Swain County 4-Hers Entries: 2025 Dr. Kim Ingold NC 4-H Photography Contest

— Written by Melissa Vaughn | October 16, 2025 (Updated: Oct. 16, 2025, 7:14 a.m.)

The Dr. Kim Ingold North Carolina 4-H Photo Contest is an annual event celebrating the photographic talents of 4-H youth across the state. Winning entries are proudly showcased on the NC 4-H Photo Contest website.

2025 Contest Categories: 4-H in Action, Nature’s Beauty (no animals), Animals, and Black & White

Age Divisions: Cloverbud (Ages 5–7) – Non-competitive, Junior (Ages 8–13), and Senior (Ages 14–18)

This contest is a fantastic opportunity for youth to express creativity, explore photography, and share their unique perspectives. Youth in Swain County submitted these amazing photographs for this year's contest:

Animals: Capture amazing photos of animals! This could be anything from a wild deer in the woods, your favorite pet at home, or even a tiny insect up close.

Senior Category
- Kregg Parton: Diving in with a Splash!
- Landon Cochran: Moose in Alaska
- Cason Vaughn: Baby Copper
Junior Category
- Lily Robertson: Lady Bug on a Leaf
- Silas Elsey: Hoppy Frog

Sr_Animals_Kregg_Parton_2025 — Kregg Parton, age 16 – Diving in for a Splash!

Landon Cochran - Moose in Alaska — Landon Cochran, age 15 – Moose in Alaska

Cason Vaughn - Baby Copper — Cason Vaughn, age 15 – Baby Copper

Lily Robertson Lady Bug on a Leaf — Lily Robertson, age 13 – Lady Bug on a Leaf

Jr_Animals_Silas_Elsey_2025 — Silas Elsey, age 10 – Hoppy Frog

Nature’s Beauty: Capture the essence of beauty in nature through your lens by exploring habitats, landscapes, or the sky, land, and water of our planet.

Senior Category
- Cason Vaughn: Lightening in Holiday, FL
- Landon Cochran: A Path in an Alaskan Forest
Junior Category
- Lily Robertson: Outer Banks Sunrise
- Cherry Vaughn: Orange Sunburst
- Ava Sneed: Mushroom in the Clovers
- Ezra Sasscer: Pretty Orange Flower
- Ayla Sasscer: It’s Raspberry Time!
Cloverbud Category
- Maggie Sasscer: Goldrenrod in a Vase

Nature's Beauty - Lightening in Holiday, FL — Cason Vaughn, age 15 – Lightening in Holiday, FL

Landon Cochran A Path in an Alaskan Forest — Landon Cochran, age 15 – A Path in an Alaskan Forest

Lily Robertson Outer Banks Sunrise — Lily Robertson, age 13 – Outer Banks Sunrise

Cherry Vaughn Orange Sunburst — Cherry Vaughn, age 13 – Orange Sunburst

Ava Sneed: View on the Lake — Ava Sneed, age 9 – Mushroom in the Clovers

Jr. Worth Mentioning - Ezra Sasscer: Pretty Orange Flower — Ezra Sasscer, age 11 – Pretty Orange Flower

Ayla Sasscer: It's Raspberry Time! — Ayla Sasscer, age 8 – It’s Raspberry Time!

Maggie Sasscer -Goldenrod in a Vase — Maggie Sasscer, age 6 – Goldenrod in a Vase

For more information about 4-H in Swain County, call (828) 488-3848.

Amber Johnston
Extension Agent – 4-H Youth Development
amber_johnston@ncsu.edu