Shelby Carlson Earns State and National Recognition for Excellence in 4-H Youth Development
By - Wendy Ferguson, Marketing and Communications Program Coordinator, UofI Extension
University of Illinois Extension 4-H Youth Development Educator Shelby Carlson has been honored at both the state and national levels for her outstanding contributions to youth development programming. Carlson, who serves Warren, Henderson, Knox, and McDonough counties, received three prestigious awards from the Illinois Extension Professionals for Youth Education (IEPYE) and the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP).
Carlson and collaborators Phil Gioja, Cindy Ogwal, and Kristi Stout earned the Communicator Award for Video Program for their promotional video highlighting Illinois 4-H’s Welcome to the Real World Financial Literacy and Career Exploration program. The video has reached over 150 4-H professionals across 102 counties, 853 public school districts, and nearly 200 private high schools in Illinois. It has helped secure sponsorships, recruit volunteers, and inspire professionals to expand the program’s reach.
She also received the Excellence in Workforce Development Programming Award for her leadership in the Welcome to the Real World event, which engaged 641 eighth-grade students from seven school districts and 100 community volunteers and industry partners. The event introduced students to diverse career paths, financial concepts, and decision-making skills, strengthening the workforce development curriculum across the region.
In addition, Carlson was recognized with the Excellence in Teamwork Award for her role in the Fair Resource Working Group, a team of 4-H professionals who developed tools to support colleagues during the demanding fair season. Their work addressed high turnover rates among program coordinators by creating resources such as a livestock judge directory, emergency management templates, and media guides—drawing on a combined 75 years of fair planning experience.
Carlson holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Western Illinois University – Quad Cities and a master’s degree in agriculture education with an emphasis on leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A native of Knox County and an 11-year 4-H member, she continues to champion youth empowerment through innovative programming and collaborative leadership.
About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H empowers youth to become leaders through hands-on learning in STEM, health, civic engagement, and agriculture. Research shows 4-H youth are four times more likely to contribute to their communities and twice as likely to make healthy choices and engage in STEM.
About Illinois Extension: Illinois Extension translates university research into practical solutions for families, businesses, and communities across the state—helping them solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to change.