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CLARKE COSGROVE WINNERS 2007

Winner of the 2007 Clarke Cosgrove Memorial Award for Youth Achievement was 14 year old Gabriel Lockhart of Region 18.  A member of SEMO Iris Society, Gabe has been growing irises for nine years and was described by the adults nominating him as "cheerful", "enthusiastic" and "always willing to help."  Gabe received his award at the AIS National convention banquet in Austin, Texas.

CLARKE COSGROVE WINNERS 2006

Winner of the 2006 Clarke Cosgrove Memorial Award for Youth Achievement is Grace Farley from Region 21.  Grace was the only AIS youth member to attend the convention in Oklahoma, and Cheryl Denton was able to spend time getting to know her.  She hybridizes, and this year the first of here seedling will bloom.  I often found her "nose-to-nose" with her camera and an iris bloom, taking pictures of the interior parts of the flower for further study.  Members of her home club, the Lincoln Iris Society, were enthusiastic about her active participation in all club activities, and her willingness to volunteer for anything and everything that might be needed.  She is also very active with her school track team and FFA and on the honor roll.  She hopes someday to hybridize an iris that has her school colors of blue, yellow and white, perhaps a broken color iris.  

CLARKE COSGROVE WINNERS 2005

The winner of the Clark Cosgrove Memorial Award for Youth Achievement is Joshua Winzer of Mounds, OK in Region 22.  He is an active member of the Tulsa Area Iris Society.  Joshua used to live in Region 18, and was an active member of the Augusta Iris Society, even serving as Treasurer at the age of 14.  He received nominations from members in both regions, and has received many awards in both regions.  

Photo above is Joshua Winzer with Paul Gossett receiving the Clark Cosgrove Memorial Award.  
Below, to the right, is Joshua 
holding his well deserved trophy.


Currently, he is an assistant manager of a fast food restaurant, earning money for college, and due to his responsibilities at work will be unable to attend this year’s convention.  He is an AIS judge, and in his spare time he likes to judge shows of neighboring iris societies in addition to caring for his own garden and hybridizing.  He admires Paul Black and hopes to meet him and visit Mid-America Gardens sometime in the future.

The first runner-up is Kelly D. Norris, of Bedford , Iowa in Region 21.  Kelly is attending Iowa State University , majoring in Horticulture.  He is the youngest person to be certified as a Master Gardener in Iowa .  Kelly is the Editor of the Dwarf Iris Society Newsletter, a member of the AIS Scientific Committee and a student judge.  He has also done some hybridizing.  Kelly will be attending the AIS Convention in Portland . but must leave early and will miss the last day of garden tours and the Awards Banquet. 

Photo above was taken at the 2006
Portland, Oregon,  Iris Convention.  
Next to Kelley is Dave Silverberg.    

This is his first Convention and he is very excited about seeing the gardens and meeting a lot of people.  Kelly and his family operate Rainbow Iris Farm.  In fact, Kelly was instrumental in convincing his family to purchase the business, and he is the manager.

Photo to the right was taken at the 2006 Portland, Oregon, Iris Convention.  From left are Cheryl Deaton, Kelley Norris, and Jeanne Plank.


The second runner-up is Rachel Hindle, of Hutchinson , Kansas in Region 18.  You might recognize her name as Rachel has been the winner of the AIS Coloring Contest four times.  Her creativity is well known, and I’m told she excels in the artistic division of the shows that she enters.  Rachel is a member of the Hutchinson Iris Club and has served as the club’s Youth Advisor for the past three years.  She is currently a student judge and grows about 75 varieties of iris in her garden, her favorites being the SDBs and MTBs. 

Congratulations to all the winners.  As you can see, we are extremely lucky in having such accomplished and special members in the American Iris Society.

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