By Emma Rausch
Open enrollment for the 2018 season began in October. While third through 12th grade students have the opportunity to be apart of Wabash County’s 4-H program, youths grades Kindergarten through second are welcome to join Mini 4-H, according to Tammy Unger, 4-H office manager.
For 2017 Wabash County 4-H Pageant Queen Mary Guisewhite, both programs are worth joining.
In addition to her 10-year membership, Guisewhite was a Mini 4-H member for all three years.
“Mini 4-H was a long time ago, but I remember actually falling in love with the multicolored ribbons that you get upon completing a project,” Guisewhite told The Paper of Wabash County. “I thought those were so cool. I thought they were cooler than the blue ones honestly. … I took foods, arts and crafts, and I think I took another one as well, but that was a long time ago.
“I think Mini 4-H gives you a heads up to what’s to come in the future. Mini 4-H makes you aware of what the opportunities are in 4-H. You only get a limited number of projects (to participate in) when you’re in Mini 4-H, but it gives you that precursor to the responsibility that 4-H involves.”
While Mini 4-H projects aren’t judged, the program provides an opportunity to jump start building a child’s confidence because their projects are displayed at the Wabash County 4-H Fair, according to the fair queen.
“And they get to talk to people about ‘This is my project and this is what I did in this project,’” Guisewhite said. “That’s exciting for them. I think it gives them a sense of accomplishment, like ‘I did it. Even though I’m 5(-years-old) and I’m in Kindergarten, I made this project by myself.’ I think that’s really important.”
She added that the primary 4-H program is a valuable tool to teach soft skills, like time management, commitment, self-motivation and perseverance.
“I think it built my confidence in a lot of ways,” she said. “I’ve actually only received one red ribbon in all of my 4-H career and I will never forget it because ever since then I tried to super hard to never get a red ribbon again. It’s not a good feeling to get a red ribbon, but it gives you a reason to try harder the next year.
“It does build your confidence. It builds a little bit of fire in you to do better and you want to win and you want to go back and try again. I know even with the pageant aspect of it, as well, I didn’t win the first year (I tried) and the second year I got third place. Even then, there was a part of me that said I have to go back again and try, and I was still confident in myself. … I’m thankful for the opportunity and it built me to where I am today to accept this position probably with more maturity and more respect for the position in general.”
Guisewhite said she would encourage everyone to join 4-H.
“When you enroll in 4-H, you’re not only enrolling into a program that promotes community and the organization by which it stands—head, heart, hands and health—but I think when you are involved in 4-H, when you enroll, you are making friends, you are establishing connections, you are building your resume when you’re in third grade already,” she said. “You’re allowing yourself to build up opportunities that you can write essays about, tell people about in the future.
“It’s not only something that’s going to benefit you right now. I can tell you firsthand when you go to apply for college, it’s your senior year and you’ve been in 4-H, that is something big and that is something worth explaining.
“It’s a great thing to get involved in.”
Unger said families should enroll children as soon as possible.
To enroll, visit in.4Honline.com.
For questions or more information, call the Wabash County Purdue Extension Office at 260-563-0661 ext. 1408.