4-H members get their moment to shine at Minnesota State Fair

After months of hard work and preparation, hundreds of 4-H students got their chance to shine at the Minnesota State Fair Saturday.

For Katelyn Soost, it's a bittersweet moment. A 4-H career that started in kindergarten was in its final days Saturday—as she prepares to age out of the program as a college sophomore.

"This is where I grew up—these barns," said Soost, who is from Nicolet, Minnesota.

Still, she had one last chance to shine—showing her pig "Jackpot".

"He's my favorite pig this year—by far. He's 225 pounds. He did good yesterday. He loves to go for nightly walks," she said. "He's been my, you know, showmanship pig, he loves to walk. It was kind of an easy decision to bring him."

Soost says 4-H has taught her lifelong skills.

"Having this background with 4H and swine, I'm hoping to pursue a career in Swine, so it's super beneficial," she said.

Across the fairgrounds in the 4-H building, Elianna Hink was showcasing a different, yet equally time-intensive project—a fully restored camping trailer.

"We bought it off of facebook marketplace," said Hink, who is entering her junior year at Minnetonka High School. "I had to rip out all of the old floorboards—there was water damage and fire damage."

Both Hink and Soost say having an opportunity to showcase their work makes the long hours they spent well worth it.