Soaring Eagles
Nature Bowl Champs - 2025
If you see Adelynne Anisko, Thatcher Cooper, Travis Rose, Syla Wichtendahl, June Wiebe, or Madison Lumia, give them a huge round of applause! These kids are going to the STATE final competition for Nature Bowl! They worked so hard creating a environmental commercial to teach about local environmental issues, learning over 300 scientific terms, and applying these things to real life problem solving. Nature Bowl is a great way to learn science, stewardship, team work, and build a love for our natural world. These kids were hot, exhausted, but smiling the whole time!
Miss Kayle couldn't be more proud of them!
Miss Kayle couldn't be more proud of them!
Valuable Lessons Learned
We're excited to share a valuable lesson learned at our recent Mountain Oaks Transition workshop. Board Member David Rose provided an incredible hands-on lesson on essential vehicle maintenance skills. Students actively participated in learning how to check tire pressure, change a tire, check oil, and how to jump-start a vehicle. Dave also bought them all their own tire pressure gauge to practice with on their family vehicles.
FFA Division Large Animal Round-Robin Winner Wessin Snipes
With the recent completion of the Calaveras County Fair, among the significant takeaways were the high-mark achievements of youth who showed both large and small animals.
While there are many related stories that are worthy of presenting in this article, several of those achievements were selected to be included in this report.
Among the most noteworthy winners at this year’s fair was Wessin Snipes, who met with the Enterprise after winning with two different species, in advanced showmanship with goats and sheep as an independent showman.
She excelled in the categories of horses, cattle, pigs, meat goats, dairy goats, and sheep, and was the premier showman in every species, winning top honors as the Future Farmers of America (FFA) division’s large animal round-robin winner.
Present to witness Snipes’ accomplishments at this year’s fair were her parents, Zach and Amber.
Snipes had a big grin on her face as she held a large trophy and a belt buckle that she received for her county fair feats.
Calaveras County Fair CEO Laurie Giannini is shown with 4-H division large animal round-robin winner Adeline Musachia, left, and FFA division large animal round-robin winner Wessin Snipes during this year’s county fair. Courtesy photo/Kasey Musachia
Calaveras County Fair Exhibits Manager Kasey Musachia praised Snipes for her excellence in showmanship and her status as a role model.
“Wessin Snipes is a wonderful young lady that is involved in all sorts of different kinds of agriculture,” she said. “She raises and shows her own flock of sheep and goats. She shows almost every weekend on the show circuit and is just a wonderful girl to have as a role model for young ladies in agriculture.”
Musachia spoke about Snipes’ ability to effectively show both large and small animals.
“(Snipes) didn’t win the small animal round robin; she was a participant, but that means she excels in showing not only large animals, but small animals, including rabbits, poultry, cavies and mini goats, along with her large animals that she raises and shows,” she said.
Chicken Run
Thank you all for making this happen! We raised $2210 for our Chicken Coop! It was a blast!
Mountain Oaks High Altitude Balloon
Ignite National Youth Summit - Lily Himmel
Students From Mountain Oaks High School Participate in 2022 El Dorado Forestry Challenge
Grizzly Flats, CA — Four students from Mountain Oaks High School participated recently in the 2022 El Dorado Forestry Challenge, one group of a total of 112 high school students from 16 schools from the foothill and central valley regions of California. The event was from October 26 to 29 at Leoni Meadows Camp, in Grizzly Flats, California.
One of the highlights for the students this year was the opportunity to conduct a seedling inventory and ground cover assessment on the areas at Leoni which were salvage logged in the wake of the Caldor Fire. Students used the data they collected to devise a plan to establish a new forest. During the Challenge, teams of students also completed a field test to assess their technical forestry knowledge and data-collecting skills.
“It gives students the opportunity to meet new professionals in different fields, and experience the work done in those fields,” said Mountain Oaks High School teacher Kayle Anisko. Robert Rankin a senior at Mountain Oaks, summed it up as follows: “Loads of fun a well-paid industry that I could excel at.”
The Forestry Challenge is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California
Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California. For more information, visit the California Climate
Investments website at: http://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/.
Funding for this project provided by The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Business and
Workforce Development Grants and a grant from the US Forest Service.
