Youth Gain Plethora of Benefits from 4-H Program
4-H members who were recognized at the 4-H Recognition Event. Here they are recognized for all they
have accomplished throughout the previous 4-H and presented with different awards and certificates.
vBy Julie Eickhoff
“4-H gives you so many life skills and benefits,” explains Katie
Doty, the 4-H Youth Program Assistant. Though she’s just in her first
year in this position, the 4-H program is nothing new to her, having
been involved since she was just eight years old. She loved the livestock
program, where she showed all species of livestock and took part in
baking, fashion and arts & crafts. Still involved with animals, she and
her husband live near Mission Hill where they raise cattle and goats.
“My parents were in 4-H and I still remember the day my dad asked
me if I wanted to be in 4-H, (while) we were driving to town,” she
explained. She responded to him that although she didn’t know much
about the program she would sure try it. Because she started at age
eight, she didn’t take part in the Clover Bud program, but she credits
this program as an excellent opportunity for youth starting at age five
to get involved. This group holds their own meeting with the beginners
and allows them to get an idea of what the program can offer them.
Doty is given the opportunity to arrange various programs through
the Yankton County Extension Office. She has organized programs
at the local schools including a Lego Robotics program after school
at the four elementary schools. She will soon be hosting events at the
Yankton Boys and Girls Club and at the Yankton Community Library.
She is hands on with the 4-H students as well, helping kids with project
workshops. She enjoys holding the programs and seeing the youth take
interest and having fun in the activities. Her biggest goal is keeping the
numbers up and getting more members, adding that they had a great
year this year with enrollment.
She, along with Danielle McFarland and Lauren Hollenbeck are
the primary go-to people for any questions about Achievement Days,
an annual event where the students can demonstrate their hard work.
Though these three answer many of the questions, Doty credits those
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that help with the entire event, stating, “We wouldn’t be able to do
Achievement Days without the leaders and volunteers that we have
and the kids’ participation.”
She reflects on her own experience in 4-H. “Achievement Days was
always my favorite time of the year. You work for it all year long. The
kids work hard at it all year long, so they are ready for Achievement
Days.”
Held in August, this year’s Achievement Days is scheduled for
Thursday, August 2nd through Saturday, August 4th. On the first day
of the event, the youth take part in interview judging on the indoor
projects that they’ve been working on throughout the year. Here, they
explain the details of their project to the judges. She feels that this helps
them gain skills in conversing with people and making eye contact.
On Friday, the Swine Show, Fashion Review and Celebrity Round
Robin are held, finishing with the Beef Show that evening. For the
Celebrity Round Robin, the junior 4-H leaders ask various people
throughout the community to take part in the year’s chosen event, this
year’s event is showing sheep and swine. The participants do not need
to have any experience in the events or in 4-H and are given a ticket to
the evening’s supper.
Saturday morning is the Sheep & Goat show and the public
presentations. At the end of the day is a round robin competition,
where anyone who received a Reserved Champion or Grand
Champion award during the week’s large animal shows can participate
for a chance at being voted overall champion.
Doty notices that as the students continue with the 4-H program,
they gain confidence and several students display the desire to help
younger members with their projects. She enjoys watching the youth
work with each other. She recalls her first impression of 4-H, a bit
overwhelming and intimidating at first to be around the various
animals and to interview with adults but explains that she gained