For the past two years, Jenna Peterson competed in the mini 4-H program. In her first year as a 4-H member, the 9-year-old daughter of John and Susan Peterson won Grand Champion in Home Environment.

“It’s a Grand Champion purple ribbon,” the Husky 4-Hers club member exclaimed to her mother and older sister, Emily, when she saw the results after judging.

Each age-based group has a champion and reserve champion. Of those, the top two projects are awarded Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion placing.

“It’s exciting because when you are a beginner, it’s hard to win because there are so many older people doing it,” Jenna said of being named best in show. “I was shocked.”

Jenna said the Home Environment project teaches 4-H’ers “how to remodel things that are not really useful.” For her project, Jenna transformed an old Navy artillery case into a school supplies trunk.

“She was covered in dark paint when she was sanding,” Susan said of her youngest daughter.

While it was her first year, Home Environment is nothing new to Jenna. Her older sisters completed projects for many years – Meghan did eight projects and Emily just finished her fourth year.