The Shawano County Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed a resolution Wednesday recognizing the symbiotic relationship between the 4-H program, the county and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
4-H is celebrating 100 years in Wisconsin this year, with the first club being formed in the town of Linn in Walworth County by Mae Hatch in 1914.
According to Shawano County’s 4-H and youth development director, Joe Stellato, 4-H came to the Shawano area in 1923 as a countywide club. Angelica formed the first community 4-H club in 1926, and that club is still in existence.
There are 21 clubs in the county with more than 635 members and about 300 leaders, Stellato said. 4-H clubs are easy enough to form, with Green Valley starting its own just last year.
“We always have, historically, received very strong support from the Shawano County Board of Supervisors,” Stellato said. “We have an adequate budget and staff to get the job done, and that’s really critical.”
The board heard from two of the county’s more seasoned 4-H members about how the program helped them.
Casey Clark, a member of the Belle Plaine 4-H and junior at Shawano Community High School, said that he was extremely shy when he first started in 4-H nine years ago.
“I was afraid to go to meetings. I was afraid to talk to anybody,” Clark said.
He remember that fear increasing when Clark’s mother suggested he go to a summer camp during his first year in 4-H. He managed to skip it that year but wound up going next year, and it made all the difference.
“Once I went, they couldn’t stop me,” Clark said. “It’s amazing. I’ve gotten so many friends, especially from 4-H camp. It’s great to get away from the family and be friends with people my own age, get outside, get active.”
Clark now has the chance to pay it forward, having spent the last three years as a counselor at one of the 4-H camps, showing them what he’s learned.
Through 4-H, Clark has had the chance to travel around the country, including a trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.
“There, I found out I really enjoy space, the aircraft and airplanes,” Clark said. “I decided that one career I really want is aerospace or something related to the field.”
Ashley Bergsbaken, a member of Bonduel 4-H, started with the program in first grade as a Cloverbud. She noted 4-H is a family affair at her house, with siblings and cousins working together to help each other on projects.
Like Clark, she recalled being more introverted when she first participated in the program, but said now she is confident and eager to try new things.
“My first year, I took on three projects,” Bergsbaken said. “I made chocolate chip cookies. I spent all summer on two craft projects, and then I got there for judging, and my judge was allergic to chocolate, so I didn’t get to show my cookies.”
Despite the allergy setback, Bergsbaken recalled the positive experience of being interviewed by the judge about her work. She remembered her palms sweating and that she was stuttering throughout, but the judge was very kind.
“Going through that interview process each year, it’s a nice refresher and helps to be able to practice for a job interview,” Bergsbaken said.
Being part of 4-H also gave Bergsbaken experience raising and dealing with animals. This will be her 10th year showing at the county fair, the first five with sheep and more recently with cattle and swine.
“I never had any ambition of getting that top prize, but it was fun getting out there and showing off my animal because it was something so dear to my heart,” Bergsbaken said.
Bergsbaken has been a camp counselor and has been a junior director for the 4-H camp program for two years.
“To be able to put on a resume that I helped adult staff with an entire summer camp is something that is fantastic for me when I put it on a college application, when I put it on a scholarship application,” Bergsbaken said. “That’s something that I’m very proud of.”
County Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann praised the work done by the UW-Extension office and said Clark and Bergsbaken are shining examples of 4-H’s success.
“Families that are in 4-H grow together because it is such a good program,” Erdmann said.
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