The Outstanding Dairy Youth Award recognizes dairy youth who have shown exceptional involvement in the dairy project. The annual award is based on the dairy youth activities, leadership, teaching responsibilities, and awards and accomplishments of the recipient. CP Feeds has been a continuous sponsor of this award since its inception in 2015 with the Senior (Grades 12 to 13) Outstanding Dairy Exhibitor receiving $300 and the Junior (Grades 9 to 11) receiving $200. This year’s recipients are Kaylee Mess, Senior Outstanding Dairy Youth Exhibitor, and Sam Mess, Junior Outstanding Dairy Youth Exhibitor, both children of Austin and Deb Mess of Rosendale, WI.

Kaylee Mess is the recipient of the Senior Outstanding Dairy Youth Exhibitor. Seventeen-year-old Mess takes an active role on her family’s 110-cow dairy operation, where she manages the pre-weaned calves and assists with milking and record keeping. Mess is a recent graduate of Laconia High School and has been in the dairy project for ten years. She is a member of the Laconia FFA, serving as president of the chapter and achieving her State FFA degree in 2020. She also serves as vice-president of both the Fond du Lac County Jr Holstein Association and the Fond du Lac County Youth Dairy Committee. This fall, Mess will be attending UW-Platteville to study Agricultural Education to become a teacher and carry on the tradition of growing great leaders through FFA and agricultural classes.

The Fond du Lac County Dairy Project provides opportunities for youth to learn about the dairy industry through dairy judging, dairy quiz bowl, and dairy management project and to teach and mentor younger members.