Member Spotlights

Kayla, Fresno County

Kayla, Foothill 4-H, Fresno County

Between golf, swimming, fashion, and sheep, thirteen-year-old Kayla has covered a lot of ground in 4-H! Her first few years in 4-H have been incredibly busy, as she has participated in sheep, outdoor adventures, clothing, leathercrafts, shooting sports, livestock judging, veterinary science, and arts and crafts.

Kayla loves that 4-H focuses on developing the head, heart, hands, and health. Using her hands and health, Kayla made a beautiful evening gown for only $28! She was the Fashion Review county winner and advanced to the state level. Kayla also won a gold medal in the intermediate division of a shooting sports competition.

Along with this use of hands and health, Kayla has used her head to excel in 4-H. She gave a presentation at the State 4-H Field Day called “Rules for Survival,” and she also spoke about sheep by-products at the Fresno County Ag Nutrition Day. She says that she has, “learned communication skills through practicing and doing presentations and also giving meeting reports in front of the club.”

With a loving and supporting family and 4-H community, Kayla has learned how important heart is in 4-H. “Everybody in the group is always helping everybody else. My parents, grandparents, and other family members are always supporting me,” Kayla states. Kayla enjoys community service, as she has volunteered at children’s hospitals, decorated cookies, and made cards for war veterans.

The four Hs of 4-H – head, heart, hands, and health – have helped Kayla to excel. As she comments, “4-H has shown me that it’s not about what you wear or how you act; it’s about being yourself which is what really matters in life. It has made me feel like I can be myself around everybody.”

Author: Sara Kohgadai, State 4-H Office Student Assistant, sbkohgadai@ucdavis.edu