Ten Illinois 4-H members have been selected as 2025–26 Illinois Sustaining the Future Award recipients, recognizing their outstanding leadership in agriculture and commitment to strengthening the industry for future generations. Three of this year’s honorees are from the local area.
As award recipients, these youth leaders will attend the Premier 20 Leadership Conference — an elite professional development event — scheduled for April 27–28, 2026, at the Illinois Farm Bureau headquarters in Bloomington.
Local award recipients include:
• Grace McCarty, Grayville – White County 4-H
• Shiloh Willis, McLeansboro – Hamilton County 4-H
• Makinzie Gaither, Sumner – Lawrence County 4-H
Other statewide honorees are:
Abagail Baumann (Boone County), Addison McGlaughlin (Boone County), Caitlin Murphy (Peoria County), Ethan Lee (Whiteside County), Lane Perry (Clark County), Ojas Shah (McLean County), and Ryan Carlson (Marshall County).
The Sustaining the Future Award is sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau and the Affiliates Youth Education in Agriculture Committee.