THE 4-H GOLD STAR AWARD goes this year to Jacob Sessions of Eagle Country 4-H Club. Making the presentation is Daniel Munoz of Luminant, which sponsors the award. Participation in 4-H Club projects over the past year earned four youth the top awards presented at the annual Freestone County 4-H Banquet held Saturday evening.

The annual banquet, in which individual youth, clubs and adult leaders are recognized for their work, was at the Fairfield elementary school cafeteria.

Master of ceremonies was Taylor Edwards- Adcock, a Fairfield high school senior student and 2008 recipient of the 4-H Gold Star Award, the highest award given at the county level.

Winner of the 2009 Gold Star is Jacob Sessions of Fairfield, 4-H Council first vice president and a member of Eagle Country 4-H.

Sessions has been a member of 4-H for a number of years and served as council president in 2008.

He has shown hogs and sheep at the Freestone County Fair, held several leadership positions on the council and in his club, and has attended leadership conferences.

FRIENDS OF 4-H AWARD . . . the City of Teague, represented by Mayor Jacquelyn Utsey. "Through 4-H projects I learned about the benefits of hard work and determination, and how goal setting can inspire you to perservere," the Gold Star recipient says in his 4-H Story. "I began to see that 4-H is a unique opportunity and how much I could gain from taking advantage of it."

In addition, he won a lead role in "High School Musical" presented by Mexia Community Theater, won first place at district and fourth at State Roundup in a Share the Fun competition, and qualified for state as a consumer decision making team.

Sessions plans on attending college, but has not yet decided on a school or a major.

He is the son of Hammond and Carla Sessions.

The Silver Star Award goes to Travis Blackwell of Dew 4-H, an eighth grade student who joined 4-H in the Clover Kid program when he was in kindergarten.

Blackwell has shown goats at the State Fair of Texas, Freestone County Fair and other events in the area, and shows pigs at the county fair.

4-H OUTSTANDING ADULT LEADERS . . . Scott and Melanie Holmes. He also has participated in the county fair food show, photography project and as a member of the 4-H archery team.

The Silver Star winner has served as a council delegate, and in the posts of treasurer, reporter/historian and on the telephone committee for the Dew club.

For the past two years, he has attended a 4-H leadership camp.

Blackwell is the son of John and Virginia Blackwell.

The Bronze Star is awarded this year to Logan Capers, 10-yearold son of Bill and Jennifer Capers of Wortham.

He started in 4-H as a Clover Kid and is now a member of the Wortham club.

Capers showed goats at the county fair, then switched to lambs and exhibited the Grand Champion this year.

He also participated in a food and nutrition project, and on a food and nutrition team that won first in district competition in the nutritious snack category.

To complete a communication and expressive arts project the 10-yearold was water and ball boy for the Wortham Bulldogs football team, and as a member of his school show choir that per- formed at Six Flags over Texas.

4-H SILVER STAR . . . Travis Blackwell Capers completed a horticulture project by working in his family's garden, helping with ground preparation, planting and harvesting.

Outside 4-H, he plays football, baseball, soccer, show skis, swims and takes Tae Kwon Do karate.

Earning the "I Dare You Award" this year is Manton Capers, 14-year-old son of Bill and Jennifer Capers of Wortham.

A sophomore student at Wortham high school, he has been a member of Wortham 4-H Club for six years, shown goats at the county fair, served as a club and council officer and participated in shooting sports, food and nutrition and Share the Fun events.

Capers especially enjoys performing in plays and musicals, and over the years has competed in the Fairfield Rotary Club Talent Show, performed as a member of the school show choir, and in church productions, earned Mexia Community Theater roles in "101 Dalmations" and "High School Musical" and plays tuba in the high school band.

4-H BRONZE STAR . . . Logan Capers with Brian Mannen of Farmers State Bank, sponsor of the award. He also paints and won a third place ribbon with a pencil drawing entered in the county fair, is involved with food and nutrition projects and started a lawn care business as part of a horticulture project in which he also helps in the family garden.

"The things I have learned from all of these projects have made me a better person, learn responsibilities and be a more concerned community member, but also will help me reach my short and long range goals," Capers says.

A long term goal the 14- year-old has set is to attend college and play the tuba in a concert band/symphony.

The WHS student also plays football, basketball and baseball, runs track and skis, water and snow.

Named as "Friends of 4- H" this year is the City of Teague.

Longtime 4-H volunteers Scott and Melanie Holmes received the Outstanding Adult Leaders award.

A cake auction raised $1,435 for the Freestone county 4-H program.

"I DARE YOU" AWARD . . . Manton Capers. Invocation for the banquet was offered by Emily Holmes of Freestone Community 4-H Club, guests were introduced by Sessions, the pledges to the United States and Texas flags were led by Cody McQueen of Fairfield 4-H and the 4-H Prayer was led by Justice Oates.