Group Photo Caption: Mountain Oaks High School students conducted a seedling survey at Leoni Meadows in the wake of the Caldor Fire as part of the 2022 El Dorado Forestry Challenge. Front row, left to right: Robert Rankin, Andrew Oneto (advisor), Back row, left to right: James Current-Youker, Gracie Mendoza, Wyatt Jarman, Kayle Anisko (advisor)
Action Photo Caption: Mountain Oaks High School student Gracie Mendoza identifying a tree, one of the many skills learned at the 2022 El Dorado Forestry Challenge near Grizzly Flats.
Watch the Mountain Oaks November 18 and 19, 2022 Drama Presentation of "Give Our Regards to Broadway"
Click here to view.
Amador County Royalty - Lily Himmel
The studying and preparation began many months ago for the 2022 American Rabbit Breeders Association’s (ARBA) National Convention and Rabbit Royalty competition. Adult and youth exhibitors from every part of the United States and Canada convened this past week in Reno, Nevada to help showcase some 15,000 rabbits and cavies (guinea pigs), and attend conference sessions, visits a variety of booths to learn about breed clubs, equipment, and care products. During this week-long event there were ample opportunities to network with rabbit and cavy enthusiasts, learn from experts, and enjoy the company of friends from across the continent.
For the Youth Royalty contestants, the preparation began way back, in the heat of the summer months, with contestants submitting a detailed application explaining their involvement with, management of, and general knowledge of rabbits and/or cavies. During the week of convention, they each completed contests that involved breed identification and classification, skilled judging of classes of rabbits and cavies, a written knowledge exam, and finally a contestant interview. The points were tallied for each age group: Lord and Lady (5-8), Prince and Princess (9-11), Duke and Duchess (12-14), and King and Queen (15-18) and the winners were announced during the Youth Awards Banquet on November 1st, 2022.
Amador County was very well represented in these competitions by 4-H youth members Scott Williams, Lexi Himmel, Lily Himmel, Jacie Bell, Kaya Bell, and Leah Bell. Lexi had placings in the top of the classes for her American cavies and was able to secure a new breeding pair of Netherland Dwarfs to expand her rabbit program. Lily and Jacie worked as part of the California team and won the Intermediate Breed Identification contest and placed as 1st runner up team for the Intermediate Judging competition. Both Jacie and Kaya won their respective Achievement categories, Leah took 5th place in the Lady Royalty category, and together the Bell sisters’ rabbits took many top placings in the Mini Rex and Thrianta breeds. Scott enjoyed big wins with his Rex rabbits earning two Best Opposite Sex of Variety placings.
Beating out all the other national competition in the Royalty Duchess category was Amador County’s own, Lily Himmel. Lily is a member of Blue Ribbon 4-H Club, a teen leader for the rabbit, poultry, and dairy goat projects, Teen Ambassador for Amador County 4-H, community volunteer, and a student at Mountain Oaks School. Earlier this year, Lily also represented Amador County very well at the California State Fair earning the title of top Rabbit Exhibitor in the state and placing 4th overall in Small Animal Showmanship.
The teamwork, dedication, learning, and communication skills that these young people have demonstrated embody the values and goals of 4-H programs across the globe.
If you are interested in joining a 4-H project like this or others or if you are interested in volunteering to help the youth of Amador County grow and achieve please contact our local 4-H office at 209-223-6484 or visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/AC4H/ for more information.
Congratulations to everyone that worked so hard, made it to this competition, and represented the values of our community so well.
Congratulation Lily Himmel!
Lily Himmel: California State Fair Junior Small Animal Champion Challenge winner. This competition involved knowledge and showmanship activities for rabbits and poultry. Posted 8/4/22
Mountain Oaks Competes in Nature Bowl
Tuolumne County students excel in 2022 Nature Bowl
Submitted to the Democrat
May 19, 2022, Updated May 20, 2022
Members of Belleview Elementary's team in the 2022 Nature bowl study plants during the competition.
Submitted to the Democrat
May 19, 2022, Updated May 20, 2022
Members of Belleview Elementary's team in the 2022 Nature bowl study plants during the competition.
Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools Office
The annual Nature Bowl is a science-based educational program for third- through sixth-graders from throughout Northern California.
Students gain ecological knowledge and conservation literacy through games, problems, puzzles and exploration. Teamwork and creativity are encouraged as students rotate through stations in a friendly, educational competition.
