Callie Garoutte – Dallas County Parents – Dennis & DeeAnn McCauley

Callie Garoutte could’ve given up on her dream of going to veterinary school when she was put on a waiting list when she graduated from Iowa State in 2009. However, after four years of working she decided it was time to apply again at Iowa State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Garoutte wanted to show her daughter that you can overcome any obstacle and now after being accepted to the veterinary school, she can show her daughter what looks like when dreams become a reality. As an eight-year 4-H’er of Dallas County, her number one project was always her horses; wining numerous barrel racing awards every year at the county and state level. Because of 4-H Garoutte continued to cultivate her passion for her four-legged beasts. “Without 4-H I doubt I’d ever explore becoming a veterinarian,” she said. Her daughter has now just started with the Clover Kids program and Garoutte is very excited to see what her daughter does with the program. She hopes her daughter is given the same opportunities and experiences that she was given when she was raised by a loving 4-H community. (186)

From the beginning of Luke Cota’s 4-H experience he always wanted to be in the front leading the meetings like the “older kids.” Once Cota became one of the “older kids” he ran to be an officer and the first office he held was historian. During this tenure in this position he completed the first historian book for his club. He then climbed up the ladder and became the secretary and now has been president for the last two years. With a club of sixty plus kids Cota wanted to learn every one’s name and know who they were. By the time he finally had learned everyone’s name the year had ended and he would start over again the next year. “The last two years as president have been fun and I really have learned a lot about being a true leader,” Cota said. “It has showed me a lot of responsibilities and I've noticed people look up to me and I am honored.” In 4-H, he realized he really liked to work with his hands to create projects, especially in Woodworking and Home Improvement projects. This has influenced Cota’s college plans of majoring in welding at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, Iowa. (204)

Matthew Waller participated in the Beef project area every year. He admits he wasn’t very successful during his first years in the show ring or in the rate-of-gain sections of the shows. However, Waller was determined to change this and found advice around his community and in 4-H. In the last few years he has seen all of his hard work pay off with grand champion ribbons and first through fifth place in rate-of-gain category. “Without 4-H, I may not have chosen to study beef science and make a career out of it,” Waller said. In the fall he will attend Northeast Iowa Community College to not only major in beef science but also agriculture business. While in 4-H he also exhibited projects in Mechanics, Welding, Science and Engineering, and Home Improvement. He said he tried to get involved in everything to broaden his horizons but the science and engineering was his favorite category since it involved restoring farm tractors. During his nine years in 4-H Waller refurbished four tractors to and two of them have gone on to Iowa State Fair where they received blue ribbons. (187)

Grant Greenzweig would say that one of the most important and beneficial 4-H experience has been with his livestock. A member of the 4-H program for the last nine years, Greenzweig has shown in the Beef, Sheep and Swine project areas while also participating in Shooting Sports and Communications. During his time as a Floyd County Marksmen he was the treasurer for three nonconsecutive years and learned about the importance of funds for the club and how to balance a checkbook. As a young shooter and hunter, Greenzweig learned an extraordinary amount about safety and shooting skills through his 4-H club activities, safety demonstrations and hunter’s education. During the program he learned how to safely operate and shoot different rifles, pistols, shotguns and bows. “4-H has taught me strong leadership skills that will be beneficial as I pursue my career in agriculture,” Greenzweig said. In the fall he will attend North Iowa Area Community College and intends to major in agriculture studies and minor in agronomy. (166)

One of the first projects areas Nathan Mead started in was poultry, but he soon started to expand his horizons and started raising llamas to show at the fair. Mead considers raising livestock to be one of the best experiences in 4-H because of the responsibility it has taught him. He is one of the founding members of the Floyd County Marksmen 4-H Club and Llove Those Llamas 4-H Club. Mead has been a member of the Floyd County Council for the past five years and has helped coordinate activities for the younger 4-H members, such as a bowling night. “4-H has greatly aided me in building my communication skills through interaction with leaders and other members,” he said. The council also did a significant amount of fundraising for 4-H. Mead said he will forever remember selling popcorn at the 4th of July fireworks display last year when he had the chance to wear the 4-H clover costume. One of his favorite 4-H memories of all time is when he had the chance to travel to Chicago and meet like-minded 4-H’ers throughout his region. Mead plans to attend North Iowa Community College in August to study natural resources and then transfer to Iowa State University. (205)

