Pee Dee State Park was filled with eager 4-H competitors on a Saturday in April for a beautiful day at the State WHEP competition! WHEP (National Wildlife Habitat Education Program) is a hands-on environmental education program that provides participants an opportunity to test their wildlife knowledge in a friendly competition!

The annual State contest location moves to different areas of the State each year. Rarely does Henderson County miss the opportunity to send a team to compete.

The Young Naturalist 4-H Club held WHEP practices where 4-H’ers learned about native wildlife habitats, identification, management practices and writing/speaking skills each week that they met together. The Club practiced hard to send teams of 3-4 similarly aged 4-H individuals to the competition held in April! Their diligent efforts paid off placing as teams and individual awards!

WHEP Competitors: 

Senior: Maggie McCall - 1st place individual 

Junior: Zane Capps - 2nd place individual

Junior Team: Elsie Spaman , Oliver Spaman, Zane Capps - 2nd place team

Junior Team: Randi-Mae Eatmon, Sadie Eatmon, Jackson Spaman, Isaac Wilkie 

We would like to say thank you to Young Naturalist Club leaders Ranae Worrell and Amy Wilkie who worked with these youth to prepare them for a great competition year! If you youth is interested in the WHEP program please email hannah_peeler@ncsu.edu