Natural Bowl curriculum is based on the California Education and the Environment Initiative in conjunction with the Next Generation Science Standards. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife develops the curriculum and works with partners to hold Nature Bowl events.
The Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools has organized the Nature Bowl for Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne county schools since 2017. This year’s event was held in a hybrid format to ensure as many students could participate as possible.
The student response to this year’s event was very positive.
“Nature bowl was so fun, because my team was so active in the activities and projects,” said fourth-grader Sidney Portillo. “ I’d like to thank my coach for teaching me the amazing wonders of nature.”
Local schools did well in a variety of categories with Belleview’s third-fourth-grade team winning the Best Team Problem Solving, designing leaf-shaped rooftops to capture rainwater into a reservoir for irrigation of sports fields and school gardens. Belleview’s fight-sixth-grade team won Best Environmental Project, creating a solution to solve habitat loss from wildfires by putting plant seeds into the water dropped by planes during catastrophic fire events. Mountain Oaks in San Andreas won the Best Overall third-fourth-grade team by addressing mask wasted, deforestation, completing nature investigations, and local species identification.
— Submitted by the Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools Office
Homemade Masks
Check out these beautiful homemade Paper Mache masks created and modeled by the Dianda Family.
Somebunny Successful
Saturday, February 26 marked the first time the California 4-H Avian Bowl hosted a team from Amador County. This event was created in 1989 and has been held nearly every year since, alongside a spectacular poultry show in Fresno, CA.
Amador County was well represented by their junior team, High Eggspectations, consisting of Cecilia O’Geen (Mountain Ranch 4-H Club), Lexi Himmel and Lily Himmel (both of Blue Ribbon 4-H Club) and coach Dr. Kelsi Williams.
This fast-paced, intense competition required months of game preparation through studying poultry terminology, diseases, breeds and much more. High Eggspectations won each of their four rounds leading them to become the 2022 California State Avian Bowl Junior Champions! The senior champion team will go on to represent California at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky this summer.
If you know youth that love chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or game birds and would be interested in being a part of this and other wonderful poultry events please see the Amador County 4-H website for details on joining today.
Amador County was well represented by their junior team, High Eggspectations, consisting of Cecilia O’Geen (Mountain Ranch 4-H Club), Lexi Himmel and Lily Himmel (both of Blue Ribbon 4-H Club) and coach Dr. Kelsi Williams.
This fast-paced, intense competition required months of game preparation through studying poultry terminology, diseases, breeds and much more. High Eggspectations won each of their four rounds leading them to become the 2022 California State Avian Bowl Junior Champions! The senior champion team will go on to represent California at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky this summer.
If you know youth that love chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or game birds and would be interested in being a part of this and other wonderful poultry events please see the Amador County 4-H website for details on joining today.
Congratulations to three Mountain Oaks students and one Mountain Oaks teacher!
High Eggspectations, consisting of Cecilia O’Geen (Mountain Ranch 4-H Club), Lexi Himmel and Lily Himmel (both of Blue Ribbon 4-H Club) and coach Dr. Kelsi Williams.
High Eggspectations won each of their four rounds leading them to become the 2022 California State Avian Bowl Junior Champions!
High Eggspectations, consisting of Cecilia O’Geen (Mountain Ranch 4-H Club), Lexi Himmel and Lily Himmel (both of Blue Ribbon 4-H Club) and coach Dr. Kelsi Williams.
High Eggspectations won each of their four rounds leading them to become the 2022 California State Avian Bowl Junior Champions!
Saturday, February 26 marked the first time the California 4-H Avian Bowl hosted a team from Amador County. This event was created in 1989 and has been held nearly every year since, alongside a spectacular poultry show in Fresno, CA.
Amador County was well represented by their junior team, High Eggspectations, consisting of Cecilia O’Geen (Mountain Ranch 4-H Club), Lexi Himmel and Lily Himmel (both of Blue Ribbon 4-H Club) and coach Dr. Kelsi Williams.
This fast-paced, intense competition required months of game preparation through studying poultry terminology, diseases, breeds and much more. High Eggspectations won each of their four rounds leading them to become the 2022 California State Avian Bowl Junior Champions! The senior champion team will go on to represent California at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky this summer.
If you know youth that love chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or game birds and would be interested in being a part of this and other wonderful poultry events please see the Amador County 4-H website for details on joining today.