Nicolas Mead’s favorite 4-H memories were at Iowa 4-H Youth Conference/Animal Science Roundup. For him, meeting 4-H’ers from across the state and learning from the Iowa State Research Farms is one of the best opportunities Iowa 4-H offers to its members. Through his years in the 4-H program, Mead has created two 4-H clubs in which one focused on everything llamas, Llove Those Llamas, the other focused on shooting sports, The Floyd County Marksmen. Poultry, Woodworking, Photography, Vegetable and Llamas were his top five project areas, but Mead’s favorite county fair experiences were with the Floyd County 4-H Council. He enjoyed conducting the awards program and selling popcorn during the Fourth of July celebrations. “4-H has helped teach me the value of hard work and service,” Mead said. “It has improved my leadership skills and has prepared me for any possible future leadership I may have.” In the fall he will study wind energy and turbine technology at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, Iowa. (165)

Two years ago a member of Emily Seidl’s 4-H club found out her mother had Lukemia. She knew as president of the club they had to do something for the family. So she joined forces her local FFA chapter and together they raised over $10,000 dollars for the family. “This was the one event that means the most to me,” Seidl said. “The fact that two organizations, filled with people grades fourth through twelfth, could do so much for a family in need is something I will never forget.” Throughout Seidl’s nine years in 4-H she spent much of her time in the Photography, Food and Nutrition, Home Improvement, Visual Arts, and Poultry project areas. Much of her 4-H success in the program came from her Communication projects; receiving numerous awards at the Iowa State Fair for her extemporaneous speaking presentations. “The skills that I have learned through 4-H, such as communication, teamwork, creativity and responsibility, make me feel more prepared to go to college.” Seidl will attend Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny in the fall. She plans to major in agriculture business, and to complete that degree at a four-year institution in the future. (197)

Getting to know such a great group of high school 4-H’ers, and planning while also leading the State 4-H Conference will always be one of Jan Ryherd’s favorite 4-H memories. As a member of the State 4-H Council Ryherd was able to apart of the finance committee, promotions committee, and as a co-chair of the council. During her nine years in 4-H she was selected to represent Iowa at the National 4-H Congress. Ryherd also found new interest by taking Rabbit, Food and Nutrition, Communications, Leadership and Citizenship projects to the Hamilton County Fair. Her adventure through 4-H led to her to find the communications field to be the area she could pursue a career in. In the fall, Ryherd will attend Iowa State University to major in journalism and mass communications with a broadcasting emphasis. “My experience in 4-H has created my identity,” she said. “It has made me a leader, a better communicator and I am thankful for all the great opportunities and trips I have been offered.” (170)

4-H was only the beginning for Iowa State University senior Bethany Olson. Receiving countless awards for her projects, record keeping and community service, Olson has used her experience as a Hamilton 4-H’er has a spring-board for her success in college. Her 4-H expertise in the project areas of Market Swine, Market Beef, Communications, Food and Nutrition, and Clothing is something she said she cannot imagine without. A member of Iowa State’s Division I Track and Field team, a co-founder of Iowa State University Student Federation for Agriculture, an Alpha Zeta Agriculture Honor Fraternity member, Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Ambassador, and an Iowa Agricultural Youth Institute Counselor is just the tip of her involvement at Iowa State. “I grow more and more thankful for the lessons I learned about hard-work, determination, and persistence through 4-H, because it taught me the importance of setting objects, being focused, being self-driven, and being motivated in everything I do,” Olsen said. Upon graduation from Iowa State University with two degrees, agricultural business and international agriculture, she hopes work for with DuPont Pioneer as one of their marketing team members with career potential of working internationally. (195)

Levi Cook has been involved in the Communications project area for six years. He has done educational presentations by himself and with his younger sister and by doing this he learned how to work together with somebody else on a project and deliver a finished product. Cook was one of very few senior 4-H members in his county fair that participates in the Communications project area, so he gave as much advice to younger members in the area as he could. “Being involved in the Communications project area for many years has taught me the valuable skill of public speaking,” Cook said. “I was able to develop leadership skills on various committees and work with other 4-H members in my club and county.” During his nine years in the 4-H program, he showed Swine and Dog, while also participating in Beef Feeder Pen and Consumer Management. One of his favorite experiences in 4-H was the Citizenship-Washington Focus Trip where he said he had a blast meeting 4-H‘ers from North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Tennessee, Kentucky and Iowa. Cook will be attending Iowa State University in the fall studying agriculture business. (190)

