Most people don’t see anything special about vegetable soup, but for Chocowinity resident Caitlin Cartwright, 17, it’s taken on a whole new meaning.

Cartwright, a rising senior at the Early College of Beaufort County, competed along with 15 other youth from the Beaufort County 4-H Program at the 4-H program’s state-level competition. Beaufort County brought home three gold medals, eight silver medals and two bronze medals.

Cartwright, who brought home a gold medal despite it being her first year presenting, said she chose to make cold vegetable soup for the “Fruit & Vegetable Use, 14-18” category because it was her first year and less people choose that particular topic.

During the state competition, Cartwright had to deliver a PowerPoint presentation and then make the soup for the judges — a demonstration called “Chillin’ with Caitlin’s Vegetable Soup.”

Due to her first-place win in the category, she will represent the state at the National Junior Horticulture Association Conference in Orlando, Fla., in October.

“It was a lot of practice. I’m used to presenting in front of people,” Cartwright said. “You’ve got to really know what you’re talking about.”

She said she joined the county’s 4-H program almost two years ago because she wanted to participate in extracurricular activities.

“I figured it would look really good on a college application. … It seemed like something that I could do,” Cartwright said. “It gives me the opportunity to expand my horizons.”

Members of 4-H participate in a variety of activities, including working with animals on a farm, gardening and other outdoor activities, she said.

“So far I’ve just loved meeting new people. It’s just like a tight little family,” she said.

Between now and October, Cartwright said she has to take the information she already acquired for the district and state competitions and expand on it, not to mention prepare to present in front of a much larger crowd. She said she is excited to compete on the national level but also a little nervous.

“I think mainly, when I was in district and state, it was more about getting my information together,” Cartwright said. “I think I’ll be more nervous by the time (I’m) ready to leave.”