St. Mary’s County 4-H Honors Youth Achievement And Leadership At 2025 Annual Banquet

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — At the St. Mary’s County 4-H 2025 Achievement Banquet March 21, 4-H members, families, volunteers and community leaders gathered at the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department to celebrate a year of achievement, leadership and community involvement.

The St. Mary’s County 4-H, supported by the University of Maryland Extension, recognized dozens of local youth and volunteers for accomplishments ranging from annual record-keeping and county fair success to leadership development, state contests and volunteer service.

The evening opened with welcome remarks and acknowledgments of community partners and donors who helped support the 4-H program throughout the year. Organizers recognized local contributors for the success of the banquet, including John and Ann Richards, the St. Mary’s County Fair Association, St. Mary’s County 4-H All-Stars, the Wicomico Valley Foundation of Southern Maryland, St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau, The Fun Bunch and Friendz Quarter Auction Team, Colonial Farm Credit, SMECO and other community supporters.

“These donations and partnerships help make it possible to recognize our 4-H’ers tonight without cost,” said Susan Russell, 4-H youth development educator.

The banquet featured a full buffet meal with fried chicken, roast beef, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, salads, biscuits and desserts — a hometown comfort-style dinner that brought together families and volunteers from across St. Mary’s County.

Throughout the evening, organizers also held fundraising activities to support local 4-H programs and scholarships, including a 50/50 raffle, door prizes and a brown-bag (technically a white bucket) auction supporting the county’s horse program. Proceeds from the raffle were designated for the 4-H scholarship fund.

Youth Development And Community Impact

Barbara Dobbins, 4-H program management specialist with the University of Maryland Extension, said the St. Mary’s County 4-H Achievement Banquet reflected the strength and growth of the local 4-H community, which includes many youth participants, alumni and families who remain involved across generations.

Dobbins said attendance at recent banquets has ranged from nearly 300 to more than 345 participants, highlighting the program’s broad reach throughout St. Mary’s County. She noted that many attendees are former 4-H members who now return with their own children and grandchildren, reinforcing the program’s long-standing community ties.

“I think it gives a lot of the kids things to do — they’ll raise animals and be responsible for their other projects,” Dobbins said. “It’s a very positive youth program for them to get involved in.”

St. Mary’s County 4-H included a wide range of projects, including livestock, sewing, rabbits, poultry, leadership development opportunities and even photography. While the county maintains a strong livestock and horse community, the program offers more than 100 project options for youth with varied interests.

Dobbins said 4-H played an important role in youth development by providing structure, responsibility and community involvement. Many participants care for animals, complete project work and participate in community service, helping them build skills and stay engaged in positive activities.

“We have kids here who start in kindergarten, and then they move up into leadership and become more involved in the community,” Dobbins said. “A lot of them have grown up to be in agriculture, for example, we have one trying to be a vet. We have kids in the trades too — welding and mechanics — 4-H gives them a purpose.”

Dobbins said leadership development was a key component of the program, with youth participating in state contests, national recognition events and community service activities such as working with veterans homes, nursing homes and local fundraising events. She said the community is very close and everyone grows together, including her family.

“4-H is a big community where everybody knows everybody and it’s just amazing to see them get more involved in the community,” Dobbins said. “All my girls started in 4-H and ended up in the ag community.”

St. Mary’s County Commissioner Eric Colvin said the St. Mary’s County 4-H Achievement Banquet reflected the strength of youth development across the county, highlighting the wide variety of projects, leadership opportunities and long-term community involvement fostered through the program.

“We are here to celebrate 4-H, and all of the different 4-H clubs in St. Mary’s County,” Colvin said. “I’m just blown away every year by the diversity of topics that these kids work on.”

Colvin said he is consistently impressed by 4-H and the amount of work youth complete throughout the year, including record books, research and hands-on learning. He noted that the annual banquet serves as an important opportunity to recognize youth participants, the parents and the volunteers who support the program.

“Every year it’s this high of a turnout or more. It’s incredible,” Colvin said. “Parents should definitely think about checking out the different clubs because it’s a great place to get your kid involved, meet some new people and give them leadership opportunities.”

Colvin said that the local 4-H plays a critical role in developing future leaders, particularly in a county with deep agricultural roots. He said the youth involved in 4-H gained public speaking experience, workforce skills and real-world learning opportunities that prepare them for future careers and community involvement.

“The youth are our future, and this is the future of St. Mary’s County,” Colvin said. “We have an agricultural past and background — and the partnerships that make 4-H possible help our youth grow and succeed.”

Youth Leadership And Success Stories

Delia Vallandingham, 15, served as a master of ceremonies for the St. Mary’s County 4-H 2025 Achievement Banquet while also balancing multiple leadership roles across youth agricultural organizations. She said she first got involved with 4-H when she was five.

Vallandingham is vice president of the St. Mary’s 4-H Shooting Stars Club, president of the Tudor Hall 4-H Club and president of the FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter at Chopticon High School, which she helped restart after the program had been inactive for decades. She said 4-H has been a cornerstone of her social, academic and workforce development.

