Illinois 4-H

Favorite 4-H Projects: Sewing, Cake Decorating, Public Speaking

Did any of your 4-H project skills, experiences or connections help prepare you for your career path?
I made several connections at the State Fair, 4-H Congress and the National 4-H Convention that I still maintain a friendship with today. My leadership training through the Junior leadership conference, the Illinois State leadership conference, and the Youth Leadership Team all contributed to my receiving a full tuition leadership scholarship to college, where I made great use of my public speaking skills that I learned in 4-H. I also worked in a regional 4-H office in 2013 and had a truly unforgettable experience planning a county fair! 4-H contributed a lot to my desire and resources for traveling, so there was significant 4-H connections in my studying abroad in England and some extensive travel for my Master 's thesis research. Finally, one of my greatest achievements as a 4-H Cake Decorator was when I became Head Baker and Decorator at a bakery in eastern Oregon. Illinois 4-H, especially my leadership training, has its fingerprints all over both my professional career and the travel and hobbies I have pursued into adulthood.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to enter your career path?
I changed career paths several times since I was in 4-H, from white collar to blue collar to being a stay-at-home mom. And no matter what career I chose, I ALWAYS used the leadership training and public speaking that I learned in 4-H. You will never regret practicing and developing those skills.

What did you learn through 4-H that benefits you today?
4-H didn't teach me everything I know about creativity, exploring the world, and leadership, but the special programs I participated in and the projects that I showed gave me a taste for all three that I pursued into adulthood and that I am still pursuing today.

How did 4-H contribute to your leadership skills today?
4-H leadership training was the beginning of a long road of leadership training that continued through college and graduate school. Currently, I am helping my husband lead a small church and on a weekly basis I fall back on the leadership skills I learned at workshops and conferences I attended through 4-H.

What advice would you give a current 4-H member?
Any opportunity you have to practice public speaking, DO IT! Also, projects that you love are so fun, but diving into a project you know nothing about can open a whole New world for you. So I would challenge current 4-H members to try out one project that is completely new to them every year.