Robert Prucha had a sense of adventure since he was a little kid. Prucha’s work ethic and motivation encouraged his teachers to push him farther by enrolling him in the most challenging classes they could give him. 4-H allowed him to explore his interest beyond the classroom. “4-H has given me firsthand experience and a broad range of skills in many areas not covered within a school’s curriculum,” Prucha said as his interest drew him toward engineering. Through 4-H, he led three workshops to sixth graders with the most recent teaching the youth how to create pressure rockets. He mentored his county’s FIRST LEGO League 4-H Robotics Club and was an official referee at the Council Bluffs regional FIRST LEGO League Event. Prucha is a state award winner in Aerospace. His passion to community service in 4-H led him to create a nonprofit organization called Lest We Forget to honor veterans by installing flagpoles in their yards. Prucha researched and completed the paperwork needed to establish a nonprofit organization that could accept donations and his organization have now installed several flagpoles with many more to come this summer. Prucha intends to major in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University in the fall. (202)

A senior at Iowa State University, Jason Schuster, believes he wouldn’t be the man he is today without 4-H. A nine year Jackson County 4-H’er, Schuster was involved in Beef, Rabbit, Woodworking, Photography and Dairy Steer. These 4-H experiences have helped him make positive choices in college to make the most of his Iowa State experience. “4-H’s strong development of my leadership and planning skills while fostering my interest in science and technology pushed me to major in agricultural engineering at Iowa State University,” he said. Since his freshmen year, Schuster was a member of the Iowa State chapter of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and has been involved with VEISHEA where he has served on the Operations Committee and is currently the Co-Chair of 2013 VEISHEA Village. Within the Iowa State Agricultural Engineering Department he is a tutor for math and chemistry classes, an agricultural engineering peer mentor and a teaching assistant for the engineering introduction class. Schuster is currently an intern at John Deere Waterloo Works as a manufacturing engineer. (175)

Jodie Devries will always remember the citizenship she learned in 4-H. As a 4-H’er for nine years DeVries purchased gifts for the Women’s Shelter in Prairie City, participated in the County Festival of Trees fundraiser and donated coloring supplies and teddy bears to Skiff Hospital. She participated in canned food drives, she helped assemble nutrition packages for Meals for the Heartland and she also helped plant trees at the new Monroe Recreational Park. As a member of the Jasper County Showmen 4-H Club her club participated in the Adopt a Highway project and donated to Iowa 4-H Foundation’s 4-H’ers for 4-H campaign. “Being a member of 4-H has taught me to be a leader in whatever comes my way,” Devries said. “Through my years in 4-H it was helped me decide on my future career.” During her nine year tenure she participated in Poultry, Beef, Food and Nutrition, Visual Arts and Communication project areas. DeVries will attend Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny this fall to study agricultural business and then plans to transfer to Iowa State University. (179)

Breanna Branderhorst, a swine enthusiast, took the skills she learned in 4-H to a whole new level during her first year of college. She planned a 2013 Agvocacy Day training focused on social media that is currently open to Iowa State University students and high school FFA members. The training was April 21, right before State FFA Convention, and students heard from professor Dr. Jodi Sterle of Animal Science at Iowa State, Jana McGuire from CMA We Build Trust, and Heather Lilienthal of the Iowa Soybean Association, and Trent Loos a professional Ag advocator who all talked about the uses of various social media sites and the importance of advocating. Currently, Branderhorst is working to have this training available to 4-H students at the State 4-H Youth Conference. She is excited to be able to coordinate this event and looks forward to its success in the program she was a part of for nine years. “My 4-H experience helped me to develop leadership skills, taught me responsibility and how to be independent,” she said. “Without 4-H, I wouldn’t be who I am today.” Branderhorst is a sophomore at Iowa State University studying agricultural and life sciences education. (197)

Friends at school teasingly refer to Paul Pisarik as Mr. 4-H’er because of all his involvement in so many 4-H activities. He originally joined 4-H to be just like his older brother, but soon he realized that the program was built for him to create his own adventure. “4-H has helped me to grow into the confident and talented person I am today. The friends and skills I have gained will be an asset to me throughout my life,” said Pisarik. His leadership skills have evolved from his experiences and responsibilities through his club, then soon his county council and most recently the State Council. Public speaking was one of Pisarik’s least favorite things to do, but through club presentations, interviews and group activities at all three levels he has become more comfortable in these situations. His love for agriculture has grown through 4-H activities and now shows his animals in about 10 shows each year. “I don’t believe I would have started showing cattle had I not joined 4-H,” Pisarik said. He will be attending Kirkwood Community College in the fall to study beef production. (186)

