Over the next week and a half, a group of teens will be making their final appearances in Brown County 4-H Fair show arenas. Fourteen 4-H’ers will age out of the program after this year. Below, they reflect on some of what they’ve learned and will miss from their 4-H days.
Abigail Angebrandt
senior member
Caregivers’ names: Dorian and Heather Angebrandt
Projects: Dog Poster and Dog Club
Future plans: Attend University of Findlay and major in animal science/pre-veterinary medicine
Favorite 4-H memory: I loved participating in the dog agility show.
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: It is a lot of fun and a great way to meet people who have similar interests.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: The 4-H Dog Club helped me understand dog behavior more and will help me in the vet field.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: My mentor and the person that got me started in 4-H was Emily Earnshaw.
Ellen Bond
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Joseph Wayne Bond and Andrea Anne Bond
Projects: I started in 4-H as young as I possibly could. I started as a Mini 4-H’er and showed my goat and dog. Once I was able to show in the arena on my own I showed cattle, goats and swine.
Future plans: I wouldn’t say I have my future plans all figured out. At the moment I have decided to take a year off to try to decide what I would like to go to college for. In the year that I have decided to take off I will be working and saving money for my future.
Favorite 4-H memory: One of my favorite memories from 4-H was in 2019 during fair week. It was Thursday evening when a group of six girls including myself found out we were all moving onto the Master Showman competition. That evening and all of Friday we all studied and practiced together. We all helped each other learn how to show species we had never shown before. I’m thankful that I was able to show with such a great group of helpful girls in Master Showmanship.
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: I think others should be a part of 4-H because it’s a great group of leaders and volunteers that help you learn and grow into a great showman. Also the group of other 4-H’ers are great and helpful. We can all work together to learn more and make new friends.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: I believe 4-H has helped prepare me for my future by teaching me to be responsible for my own animals and with money. Throughout my years in 4-H I have had a savings account, so when I sold my animals after the fair I kept $100 for myself and put the rest in the account. I would only use the money to purchase my animals for the next year. When I was old enough, I also used the money to purchase my car. In the future, I could use the money for college.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: If I had to pick who my mentor is while I was in 4-H, it would be Amber Hammack. Amber was also a 4-H’er. What I really thank her for is helping me when I was really nervous to show cattle for the first time. I was very nervous because cattle were bigger than I was then. Amber helped me walk, groom and learn about cattle. I can’t thank her enough for helping me get over my nerves because now cattle are my favorite animal ever!
Wylah Brahaum
senior member
Caregivers’ names: Anne and Jason Brahaum
Projects: Junior Leaders and Rabbit Showmanship
Future plans: To go to IU to study wildlife biology/conservation to be a zoologist
Favorite 4-H memory: Going to 4-H camp and making new friends
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: You make tons of new friends and learn lots of life skills.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: It will help me with teamwork in my future career and with leadership skills when they’re needed.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: Our 4-H educators and JDs (junior directors) at camp
Orion Clarke
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Lorna Spitler and Jesse Clarke
Projects: Blacksmithing and Junior Leaders
Future plans: Telecom trade
Favorite 4-H memory: Meeting my favorite camper at 4-H camp (“Batman”)
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: It teaches you important life skills.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: Useful for teaching life skills
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: Probably my mom
Emma DeBord
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Brian and Elizabeth DeBord
Projects: Horses, pigs, dogs, cows, and photography
Future plans: I plan on attending Ivy Tech College in Columbus to obtain an accounting degree.
Favorite 4-H memory: My favorite 4-H memory was when my best friend Ellie Bond let me show her best cow for showmanship. I got Grand Champion. She was so happy for me.
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: It’s such an amazing opportunity to meet new people, to be exposed to many aspects of 4-H, and the experiences, along with learning how to become an amazing leader and how to work as a team.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: 4-H will help me in the future because it has given me teamwork and leadership skills. Both will help me do better at my future job.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: I’ve had many mentors throughout my 4-H career: Michelle, Gabe and Savannah Lovins who helped me get started; Kim and Ashley Stout, Tracy and Shelby Carter, Joey and Andy Bond, and my best friend Ellie Bond, and my mom and dad. All these people have helped me in one form or another. They have gotten me interested in different animals I didn’t even think I’d ever do, all of whom I’m extremely grateful to for their help, patience and guidance.
