CHOCOWINITY — Seventeen youth competitors from Beaufort County are moving on to the state-level 4-H competition in Raleigh.

A total of 29 Beaufort County participants competed in the Northeast District 4-H Activity Day competition, hosted at Southside High School on May 14, during which the students gave presentations in their chosen category and particular age group to a panel of judges.

Erin Massie, Beaufort County 4-H extension agent, said there were about 290 youth total representing 22 counties, as well as almost 600 adults and county agents in attendance. The counties in the district rotate for hosting the competition.

“It is a lot of work. Louise and I work hand in hand with these kids on oral presentations,” Massie said. “We actually sit down with them and teach them how to lay out their presentations.”

She said a lot of hours went into preparing the students, as well as organizing the event at Southside High, but she thinks it is a good way to teach public speaking skills.

“When you’re working with 29 youth, it takes a long time. … Louise and I were in the office until 8 or 9 (p.m.) for weeks,” Massie said. “It does take a lot of time, but we really instill in them how important it is to learn public speaking skills.”

Students who earned gold or silver medals in their categories will compete at North Carolina State University on July 16.

The students moving on to the state competition include:

• Gold medalists: Mason Lee (9-10 age group), beef char-grill; Annabelle Howdy (9-10), citizenship and community service; Brice Sosebee (9-10), egg cookery; Amoz Gardner (9-10), electric; Myah Smallwood (9-10), foods and nutrition; Breonce Thompson (11-13), egg cookery; Kayla Smallwood (11-13), family and consumer science; Kylie Bowden (11-13), fisheries and aquatics; RJ Langley (11-13), fruit; Deliyah Thompson (14-18), dairy foods; Jarrett Sosebee (14-18), electric; Lillian Worsley (14-18), fruit and vegetable use; Kieona Worsley (14-18), hospitality, etiquette and social graces; Lennon Condrey (14-18), peanut foods; and Lexi Ziff (14-18), science and technology.
• Silver medalists: Destiny Thompson (14-18), careers and entrepreneurship; and Tyler Sosebee (14-18), turkey char-grill.

Beaufort County’s 17 gold and silver medalists may be entering the big leagues, but with support from county 4-H agents and at home, they’ll be ready for it.

“They love it,” Massie said. “They’re very proud of their accomplishment at the end.”