Ten Illinois 4-H members who exemplified outstanding leadership in the agricultural industry and demonstrate a desire to remain engaged were recently recognized as 2025-26 Illinois Sustaining the Future Award recipients.

As Sustaining the Future Award recipients, these dedicated and hard-working 4-H members are invited to attend the Premier 20 Leadership Conference, an elite youth leadership and professional development opportunity, to be held April 27-28, 2026, at the Illinois Farm Bureau headquarters in Bloomington.

Award recipients are:
– Abagail Baumann, representing Boone County 4-H
– Addison McGlaughlin, representing Boone County 4-H
– Caitlin Murphy, representing Peoria County 4-H
– Ethan Lee, representing Whiteside County 4-H
– Grace McCarty, representing White County 4-H
– Lane Perry, representing Clark County 4-H
– Makinzie Gaither, representing Lawrence County 4-H
– Ojas Shah, representing McLean County 4-H
– Ryan Carlson, representing Marshall County 4-H
– Shiloh Willis, representing Hamilton County 4-H

The Sustaining the Future Award is sponsored by Illinois Farm Bureau and the Affiliates Youth Education in Agriculture Committee.