Emily Earnshaw
10-year member
Caregiver’s name: Wendy Earnshaw
Projects: Fine Arts
Future plans: Pursue a food sciences degree from the Purdue College of Agriculture
Favorite 4-H memory: Camp and volunteering in Lick Creek Love Bugs
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: 4-H teaches valuable life lessons and social skills.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: 4-H has taught me how to lead and be a teammate and team player.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: My mentor was Lisa Wilson, a former extension educator.
Isa Fogg
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Marilynn and Anthony Cox
Projects: Gardening, cake decorating and flowers
Future plans: Going to Grace College to get my degree in nursing
Favorite 4-H memory: Going to 4-H camp
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: You make so many amazing friends and learn so much about life in general.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: It has given me lots of life skills I will use in the future.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: My grandmother
Dawson Lambert
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Debra and Gene Voils
Projects: Shooting Sports, Junior Leaders and Goat Club
Future plans: Going into the pipefitters apprenticeship through Dunlap and Company Inc.
Favorite 4-H memory: 4-H camp
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: It’s a great learning experience and you meet new people.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: It will help with getting a job and you learn people skills.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: 4-H Camp JDs (junior directors) and 4-H educators
Taylor Lawson
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Ron Lawson and Melissa Spinks
Projects: Photography and woodworking
Future plans: Going to Purdue and majoring in special education. After graduation, teach high school students.
Favorite 4-H memory: I always enjoy seeing everyone else’s projects and animals at the fair. I also love going to the state fair and looking at the best projects in all of Indiana.
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: 4-H gives kids something to work on in the summer and it personally gave me more experience and I got to work with my dad and learn things that I would not have if it weren’t for 4-H.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: Honestly 4-H helped me with time management and not procrastinating.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: I really had two mentors. One was my woodworking mentor, and my family friend, Bill Stauffer, was my photography mentor.
Kinidy Morgan
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Hobert and Nikki Morgan
Projects: I have completed 10 years of photography, three years of Shooting Sports and four years of scrapbooking.
Future plans: I plan to attend Grace College in the fall to study elementary education.
Favorite 4-H memory: My favorite 4-H memory was attending 4-H camp as a junior director this summer.
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: 4-H helps you gain many people skills and life skills that will help you in your life.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: 4-H has helped me become a more well-rounded person.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: Nikki Morgan and Trina Deal
Abigail Oaldon
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Crissie Oaldon and Jeff Oaldon
Projects: Throughout my 10 years in 4-H I have participated in several clubs, showing several species of animals including rabbits, swine, horse and pony, dairy cattle and Boer goats.
Future plans: I plan to attend IUPUC starting this fall. I will be earning my bachelor’s degree in young childhood development/elementary education. I will also receive my certification in special education to fulfill my desire to become a special education teacher.
Favorite 4-H memory: My favorite 4-H memory is my dairy cattle project. I had the amazing opportunity to have a two-year dairy steer. This project helped me grow as a 4-H’er and a person because of the commitment to care for the same animal for two years.
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: I feel that others should be a part of 4-H because it can teach you so many life skills. You will get to know everyone who is also involved and it will start to feel like a big family.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: 4-H is going to help me in the future because I have a better understanding of the effort and work it takes to get to an end result.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: My 4-H mentor was my sister, Hannah. With her being three years older than me, I was able to follow in her footsteps. She was always there when I needed help. She always did anything in her power to see me succeed in whatever 4-H project I wanted to do. Honestly, she is still there to help me and offer sound advice when needed.
Claire Przybyla
Senior member
Caregivers’ names: Tom and Amy Przybyla
Projects: Junior Leaders
Kyle Roberson
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Michelle and Jerry Roberson
Projects: Photography and Junior Leaders
Future plans: Attending Ivy Tech for IT
Favorite 4-H memory: Camping with friends
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: Social skills
How will 4-H help you in the future?: My adult skills, social skills, and public speaking
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: Alyssa Besser (old 4-H educator)
Trent Sisson
10-year member
Caregivers’ names: Benjamin and Amanda Sisson
Projects: Swine for 10 years
Future plans: Starting my new job at Exotic Metal Treating
Favorite 4-H memory: Spending all the late nights in the barns playing dodgeball with friends and getting the animals ready to show
Why should others be a part of 4-H?: It’s like a second family.
How will 4-H help you in the future?: It teaches you that when you start something, you will need to finish it.
Who was your mentor in 4-H?: Dad and Mom
Compiled by Katie Finney, Brown County 4-H Extension educator
