Linn County 4-H member & high school senior, Ethan Strecker, has been named one of the 5 recipients of a $10,000 scholarship as part of the Hoover Uncommon Student Award Class of 2022. Ethan has worked hard as a youth mentor of one of our FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams for the past two years.
Not only has he given his time and expertise to the team that meets at least weekly during the fall and winter, he continued to mentor the youth and train them as STEM peer leaders throughout the spring and summer. The group attended several community events and day camps for lower elementary age students to share their expertise in coding and robotics. We congratulate Ethan as a positive role model for younger students and for his spirit of volunteerism.
It has been a joy for our Linn County 4-H staff and volunteers to guide him and encourage him as he learned through these roles.
While many Uncommon Student Projects have a defined beginning and end, some projects lend themselves to continuation after students graduate from high school. Those continuing projects, steeped in volunteerism and leadership, are eligible for the Mariah Becker Award.
In addition to Ethan receiving the scholarship and Uncommon Student Award, he took another step to apply for and receive the Mariah Becker Volunteer Leadership Award for leading the group in a successful off-season teaching and inspiring their peers in camps and STEAM events. The award carries with it a $500 stipend to be given directly to the organization carrying on the project (Linn County 4-H). We are so proud of the inspirational work that members like Ethan do through 4-H.