Sydney Hamilton earns Bob Shanks Outstanding Youth Scholarship Award

By Kathy Bruynis
OSU Extension

The Bob Shanks Award was established to recognize an outstanding youth and encourage them to continue their education with the hopes that they may also return to the county and contribute to its growth and development. 

Applicants must be a high school graduate current year and or college student between the ages of 16 -20 as of fair.

Many of you remember that Bob Shanks was the long-time Highland County Farm Bureau Organization Director where he served for over 35 years. He dedicated his career to the leadership development of our county youth.

This year’s winner is Sydney Hamilton. 

Sydney is the daughter of Rob and Lara Hamilton. She is a member of the Highland County Poultry Pigs & Lambs 4-H Club, Highland County Junior Leadership, Highland County Family and Consumer Science Board, Highland County Junior Fairboard, and is the incoming President of the Ohio State Fairboard. 

She has excelled in her 4-H career by representing Ohio at the National 4-H Conference, Nation Congress and Citizenship Washington Focus just to name some of her accomplishments. Sydney was also inducted into the Ohio 4-H Hall of Fame in 2023. 

Sydney graduated in 2023 from Lynchburg Clay High School. She is a current student at Wilmington College studying Animal Science on the pre-vet track. Her hopes are to attend The Ohio State University College of Veterinarian Medicine to become a large animal vet. Her experience raising beef cattle on their family farm and exhibiting animals at the county and state fair has shown for the need for large animal veterinarians. 

She plans to give back to local beef producers and 4-H exhibitors being a veterinarian and a 4-H advisor.  

Congratulations, Sydney.