“4-H is all about spreading knowledge and it has opened me up to new areas of interest,” said six year 4-H’er Anna Tichy. A State Award recipient in Beef, Tichy was also involved in Food and Nutrition, Poultry, Beef, Gardening, and Self-Determined project areas. Her first 4-H experience was giving a mushroom presentation and it was the first time she had ever presented in front of a large crowd of 40 people before. Tichy says giving the speech made her a more confident public speaker and helped to develop a more outgoing personality. One of her favorite experiences was being a 4-H camp counselor at camp Hitaga. Tichy watched after six girls for three days, made sure they ate breakfast, went to their scheduled events, were safe at all times and enjoyed their camp experience. “I think I had just as much fun as the kids did,” she said. Tichy has participated in many community service projects from bell ringing for the Salvation Army, 4-H officer training night and to inform younger kids on what 4-H is during the Ag in the Park event. In the fall, Tichy will attend Kirkwood Community College to take the very first steps of fulfilling her dream of becoming a large animal veterinarian. (209)

When Meghan Gray heard that there were no active Clover Kids groups in Mills County she decided to take matters in her own hands. She got together different 4-H’ers across the county who wanted to help form a group of Clover Kids and contacted her County Youth Coordinator about setting up an eight week program. With her coordinators helped Gray was able to contact parents and create her first lesson plans. She led the group once a week through games and activities once a week, and by the time the eight weeks were up there were twenty-four youth enrolled in the program. Gray believed the group accomplished its goals and the kids had the opportunity to learn new skills through the 4-H program. She is an eight year 4-H’er and is a current State 4-H Council member. “Plain and simple – 4-H has made me who I am today.” Gray said. “Through the interactions I have had with older 4-H’ers and caring adults, I have learned to have compassion, strong work ethic and high values for myself.” (176)

“4-H has provided me with many experiences and opportunities that I would otherwise not have been offered growing up,” said Iowa State senior Casandra Ford. During her nine years in the 4-H program she was selected to State 4-H Council and National 4-H Congress, represented Iowa at the National Western Roundup and participated in the Citizenship-Washington Focus Trip. She participated in the Horse Visual Arts, Rabbit, Safety and Food and Nutrition project areas. While at Iowa State she has reapplied her state and national 4-H experiences to organizations such as Block and Bridle and College Against Cancer. Ford has continued to give back to the Ames community, something she learned about in 4-H, during her many semesters at Iowa State. She has been volunteering at a therapeutic riding facility as a side-walker and would now like to open a stable of her own someday. “4-H provided me experiences that gave me the desire to pursue a degree in animal science,” Ford said, “and now I’ve added a specialization in companion animal and equine management.” (174)

The first 4-H experience that comes to Nicolas Frazee mind is when he helped create a cattle class in Mills County that helped out 4-H’ers who do not have the facilities to take on a cattle project. In the program 4-H’ers are given a calf that is raised on another farm and the members are shown how to brush, feed, lead and show them. This project Frazee helped to create promoted the county’s beef show and helped many 4-H’ers become involved with showing cattle who would not have been able to otherwise. During his nine years in 4-H Frazee also took on Beef, Sheep, Woodworking, Home Improvement and Food and Nutrition, and Communication project areas to enhance his natural talents but also find new interest. “4-H has led me to be a more confident person as well as opened my eyes to the many different career areas in the agricultural world.” Frazee said. “I also would not have been able to meet as many new people at places like state conference and my Citizenship-Washington Focus Trip if it wasn’t for 4-H.” In the fall, Frazee will study agricultural business at Iowa State University. (193)

This year at the Monroe County 4-H Annual Awards Ceremony Brandi Lawless was able to give a short speech recognizing her mom, JoBeth Lawless, as a great 4H leader for over five years. Lawless said that if they had asked her back in fourth grade she would’ve said no, but through 4-H Lawless has opened up and has found comfort at the microphone. 4-H has taught her to be proud of her small community of 150 and to help those who need it. Her 4-H club, the Melrose Majors, created treat baskets for a Melrose family whose family member had lost their legs in the Iraq War, talked to residents at the Monroe Care Center each year, participated in the Melrose Town Clean-Up Day and even raised money for a family in Melrose who lost their house to a fire. “4-H has taught me to be a leader, to work hard because it pays off, to respect others and to give back to those in my community,” she said. Lawless will be attending Iowa State University in the fall to major in animal science. (184)