The Custer County 4-H Recognition Night was held on Sunday, Nov. 17 at the 4-H Building in Broken Bow. The event is sponsored annually by the Nebraska State Bank and Trust Co. and Arrow Seed Co., Inc., in conjunction with the Nebraska Extension in Custer County and the Custer County 4-H Council.

The 2024 Outstanding 4-H Leader Award was presented to Kyla Olson. Kyla is serving as the organizational leader of the Creative Kids 4-H Club. This award is sponsored by the Custer County 4-H Council and the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. The 2024 “Friends of 4-H” were awarded by the Custer County 4-H Council to Casey Cooksley and Farm Credit Services of America for the contributions they have made to the Custer County 4-H program and being such great advocates of the 4-H program.

The Joyce Clarke Memorial Community Service Award was presented to the Thumbs Up 4-H Club for their excellence in 4-H community service projects during the past year.

The Leo C. Cooksley Memorial Award was awarded to Izabella Shields for her leadership and citizenship contributions to the 4-H program.

Two and five year members received membership pins. 4-H leaders received recognition for their 2, 5, 10, 15, 25, and 40 years of service.

The following 4-H’ers received awards: Outstanding 4-H Member - Emma Olson Champion All-Around Exhibitor - Izabella Shields Champion 4-H Clothing Exhibitors - Makamry Jones; Cora Rosentreader Champion 4-H Home Design & Restoration/Visual Arts Exhibitor - Lainey Palmer Best All-Around 4-H Home Economics Exhibitors - Makamry Jones; Kipp Cantrell Champion 4-H Foods Exhibitor - Kipp Cantrell Most Improved 4-H Shooter - Hank Taylor Top 4-H Shooter - Ashlyn Wardyn Top 4-H .22 Shooter – Bereket Glendy 2024 Nebraska Premier Livestock Exhibitors - Custer County - Addison Dalrymple – Beef; Maysa Jones – Sheep; Mahaya Jones – Sheep; Makamry Jones – Sheep; Ty Valdez – Swine 4-H Beef Hardluck Award - Declan Evans 4-H Hardluck Award - Avery Ostrand Citizenship Medal - Izabella Shields Clothing & Textiles Medal - Izabella Shields Veterinary Science Medal - Avery Harder Angus Breed Money – Braxon Rynearson, Colt Christensen, Maysa Jones, Kowen Dalrymple, Brexton Ostrand, Olivia Ostrand, Hesston Scott, Judd Sterner, Raylee Bachman Hereford Breed Money - Makamry Jones, Mahaya Jones, Kaygan Witthuhn, Emma Stallbaumer, Olivia Ostrand, Kirby Viter Charolais Breed Money - Jenna Bartak, Paisley Seda, Taylin Tobias, Krayten Cook, Halie Racicky, Charlie Tobias, Otto Petrick Simmental Breed Money - Hesston Scott, Catherine Phelps, Elizabeth Phelps, Kali Nelson, Brexton Ostrand, Charli Pandorf, Lainey Palmer, Kaden Miller Shorthorn Breed Money - Emersyn Palmer, Judd Sterner Commercial Breeding Heifers Breed Money - Breken Rynearson, Jaylin Young, Maci Smith, Kaedun Goodman Club with the largest percentage of members in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest - Burr Oak 4-H Club Nebraska 4-H Club of Excellence Awards - Burr Oak 4-H Club, Four Valleys 4-H Club, Great Connections 4-H Club Diamond Clover Awards - Jameson Harder, Finley Jones, Diesel Warta, Brinley Bachman, Aleah Harder, Addie Jones, Owen Warta, Raylee Bachman, Avery Harder.