Member Spotlights

Jessica, Tulare County

Jessica, Elbow Creek 4-H Club, Tulare County

As her 4-H career comes to a close after nine years, Jessica of Elbow Creek 4-H in Tulare County has bittersweet feelings – she will miss the experiences she has had, but she also looks forward to a promising future.

During her years in 4-H, Jessica learned how to be patient with younger members through her experiences as a teen leader for several projects. She also gained many leadership skills by attending the California State 4-H Leadership Conferences.  She knows this leadership knowledge will remain valuable wherever her life takes her.

Jessica alludes to another aspect of 4-H when she says, “a leader needs to be able to speak to a group of people without getting nervous or scared…”  As this quote demonstrates, Jessica understands the importance of public speaking.  Her speaking practice in 4-H has given her the confidence to speak in front of large audiences.  This confidence has been useful for school presentations.

Without the influence of 4-H in her life, Jessica is “not sure where [she] would be today.” The lessons she learned through the 4-H program will last her a lifetime.

Author: Brenda Bass, State 4-H Office Student Assistant, bcbass@ucdavis.edu