Fifteen Wisconsin dairy youth received James W. Crowley State 4-H Dairy Leadership Awards at the 2011 Wisconsin Junior State Fair. These youth were rewarded for their outstanding dairy project work and leadership ability. Each award winner will receive a plaque provided by the James W. Crowley Dairy Management and Extension Fund.

The two top youth, Bethany Dado of Amery and Morgan Behnke of New Glarus, received $500 scholarships for continuing their dairy educations.

Receiving plaques as State James W Crowley Leadership Award recipients were: Ryan Pralle of Humbird, Nicholas Shuster or Fond du Lac, Karsen Haag of Mt. Horeb, Sierra Solum of Rice Lake, Jessica Scheildt of New Glarus, Sean Brown of Dodgeville, Laura Finley of Lake Mills, Monique Levash of Brillion, Mitchell Krahn of Brillion, Vanessa Vanderweele of Waldo, Austin Schmidt of Cascade, Grace Curran of Taylor and, Jacob Leum of Viroqua.

The judges for this year's Crowley Awards were Melanie Miller, retired 4-H youth development specialist, and Ted Halbach, director of University of Wisconsin-Madison's Farm and Industry Short Course and member of the James W. Crowley Dairy Management and Extension Fund Committee. 

"It's really a privilege to interview these young people who all wear their passion for the dairy industry on their sleeves."  said Ted Halbach.  "Doc Crowley would be pleased with the leadership skills these young people have demonstrated both in school and their 4-H project and that an award program in his name recognizes their achievements."

This award program is in honor and memory of James W. Crowley, longtime Extension dairy specialist at UW-Madison and a strong supporter of dairy youth project work.

Source: UW Extension

AWARD WINNERS: 2011 State James W Crowley Leadership Award Winners are from left: Monique Levash from Brillion, Vanessa Vanderweele from Waldo, Sean Brown from Dodgeville, Karsen Haag from Mt. Horeb, Jacob Leum from Viroqua, Jessica Schieldt from New Glarus, Mitch Krahn form Brillion, Bethany Dado from Amery, Ryan Pralle from Humbird, Morgan Behnke from New Glarus, Nicholas Shuster from Fond du Lac, Laura Finley from Lake Mills, Austin Schmidt from Cascade, Sierra Solum from Rice Lake. Not pictured is Grace Curran of Taylor.