Member Spotlights

Brett, Sonoma County

Brett, Green Valley 4-H Club, Sonoma County

An avid 4-H member for ten years now, Brett has been an integral part of the Green Valley 4-H Club, serving as Treasurer, Vice President, and President. However, Brett also enjoys spending his time outdoors camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking.

He is a leader in his 4-H club, a leader in his community, and a leader among competitive shooting sports in the country. Brett found a passion with the 4-H Shooting Projects, and has inspired many younger members to follow his lead and find their spark. As a child, Brett lost partial vision in one of his eyes, but did not let that stop him. He has overcome this physical impairment and excelled at shooting sports.

Brett is a three-time California State Shooting Champion in multiple disciplines; he qualified for the Junior Olympics in 2009 and 2010. Brett is ranked 56th place in the nation; he also attended the National Shooting Competition with the Sutter/Yuba team and received a silver medal.

Brett is recognized by his peers for more than just his skills in shooting sports; he is committed to furthering the shooting sports program in 4-H and throughout his community. The training manual he wrote as part of his senior project was met with resistance from the school board, but Brett's knowledge, communication skills, and expertise convinced the board to allow him to complete it. This manual is a vital part of teaching junior members guidelines, safety measures, positions, and suggestions when learning shooting sports.

Recently, Brett was honored for his dedication with a Golden Clover award in the category of Jack and Robert Clay Outdoor Adventure. He currently attends college and is majoring in Criminal Justice with the goal of becoming a Deputy Sheriff.

Author: Annalee Sanborn, State 4-H Office Student Assistant, asanborn@ucdavis.edu