Austin County 4-H members, volunteers and supporters gathered Sunday, Aug. 9, for the annual Austin County 4-H Awards Banquet, celebrating achievements ranging from county-level activities to national competition.
Hosted by the Wallis 4-H Club and Frydek 4-H Club in Wallis, the banquet drew approximately 160 guests for an evening recognizing the accomplishments, leadership and involvement of local 4-H members.
Among the evening’s honors, Craig Melton, Livestock Judging Coach, was named 4-H Leader of the Year.
The Friends of 4-H recognition went to Austin County State Bank, Ricky Canik, Real Deal Catering – Robert Winkelmann, and Crawfish Outlet to Geaux for their support of the Austin County 4-H program.
Several Austin County 4-H members were also recognized for accomplishments beyond the county level. Kiley Krueger, Paisley Miller and Grace Lischka participated in Texas 4-H Congress, while Miller serves as District 11 Vice Chairman.
Teaghan Eckelberg was recognized as the Austin County 4-H Fair Queen candidate.
Austin County will also be represented at the national level by the 2026 National Qualifying Livestock Quiz Bowl Team. Team members Kinley Kokemor, Luke Schumann, Claire Schneider and Presley Jacob are headed to Louisville, Kentucky, for national competition.
Star Awards Recognize Outstanding 4-H Members
The banquet concluded with the presentation of the 2025-2026 Star Awards, among the most prestigious honors presented to Austin County 4-H members.
Star Awards recognize outstanding 4-H members based on personal development, leadership, achievement in 4-H projects and activities, and contributions to the overall program. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, recipients represent approximately 2% of the eligible group of 4-H members.
To be considered, members must have participated in 4-H for at least three years, been involved in three main project areas, completed an application and interview process, and submitted a record for consideration.
The 2025-2026 Austin County 4-H Star Award recipients were:
- Rising Star: Peyton Blezinger
- Bronze Star: Hannah Henderson and Liam Villarreal
- Silver Star: Catalea Castro and Quinna Parker
- Gold Star: Grace Lischka and Layne Malinowski
The annual banquet provided an opportunity to recognize not only the competitive accomplishments of Austin County’s 4-H members, but also the leadership, service and dedication of the young people, adult leaders and community supporters who contribute to the program throughout the year.
