Sidney H.S. student wins national 4-H award

Rebekah Carlson, a Sidney High School senior and 4-H junior leader, won a share of a $5,000 cash prize for her video entry in the 2014 4-H Ag Innovators Experience "Fish Farm Challenge."

"It was actually mind blowing when I found out I won because it was the first video I've ever made," Carlson said. "I didn't realize how many people actually entered until afterward."

More than 8,000 youth in urban, suburban and rural areas across select states in the midwest participated in the video contest. Carlson won in the rural category, beating out 51 other participants.

"It's great to see young people from Cheyenne County participating in STEM related activities to build their future workforce skills," said Kristin Schiff, district sales manager of Monsanto Company – the contest's sponsor. "We congratulate Rebekah and the Cheyenne County 4-H Council on winning the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience video challenge contest."

Carlson was able to go to Washington, D.C., with other youth 4-H members to participate at the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience "Fish Farm Challenge" to get a better understanding of aquaculture and aquaponics. After learning about the new innovations they would then be able to educate local youth about the eco-friendly farming options and food distribution.

The "Fish Farm Challenge" experience was meant to encourage youth in designing a solution to the problem of making sure farm-raised fish have an adequate amount of food. This activity was supposed to show how important new farming innovations can help increase food production to meet the demand of a growing population.

Carlson made a 90-second video showing how young people can be the new solution to teaching a growing population by applying teamwork, communication, agricultural and science skills.

In her video, she explains how aquaponics is an eco-friendly approach where edible plants and fish are raised together and are able to sustain each other to create food sources. Carlson and her dad, Dan, showed examples from their own farm of how they could potentially practice and develop aquaculture and aquaponic projects.

"Congratulations to Rebekah for demonstrating how young people can create positive solutions to solve global issues," said Cynthia Gill, an extension educator in Sidney. "Through participating in activities like the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, young people like Rebekah are learning skills necessary to become the agricultural leaders of tomorrow."

Carlson and the Cheyenne County 4-H Council will share the $5,000 cash prize. She said she plans on using her half to go toward college where she is interested in studying criminal justice, film and music.