LINCOLN – Dayton Cunningham had to be hopping happy after the success she saw during a recent 4-H event in Lincoln.
The 9-year-old Wausa girl received a Top 5 Award in the Junior Illustrated Presentation Contest during the 2024 Nebraska 4-H Premier Communication Event.
The two-day event, which features a variety of state-level communication contests, was held June 17-18 on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus.
Dayton described her award-winning presentation. She had between three and five minutes to finish presenting it; she concluded it in about four minutes.
“I presented about my bunny and how to take care of him,” she said. “I was talking about mainly all the breeds for if you wanted a bunny.”
Dayton has a rabbit of her own at home. His name is Whiteout and his fur is white with black specks.
“I just like bunnies a lot, so I thought it would be cool if I did that,” she said of her presentation.
For her success in the Junior Illustrated Presentation Contest, Dayton also will receive an award from the Nebraska 4-H Foundation.
That’s wasn’t all, though. She also received a blue ribbon for her Junior Division Impromptu Speech during this year’s Nebraska 4-H Premier Communication Event.
Dayton spun a wheel of topics to see which subject she would have 15 minutes to prepare for a speech on the spot.
“It would choose for us and then we would have to write about that topic,” she said.
The subject Dayton gave an impromptu speech on was her favorite summer activity.
“My favorite summer activity is riding horses,” she said. “I just like that it’s relaxing. I get to hang out with my cousins a lot riding horses.”
Dayton, a member of the Southeast Wranglers 4-H Club, noted she is planning to show her rabbit and American Paint Horse – whose name is Woody and has brown and white hair – at the 2024 Knox County Fair in Bloomfield.
The daughter of Dillon and Allison Cunningham, Dayton noted she enjoyed the whole experience of competing at this year’s Nebraska 4-H Premier Communication Event, including visiting UNL.
Dayton was not the only Knox County 4-H member to see success during this year’s Nebraska 4-H Premier Communication Event.
Like Dayton, Jocelyn Hanefeldt, Center, received a Top 5 Award in the Junior Illustrated Presentation Contest and will receive an award from the Nebraska 4-H Foundation.
Marshall Bratetic, Bloomfield, received a purple ribbon in the Senior Radio Public Service Announcement Contest.
Peyton Bratetic, Bloomfield, received fifth place in the Intermediate Radio Public Service Announcement Contest and will receive a $50 award from the Nebraska 4-H Foundation.
Tucker Hanefeldt, Center, received a purple ribbon in the Junior Radio Public Service Announcement Contest.
