For many students, it’s important to find outside leadership opportunities and a chance to develop life skills and soft skills. For senior Makenna Beesley, junior Cooper Boyles, sophomore Gavin Beesley and freshman Lucy Boyles, 4-H is that opportunity. 4-H is an organization that focuses on teaching youth by doing and leading through projects and examples.

“They focus on personal growth and fundamentals such as soft skills,” Gavin said. “My personal goals are to help the community and grow my goat farm.”

Lucy said that she initially joined 4-H to show her horses that she had when she was younger, then realized there was more to 4-H and that there were other projects. She has done horses, goats, photography, arts and crafts, foodsand buymanship. Gavin said he decided to join 4-H for similar reasons. Some other projects Gavin has done are woodworking, arts and crafts, foods, buymanship, rocketry, photography and horses.

“It gave me something to do and allowed me to be more creative and make more friends,” Gavin said.

4-H has few requirements to join the club, only a yearly renewal, and a recently added $15 initial fee, along with the desire to join.

“You just have to be able to want to do community service and have commitment,” Lucy said.

With all the other activities that occur during school, many students would say they don’t have the time to participate in 4-H. Although it may be a big time commitment to some, both Gavin and Lucy said they think it’s worth it to join 4-H.

“Even if you don’t like it, you get a good experience helping people and doing volunteer work,” Lucy said.

For their 4-H projects, sophomore Gavin Beesley and freshman Lucy Boyles prepare and show their goats. Both Beesley and Boyles have been raising goats for years now and are working on building their goat farms. Courtesy photos by Sheila Beesley and Nick Boyles.