbon winner, “Wrap it Right”)
  • PHOTOGRAPHY: Harlow Converse and Kassie Koehler, both from Derby; Cosimo Franklin, Lyndon Center; Penelope Longe, Newport; Taylor Peck, Sheffield
  • POSTER: Hannah Birch, Derby (rosette ribbon winner for Orleans County); Eva Bury, Derby; Amalie Pratt, Wolcott; Piper Simoneau, Newport
  • PUBLIC SPEAKING: Dawson Michaud, East Hardwick (rosette ribbon winner, “The First Buck”)
  • TABLETOP DISPLAY: Harlow Converse, Derby (“Compartments of a Cow’s Stomach”); Olivia Houghton, Derby (“Help Hatch a Miracle”); Kassie Koehler, Derby (“Ligament Legends”); Mya Marquis, Newport Center (“Mastitis”); Carlie Rondeau, Coventry (“Day with a Metabolic Pony”); Piper Simoneau, Newport (rosette ribbon winner for Orleans County, “Ice Fishing”)

The event was organized by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H Educators Lindy Birch and Holly Ferris. Judges were UVM Extension staff Jacob Holzberg-Pill, Martha Manning, Amy Miller, Amanda Royce and Moonshine Shorey and adult volunteers Sheena Brown, Derby; Grace Denio, Waterford; Hope Ferris and Barb Storch, both from Jeffersonville; Kellie Jenkins, Troy; Marcia Marble, Morrisville; Melody Morrison, Danville; and Charlie Somers, Lyndonville (judges’ room coordinator). 4-H teen helpers were Rhea and Tea Ferris, Jeffersonville, who staffed the registration table. 

To learn more about 4-H in Essex and Orleans Counties, contact Lindy Birch at melinda.birch@uvm.edu. For Caledonia and Lamoille Counties, contact Holly Ferris at holly.ferris@uvm.edu.