For many students of Eaton High School, learning and work don’t stop when school ends.  For kids involved in 4-H and FFA, summer is full of working animals, putting together projects, typing record books, early mornings, and long Saturdays at shows.  Eaton students that participated in the 2020 Weld County Fair represented Eaton well.  Not only did the students take home ribbons and banners, but continued hard work outside of school.  

Abby Fetzer (22) showed goats this year at the fair and placed Grand Champion heavy-medium weight and a 5th place.  “The fair has taught me hard work and that if you work hard on something it will pay off in the end,” Fetzer said. 

Quirt Carroll (24) rode his horse that he trained himself in many events at the fair.  “With horses, you have to control how much energy you put into the horse,” Carroll said, “When you do that, it’s like when you walk into a room and have a commanding energy about you that people are going to pay attention to, which will help me become a military pilot.”  

Jordan Sidwell (22) placed first in his class and received Grand Champion Body Clipped with his steer.  “I am going to do the project next year and probably going to put in more work next year.  I am hoping to get the same placing,” said Sidwell.  

Sheep showman Madison Crider (24) got Reserve Grand Champion with her sheep.  “I’ve learned to be responsible, to manage my time well, and to really focus on other things more than school and myself, ” Crider said.

For her Weld County Fair project, Gracie Tomlinson (23) displayed her cake decorating project of a rooster.  She placed first in the Cut-Up Cake Unit and Reserve Grand Champion overall.  “I put a lot of work into my project.  I think it took me 10 hours to decorate it totally because I have to cut the cakes and do different layers of frosting.  It turned out just as good as I could have hoped,” Tomlinson said.  

Jackson Leafgren (21) designed an Eaton Indian as his leathercraft project.  “Working with leather is difficult. I learned how to plan better because you have to be careful not to scratch the leather. All indents, scratches, and marks will stay, so it has taught me patience and planning,” Leafgren said.  He placed first in his class and Grand Champion.

Eaton’s students have talents that aren’t always seen inside school walls.  For the students of Eaton that are in 4-H and FFA, life skills that can’t be taught at school are learned over the summer thanks to hard work and dedication.  Eaton High School’s students have proven striving for the best inside and outside of the classroom always pays off.