Nine Pike County students participated in the 4-H Southeast Regional Round-up at Troy University this week, and all of them walked away with prizes.

Eight of the students ended their 4-H competition journeys, as junior division contestants don’t have a state competition. But Amber Shirley, the only senior division participant, won first place in the “Speak Up Alabama” competition for her speech and will go to state competition in July at the 4-H Center in Columbiana. She graduated from homeschool this spring and is planning on attending Huntingdon University in the fall to pursue a degree in the medical field.

Addie Renfroe and Emily Price finished second and third respectively in the junior division of the “eXtreme birdhouse” competition.

Renfroe’s second-place birdhouse was actually three birdhouses attached to a repurposed chandelier, which also held three bird baths. Judge Benji Michael called it “a condominium.”

Price’s birdhouse was more typical in it’s architectural design, but was notable for its walls being hand-painted with a recreation of a Lilly Pulitzer print, which Price said was inspired by her math and language teacher Ms. Rogers. The judges also praised the house for its shingles, which were made of tire rubber.

“It’s cool when a 10-year-old girl wants to embark on a woodworking project,” said judge Shannon Andress, 4-H regional foundation agent.

Sebastian Poppell won fourth place in the junior division of the “Blocks Rock” competition for “Razor,” his robotic dinosaur made of Legos. Motion sensors on the front cause Razor to lunge forward as if biting. Poppell told judges he’d like to continue pursuing engineering in the future.

Sisters Katie and Harleigh Bozeman placed second and third respectively in the junior “Baked Goods” competition. Katie, 12, cooked butternut cake and Haleigh, 10, made a whipping cream pound cake.

Alex Park finished second in the “The World I Imagine” photography contest for his editing work, taking a picture of a flower and editing to appear in the reflection of a human eye in one picture and a camera lens in the other.

Emily Carlson finished fourth in the “The World I See” photography contest for her photo of a flower.

Clifton Culpepper took second place in the “What WOOD u Build?” competition for his planter box.

Winners from sixteen counties in southeast Alabama participated in the competition.