AMES, Iowa – Throwing a surprise together is never easy, but on Wednesday, June 25 the Iowa 4-H Foundation and Successful Farming did just that at the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference Banquet being held in Iowa State University’s Hilton Coliseum. With over 700 Iowa 4-H’ers, chaperones, Extension and Outreach professionals, Iowa State faculty, and Iowa 4-H Foundation trustees in attendance Michael Tupper, an Iowa 4-H Foundation Youth Trustee, announced his independent selection committee had selected Barb Determan as the 2014 Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader. Determan is 4-H Club Leader of the Early Achievers 4-H Club in Early, Iowa.
“I was completely surprised and I am very humble to receive such a high honor,” said Determan an Iowa 4-H leader who is officially in her 33 year as a volunteer Iowa 4-H leader. “I am very excited to help grow the legacy of Successful Farming’s support to Iowa’s 4-H youth. Loren Kruse’s story always inspired me, much like my mother who was my 4-H leader so many years ago.”
CONTACTS:
Carter Collins Brooke Young
Marketing Intern Administrative Specialist
Iowa 4-H Foundation Iowa 4-H Foundation
ccollins@iastate.edu brookey@iastate.edu
(515) 294-1607 (515) 294-1537
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sac County’s Barb Determan named as 2014’s top Iowa 4-H Club Leader
Iowa 4-H Foundation awards the second Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader Award at the 2014 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference
AMES, Iowa – Throwing a surprise together is never easy, but on Wednesday, June 25 the Iowa 4-H Foundation and Successful Farming did just that at the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference Banquet being held in Iowa State University’s Hilton Coliseum. With over 700 Iowa 4-H’ers, chaperones, Extension and Outreach professionals, Iowa State faculty, and Iowa 4-H Foundation trustees in attendance Michael Tupper, an Iowa 4-H Foundation Youth Trustee, announced his independent selection committee had selected Barb Determan as the 2014 Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader. Determan is 4-H Club Leader of the Early Achievers 4-H Club in Early, Iowa.
“I was completely surprised and I am very humble to receive such a high honor,” said Determan an Iowa 4-H leader who is officially in her 33 year as a volunteer Iowa 4-H leader. “I am very excited to help grow the legacy of Successful Farming’s support to Iowa’s 4-H youth. Loren Kruse’s story always inspired me, much like my mother who was my 4-H leader so many years ago.” Barb was born and raised in Illinois, where she was a 4-H youth for ten years. After graduation from the University of Illinois, her passion of agriculture led her to Kansas City then to Iowa where she met and married Steve Determan, who also is a 4-H Leader with Barb. Barb and Steve have three children, Andy who is married and lives in Kansas City, Dan lives in Orlando Florida, and Kourtney from Washington D.C.
Her children and the 4-H alumna that nominated Determan, Emily Haselhoff, played a key role in the surprise. “Barb makes being a 4-H'er feel more like joining a family, rather than a 4-H club,” said Haselhoff. “Whether it is helping with 4-H awards or needing someone to talk to, she goes above and beyond being just a 4-H leader; she is an inspiration to the next generation of leaders.”
“This year, the selection committee had an extremely difficult time choosing from all of the outstanding candidates,” said Michael Tupper, the chairman of the committee. “After careful consideration, the committee selected a candidate that went above and beyond the call of duty to impact every 4-Her that they touched.” This story mirrors the 4-H story Loren Kruse had with his 4-H leader. Kruse was the Editor and Chief Successful Farming, the founding magazine of the Meredith Corporation, until he retired in 2012. Upon the retirement announcement, the Meredith Corporation Foundation and the Edwin T. Meredith Foundation decided to create a legacy for Loren's 4-H story with the Iowa 4-H Foundation and established a $25,000 endowment that would honor the time and talents Iowa 4-H Leaders donate to the Iowa 4-H program.
With this annual award, a $1,000 grant is given to the honoree, which then chooses from the following options of how the funds are directed:
Determan is still weighing her choices among the five options.
Photos from the award ceremony at the 2014 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference’s Banquet can be found on our website iowa4hfoundation.org and requests for photos can be made to Carter Collins at ccollins@iastate.edu. Selected photos can be found below.
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The Iowa 4-H Foundation provides the private financial resources to develop and deliver quality 4-H youth programs throughout the state of Iowa. These opportunities help young people enhance their ability to use critical thinking, leadership, communication, and social skills – tools that will give them a competitive edge in their future endeavors.