“I would say that 4-H is probably the biggest impact of my entire life, opening up so many opportunities for me,” Vallandingham said. “Including being a camp counselor, going to Kentucky for a national event, going to Georgia for national 4-H Congress, and being able to meet so many different people that I now have connections with and that can help me with my career.”

Vallandingham represented St. Mary’s County at the national level after placing in the top four in poultry judging at the state contest, where she earned her trip to a national competition in Kentucky. 

“It’s really cool being able to make a name for myself at the state level,” Vallandingham said. “Through all of the things I’m involved in at the state level, and then also at the national level, and being able to represent a county so small in the bottom of Maryland.”

One of Vallandingham’s favorite experiences has been serving as a camp counselor at the Western Maryland 4-H Center, where she helped lead younger members through activities including archery, air rifle, canoeing, hiking and team-building exercises.

“My favorite thing that I do every year is overnight camp,” Vallandingham said. “I’m able to lead kids of all ages and see the impact and the model that I’m setting for kids that are younger than me.”

Looking ahead, Vallandingham said she plans to pursue a degree in animal science and continue working in agriculture, while remaining involved in 4-H and youth leadership.

Cheyenne Lamela-Dykstra of Mount Chance Farm is a 4-H volunteer and parent who said the St. Mary’s County 4-H Achievement Banquet highlighted the hard work and growth of youth across a wide range of projects, from livestock and horses to crafts and leadership activities.

“We’re celebrating the accomplishments of kids from all over St. Mary’s County,” Lamela-Dykstra said. “From horse and pony projects to livestock to fishing to crocheting — all kinds of projects.”

Lamela-Dykstra said one of the most valuable aspects of 4-H is the annual record-keeping process, where youth track expenses, income and project outcomes. She explained that this helps teach responsibility, financial awareness and accountability, especially for youth managing livestock and equine projects.

She noted that her own children have been involved in 4-H for several years, and Lamela-Dykstra has volunteered for the past three years. During that time, she has seen significant personal growth, particularly in confidence and leadership skills.

“4-H is awesome because it keeps kids grounded — they get their hands dirty — it develops responsibility and a sense of accomplishment,” Lamela-Dykstra said. “It establishes great leadership roles and teaches them public speaking.”

Lamela-Dykstra also shared a personal success story involving her daughter, who went from being a shy participant to holding officer roles and eventually competing at the national level. Her daughter placed 11th in the nation in the 4-H Hippology and Horse Judging competition in Kentucky, competing against more than 260 participants.

“When my kids first started 4-H, they were super shy,” Lamela-Dykstra said. “Now they’ve both held officer seats within the club.”

Lamela-Dykstra said the program provided opportunities for youth to grow at their own pace and discover new interests, whether through livestock, crafts, sports or other projects. She encouraged parents to get their kids involved, and said that St. Mary’s County has a strong agricultural community, which contributes to the high turnout and participation seen at 4-H events.

“4-H is just big here — it’s a very agricultural area, and livestock and horses are huge down here,” Lamela-Dykstra said. “Just do it. Jump in. Get involved! It gives kids such an opportunity to thrive.”

Recognizing Achievements Across St. Mary’s County

After dinner, the awards program formally recognized youth members and volunteers for achievements across the 2025 4-H program year. Honors included Member Record Books, Clover Bud Awards, County Fair Trophies, Outstanding Exhibitors, Diamond Clover Awards, Spirit Awards, Horseman Standards, Out-of-State Trip selections, Outstanding 4-H’er recognition, Maryland State Contest honors and Volunteer Awards.

The ceremony also highlighted just how much participation stretched across St. Mary’s County 4-H clubs, including clubs such as Backyard Critters, Chaptico Chargers, Chesapeake Crabs, Crazy Critters, Rope’n Wranglers, St. Mary’s 4-H Shooting Stars, South County Patriots, Stirrup Trouble, Tudor Hall and Wild Things. This range of clubs reflected the diversity of projects represented throughout the county — from livestock and equine programs to shooting sports, crafts, leadership and agricultural education.

With hundreds of attendees filling the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, the annual achievement banquet served as both a recognition ceremony and a reflection of the program’s continued growth in St. Mary’s County. The evening highlighted not only award recipients, but also the broader 4-H community, which included volunteers, alumni, parents and younger members just beginning their involvement.

Fundraising efforts throughout the evening such as door prizes, raffles and auctions supported future scholarships and programming, reinforcing the community’s ongoing investment in youth development.

Door prizes were made possible by St. Mary’s County 4-H clubs, St. Mary’s County 4-H program, Colonial Farm Credit, Atlantic Tractor and Tractor Supply of Hollywood, Md.

The annual achievement banquet marked the close of the 2025 program year and the beginning of a new cycle of projects, leadership opportunities and community involvement for St. Mary’s County youth.

Printed at the bottom of the evening’s program was the 4-H motto: “To Make the Best Better.” Which highlighted the spirit of 4-H.

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