Five Arkansas 4-H members named finalists for Governor’s Award
May 7, 2026
By Ryan McGeeney
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Judges chose from record-tying 16 qualified applicants
- Five finalists will interview with committee, dine with Governor in June
- Finalists receive $1,000 scholarships; winner to receive $3,000 scholarship
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Download photos of finalists
LITTLE ROCK — For the first time in three decades, five Arkansas 4-H members have been named finalists for the Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award.
The award is the highest honor Arkansas 4-H bestows on its members. It is presented each year at the state 4-H O-Rama event in July.
Jesse Bocksnick, extension 4-H outdoor skills coordinator for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said that while there is no set number of finalists to be named each year, the number is typically three or four — very rarely as many as five.
“We just had an extraordinary group of candidates this year,” said Bocksnick, whose duties include forming the committees that first select, and later interview, the finalists. Bocksnick said that the number of qualified applicants — 16 — also tied a long-held record, set in 1994.
To qualify to apply for the Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award, a 4-H member must be a previous state record book winner. 4-H places a high premium on the art of record-keeping — documenting the processes and outcomes of a given project. The organization considers it to be at the heart of successful management, whether of a farm, a community service project or any other pursuit.
Additionally, successful applicants must have letters of recommendation and a current record book.
“Some kids, if they’re a state record book winner, are near the end of their 4-H career,” Bocksnick said. “To still be actively engaged in that project at a high level is what the judges are looking for.
“Every year, the judges are looking for experiences and accomplishments in leadership, in citizenship and community service,” he said. “They’re looking at their overall accomplishment in the 4-H program.”
This year’s finalists are:
- Channing Ashworth of Washington County
- Isaiah Collins of Pulaski County
- Brooklyn Luedecke of Benton County
- Daley Rogers of Grant County
- Sulli Schaffer of Benton County
Bocksnick said that now that the finalists have been selected, each will be interviewed by a second committee on June 15 at the University of Arkansas System office in Little Rock, followed by a luncheon with Division of Agriculture leaders, including Deacue Fields, Vice President for Agriculture, John Anderson, Director of the Cooperative Extension Service and others.
“It’s always difficult to choose a winner among these finalists,” Caldwell said. “There’s a rubric we follow for the interviews at this stage. What we’re really looking for is how each finalist will take what they’ve learned during their time in 4-H and apply it to the rest of their lives.”
Each finalist will receive a $1,000 scholarship from Arkansas 4-H, awarded during 4-H O-Rama, the organization’s statewide competition and awards ceremony held each year in Fayetteville. The winner of the Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award will receive a $3,000 scholarship.
Bocksnick said that while many former Governor’s Award winners and finalists have also been Arkansas state officers, it’s not an application requirement.
“Some of them come by their leadership skills naturally,” he said. “You don’t necessarily have to be a 4-H state officer to get that leadership experience. Two out of the five finalists this year have not been state officers. Last year, half of the group had not been state officers. So, you can get that experience without having the green jacket.”
Bocksnick said the competition among applicants was unusually intense.
“These are the cream of the crop,” he said. “All 16 of the applicants could’ve been finalists. It’s just minute details that are separating these youth.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Ryan McGeeney
rmcgeeney@uada.edu
501-671-2120