PHILOMATH, Ore. — When Kyah Weeber spotted a white mesh fabric with embroidered floral patterns at JOANN fabrics and crafts, she didn’t hesitate. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with it.
“A good thing that 4-H cultivates is the community service mindset. When we handed out bags for the Philomath food drive, you looked at most of the volunteers, and they are pretty much all 4-H families.”
“I knew going into my junior year that I’d want to make my prom dress,” said Kyah, 17. “I’ve grown up through 4-H and seen all those older girls do it. So, I want to do it, too.”
The result was a flowy, light green gown layered with the flower-draped mesh she had fallen in love with. But it wasn’t just for prom — Kyah modeled her handmade dress at the Benton County Fair and Oregon State Fair, and it advanced all the way to a national 4-H showcase in San Antonio this January.
That blend of creativity, hard work and poise is just part of what earned the Philomath High School senior the 2025 Future First Citizen award from the Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce in February. A nine-year member of Oregon State University Extension Service’s 4-H Youth Development Program, Kyah has grown into a leader known for her dedication to community service, mentoring younger 4-H’ers and constantly pushing herself toward excellence.
A 4-H family tradition
Kyah’s journey in 4-H is inspired by her mom, Leslie Weeber, who herself grew up in 4-H. In fact, both mother and daughter’s childhood bedrooms are decorated with ribbons and medals from past 4-H contests.
“My mom is my role model,” Kyah said. “I learned how to use the sewing machine from her, and she would always help me make little clothes for my dolls. So, I knew sewing and cooking was something I wanted to do.”
Together, they started a 4-H club called Sew Smart Cookies in 2016, focused on sewing and cooking. Kyah also has a broad interest in various fields. She took up swimming in third grade — and recently won two first-place finishes at a meet in Eugene in January — and even joined her local 4-H archery club, inspired by the animated movie Brave.
4-H is truly a family affair for the Weebers. Leslie serves as Kyah’s 4-H leader, just as her own mother did for her. Kyah’s dad, Matt Weeber, trained as an assistant leader for the archery club. Even her younger sister Alyssa, 14, has joined in, showing one of the family’s pet dogs, Lark, in county and state competitions.
While anybody would say Kyah is a strong public speaker if you see her showcasing her work in competitions, she said she was extremely introverted in fourth grade. Through years of participating in 4-H interviews, fair reviews and community service projects, she gradually developed confidence in presenting herself and her work.
Matt said he appreciates how 4-H shapes young people beyond just skills development.
“A good thing that 4-H cultivates is the community service mindset,” he added. “It helped me too. When we handed out bags for the Philomath food drive, you looked at most of the volunteers, and they are pretty much all 4-H families.”
Aiming for excellence
From food contests to fashion showcases, Kyah holds herself to high standards — sometimes to the point of frustration. At a 4-H food prep competition in 2023, she made her family’s traditional Christmas rosettes, only to feel they didn’t meet her expectations.
“I thought they looked terrible,” she said. “My grandma’s are always perfect.”
So, she said she was stunned to find out the cookies had earned her a medallion at the state fair.
Elli Korthuis, program coordinator for 4-H in Benton County, has watched Kyah grow in 4-H since Korthius joined OSU Extension in 2017. She also advocated for Kyah when the Chamber of Commerce contacted the county office for award nominations.
She said she’s always amazed by how Kyah’s food is not only nutritious and delicious, but also beautifully presented.
“It always astounds me like ‘Why is this not in a magazine already?’” she said. “I just want to take all the samples for myself and the crowd can just go away.”
That same determination to perfection drove Kyah through the biggest challenge of her prom dress: correctly inserting the boning, which supports the structure and shape of the dress.
“I worked on it countless times, and at one point, I almost gave up,” she said. “My leader helped me experiment with different techniques. Later, I learned a better way of doing it during the county competition, so I can do it easier and faster next time.”
The payoff was worth every stitch.
“I’m so glad I did it, because I loved how the dress turned out,” she said. “I would’ve been so disappointed if it only looked okay.”
Finding career passion
Kyah’s heart for teaching others shines in her role as a 4-H junior leader. She helps younger members sew crafts like felt pumpkins and plan their own projects. Last fall, she helped coordinate a donation of handmade cat and dog beds to the Heartland Humane Shelter & Care — including reaching out to shelters herself to find out what was needed.
“I’ve really seen Kyah’s leadership ability blossom through 4-H,” said Matt. “When the club started, there weren’t very many seniors, but now she’s the senior member, and I can tell she really enjoys helping the younger ones.”
Kyah plans to attend George Fox University this fall to study elementary education.
“Kyah is one of those 4-H’ers where you wonder how she handles everything she does — and still does it all at such a high caliber,” Korthuis said. “She’s serving as a youth mentor and always finds all the ways that she can build others up. I can easily see her being an incredible teacher.”
Kyah said she’s also considering putting her sewing talents to use by designing costumes for theater productions while in college.
“4-H definitely helped me decide what I wanted to do for my career,” she said. “I have my own sewing machine, so I think I will keep sewing and engaging in more community projects.”
