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Newman 4 H members stay busy with exchange program, leadership conference and strong fair results
newman 4h fair avery
Avery Bert stands with her replacement heifer during the Stanislaus County Fair, where she and her brother Trace each exhibited and sold a heifer. Avery placed fourth in advanced dairy showmanship.

NEWMAN — Newman 4‑H members have had an active summer, taking part in an interstate exchange program, presenting at a statewide leadership conference and earning top honors at the Stanislaus County Fair.

Two members — Evan Martins and Olivia Casey — recently hosted visiting 4‑H youth from Gratiot County, Michigan as part of the Stanislaus County Hi 4‑H exchange. The visiting group toured Seacliff State Beach, San Francisco, Alcatraz, Yosemite and Gold Country, and took the Old Sacramento underground tour to learn about California history. Host families also spent a day showing their guests local activities such as shopping, farmers markets, hiking and beach outings.

Some families assisted with cleanup and setup for the Stanislaus County Farmyard Experience, and the visiting youth attended the 4‑H and FFA dog show. Because the Gratiot County Fair takes place the same week as the Stanislaus County Fair, the Michigan members were able to compare how each fair operates. Martins and Casey will travel to Michigan in June 2027 to complete the exchange.

Casey also represented Stanislaus County and Newman 4‑H at the California State Leadership Conference at UC Davis, where members statewide participated in leadership tracks and workshops. She presented a session titled Food Action Academy: Youth Research in Food Systems, focusing on food insecurity and youth‑led research. Participants completed small research projects on food systems and food waste.

Seven Stanislaus County members attended the conference. Casey took part in the Civic Engagement track, touring the state Capitol and a courtroom and meeting with a legislative aide to learn about programs available to work with state lawmakers.

Newman 4‑H also had a strong showing at the Stanislaus County Fair:

Foods & Baking

  • Bryan Berbereia — 1st place and Best of Class for his brownie pizza.

Arts & Crafts

  • Advanced Division:
    • Olivia Casey — 7 first‑place awards, 4 Best of Class.
    • Addison Martins — 5 first‑place awards.
  • Intermediate Division:
    • Emily Drumonde — 5 first‑place awards.
    • Bryan Berbereia — 4 first‑place awards.
  • Primary Craft Show:
    • Julian Leon and Brian Casey — 6 participation ribbons each.

Livestock

  • Avery Bert and Trace Bert — exhibited and sold replacement heifers; Avery placed 4th in advanced dairy showmanship.

Poultry

  • Addison Martins — 3rd and 4th place with Silkies; 4th in advanced poultry showmanship.
  • Emily Drumonde — 1st place for poultry educational display.

Cavy

  • Olivia Casey — 2nd in advanced showmanship; multiple first‑place wins with Silver Solid Americans (Best of Variety and Best Opposite of Variety); 1st and 2nd with Red Americans.
  • Addison Martins — 3rd with TSW American; 4th in advanced showmanship.
  • Julian Leon — participated in primary showmanship and evaluation.

Meat Rabbits

  • Olivia Casey — 9th with red New Zealand single fryer; 1st in advanced rabbit showmanship; 2nd in Small Animal Master Showmanship.

The club’s recent activities highlight a busy and successful season for Newman 4‑H, showcasing leadership, community involvement and strong project work across multiple divisions.