Every time I said I was in 4-H or talk about my experiences now that I am an Indiana 4-H alum, I would hear that question. When I respond with “I actually live in town and the only animals I have are a small dog and a fish,” the looks I got were quite entertaining! Even now, I hear the comment “Well, what did you do in 4-H if you didn’t show?” Buckle up, my friend. You’re about to get on the rollercoaster that is being a 4-H Poster Kid.

1. We may not smell like manure, but we work just as hard.

Having no animals to take care of freed us up to take more projects (nine or more a year in my case) and spread ourselves more thin than thought possible. Almost every year, to my mother’s dismay to say the least, I was burning the midnight oil on one or more projects. 4-H was the reason I pulled my first all-nighter! I was working on a sewing project that just would not corporate and I was up literally all night trying to finish it. When turn-in time rolled around, I pulled my hair back, put on some fresh clothes and walked into judging. That lack of sleep paid off, though, because I received a blue ribbon and made it to the honors group!

2. Learning how to show isn’t the only skill that comes from 4-H.

Leadership, self-discipline, organization and research skills are all things that come from being a 4-H’er. I was my county’s Junior Leader President for three years, my local club’s President for two years and Vice President for a year, too. I was an Indiana representative at the National 4-H Congress (shout-out to the 2012 delegates!) and had the opportunity to address about 1,000 people on behalf of my state; I had to learn effective research skills so I could accurately represent the projects that I took. All of these skills have been utilized in my college career and I know they will be useful in my adult/career life, too.

3. You can learn a lot and about extremely varied topics.

Personality, Geology, Rifle, Sewing, Foods/Food Preservation, Photography and Blacksmithing are just a few of the projects that I signed up for throughout my six year 4-H career. I wanted to do as much as I could while I was in this program, and I came pretty close. While I may have only gotten red ribbons in a few of those projects, with others I went to State Fair and scored very highly. Even if I would have only received a participation ribbon, I am willing to bet you a deep-fried Oreo that I would have still learned a lot about that subject.

4. You will probably still learn how to shave a pig or milk a goat.

This is pretty self-explanatory, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

5. No matter what you do, you gain some of the best friends that you will ever have in your entire life.

Learning how to show animals, make a basket or bake a cake aren’t the most important things a 4-H’er takes away from the program. Whether a 4-H’er started in third grade and attended 4-H Camp all five years or didn’t enter until high school, each member will walk away with some of the most genuine and true friends they will ever have. Because of 4-H, I have friends from literally all over the country who I still keep contact with. Over half of my dearest friends are people that I met because of this program. Even still today, when I hear someone mention 4-H I have an automatic connection with them and can make conversation quickly and easily. We are more than club members, we are family.

At the dedication of the National 4-H Center in 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said “I like 4-H'ers because they are dedicated to excellence; they want to do things better... Next thing I like about them is their examples to other young people; they lead us to greater dedication to our country. They are, by their work indeed, making this country a better one... As long as we have young people of these characteristics, devoted with their hearts and their heads and their hands and their health to doing these things, America cannot be anything but successful." I couldn’t agree more.