The Big John Award

The recipient of the Big John Award is determined each year, based on a rubric, by the the results of 4-H Club Day and the number of club members.
A score sheet is below. A plaque is updated each year and displayed in the Extension Office with the name of the winning Club. The Morris County
4-H Foundation recognizes the winning Club at the annual 4-H Achievement Banquet. The Flint Hills 4-H Club has won consecutively each year
since 2014.

History of the 'Big John Award'

The annual Big John Award began in 1977, and was named for the Big John
4-H Club that had just disbanded at that time. Big John 4-H Club was named after Big John Creek, which is in the eastern part of Morris County, where most members of that 4-H Club resided.

This legacy of the Big John 4-H Club was instituted to encourage club members’ participation in Club Day entries, with extra points awarded for speaking presentations (project talks, demonstrations, etc.) and parliamentary entries (model meetings, gavel games). This ensured emphasis on the 4-H objective of helping young people learn leadership, citizenship, communication, and life skills.

Names of Big John Award recipients now encompass four plaques, all of which are displayed in the Extension Office. Among winners on the two oldest plaques are Flint Hills, Willing Workers, Burdick Hustlers, Neosho Valley, Santa Fe Trail, and Parkerville Pioneers. The two more recent plaques feature Santa Fe Trail, Busy Workers, Dwight Sunflowers, and Flint Hills. Among 4-Hers earning top ribbons in the early years of the award were Mark Zimmerman, Shawn Mark, Sheri Mark, Amy Thomas, Lyn Scott, Tarah Thomas, Sandy Orr, Jerold Spohn Jr., Missy Orr, Tera Grant, Stephanie Mowry, Karla Dierking, Nancy Scott, Jan Remy, Barbara Meyer, Toni Meyer, Tracy Mahon, Justin Moxley, Crystal Moxley, Mickey Viar, and Kerri Day. Just a fun walk down Memory Lane!

1977 - 1988 Award Recipients

1977 Flint Hills

1978 Willing Workers

1979 Burdick Hustlers

1980 Burdick Hustlers

1981 Neosho Valley

1982 Burdick Hustlers

1983 Burdick Hustlers

1984 Burdick Hustlers

1985 Willing Workers

1986 Neosho Valley

1987 Burdick Hustlers

1988 Burdick Hustlers

1989 - 2000 Award Recipients

1989 Santa Fe Trail

1990 Neosho Valley

1991 Neosho Valley

1992 Neosho Valley

1993 Neosho Valley

1994 Neosho Valley

1995 Neosho Valley

1996 Burdick Hustlers

1997 Santa Fe Trail

1998 Parkerville Pioneers

1999 Parkerville Pioneers

2000 Santa Fe Trail

2001 - 2012 Award Recipients

2001 Santa Fe Trail

2002 Busy Workers

2003 Busy Workers

2004 Busy Workers

2005 Busy Workers

2006 Flint Hills

2007 Flint Hills

2008 Flint Hills

2009 Flint Hills

2010 Flint Hills

2011 Flint Hills

2012 Flint Hills

2013 - 2024 Award Recipients

2013 Dwight Sunflowers

2014 Flint Hills

2015 Flint Hills

2016 Flint Hills

2017 Flint Hills

2018 Flint Hills

2019 Flint Hills

1977 - 1988

1989 - 2000

2001 - 2012

2013 - Current