4-H kids learn skills to last a lifetime
by Christi Marsico
The 4-H motto is "to make the best better," and for four kids who have participated in 4-H activities, that saying has made an impact on their lives.
Erin Kelly is a 16-year-old who will be a senior next year at Natrona County High School and has participated in 4-H for seven years.
 |
According to Kelly, 4-H has been a great experience, providing opportunities to learn and grow as person, as well as help others in their own endeavors.
"4-H has taught me to plan ahead, and the main thing it has taught me is tolerance," Kelly said.
This year she is participating in five activities, including horse, junior leader, cake decorating, leather crafts and cooking.
Riding English saddle and dressage, which Kelly describes as ballet on a horse, this 4-Her loves her horses, and finds comfort and confidence in them and describes them as her teddy bears.
"It's a personal thing where you can see how you can improve," Kelly said.
"If I've had a bad day, I can go see my horses, and they make my day better."
Kelly also is president of the Junior Leader Club.
Besides taking part in 4-H activities like food and dunking booths, club members do volunteer work for the community and provide opportunities to teach younger members life skills.
When it comes to cake decorating, Kelly credits her dad, who is a chef, as well as her 4-H cake decorating coach, Rose Jones.
Kelly said that cake decorating occurs on Styrofoam and royal icing is used, which, according to Kelly, sets up like concrete.
Becoming skilled in flower petals, borders, writing and fondant are all part of the process.
"I like to do wedding cakes because it gives me a chance to be meticulous in my decorating," Kelly noted.
Leather crafts are another 4-H activity that allow this teenager to make checkbook covers, belts and chaps, all while learning patience and appreciating and paying attention to the little details involved.
Cooking since she was young, Kelly explains how she has a fondness for baking bread and making desserts, especially French desserts.
Her advice to those kids thinking about 4-H is to "take the leap and do it."
"4-H is not just for ranch and farm kids," Kelly said.
This is the first year that 8-year-old Kylie Watson has participated in 4-H. She already has won two grand champion ribbons for measuring (cooking ingredients) and sewing.
Among the five activities in which she's involved, including judging, sewing, table setting and measuring, sheep is her favorite.
Kylie has four sheep, and one named “Goody” is her favorite.
This 4-H member describes her sheep projects in detail, with the focus on training the sheep so it gets used to its handler.
"You hold them by the neck and walk them around in a circle and set them the right way so the judges see the animal, not you," Kylie said.
She added that it is important to push against the sheep so when the animal is posing, all its muscles are working. That gives the sheep a chance to look like a "real show winner."
Kylie's advice to those interested in getting involved with 4-H sheep starts simply with having a good sheep.
"You need at least a 110-pound sheep, and work it every night," she said. "Walk it for a few weeks and let them get used to you walking them without a halter."
Taking care of animals is no joke to 12-year-old Rhett Watson, who has been a member of 4-H for three years.
This year he is involved with livestock judging, breeding sheep and market sheep and steers, favoring livestock judging.
Livestock judging allows Rhett to go to a variety of competitions and hopefully win awards and belt buckles.
During this event, he classifies four of the same animal, ranking them from 1 to 4, and then explains why he placed them where he did.
Rhett enjoys breeding sheep because he gets to keep the animals that he has worked with, unlike in the market sheep and steer projects.
Rhett doesn't advise dealing with steers the first year. He recommends starting with a smaller species to see if you can handle it.
"You have to be fit to show sheep, because there is a lot bending down," Rhett said.
His 2008 fair hopes are to place high enough with his yearling bucks to show them at the state fair.
It's not about sheep or sewing for Tyler Watson. This 14-year-old has been a 4-H member for two years, and he is participating in tractor driving this year.
In this event, Tyler has learned to fix lawn mower engines, as well as drive a tractor.
Taking the engine apart and putting it back together ensuring that it works, this tractor driver is asked to name the engine parts.
He then will drive a tractor through an obstacle course focusing on his driving accuracy abilities.
Tyler is hoping to get some ribbons this year, and the thing he enjoys most about 4-H is the friends he has made.
"Join 4-H, ’cause it's a great club," Tyler said.