Simpson County 4-H is excited to have it's first KY State 4-H Officer in 2024.  The impact the KY 4-H program has had on her life is immeasurable...

"One of the first clubs in Simpson County 4-H that I became involved in was the Lucky Spurs, which is our horse club. I joined the club thinking all I wanted to do was to show horses. While attending my first club meeting, the leader, Mrs. Rebecca encouraged me to try other opportunities within the club. That year I was able to compete in hippology, horse bowl, and judging. When I now look back at my time in the horse club as a junior member, I also vividly remember the older teens who served as mentors for not only me but also other younger members. There were two in particular: Jenna and Katie. These two were so encouraging to us younger members by not only helping us to practice for competitions but also celebrating our team’s successes. As a kid it was a big deal that older members would take time out of their days to encourage us younger members. Those girls' examples have made me very cognizant of the impact that an older member can have on a younger member. My example of encouragement and leadership is profoundly important to me. For this reason I serve as club president as well as dedicate my time on the horse camp planning committee and the area horse management team.

The horse club has opened the door for my progressive 4-H experience. My first club meeting jumpstarted that for me. Progressing from only wanting to show on Tennessee Walking Horses, I expanded upon my horse knowledge by competing at the state level in horse bowl, judging, and hippology. I now serve on the horse camp planning committee and the area horse management team. Participating on this area committee and team allows me to keep focused on my goal, which is to help youth grow and thrive and to ensure their opinions are heard within their horse clubs. Just this past year I was also able to compete on the National Horse Bowl Team where we competed at Southern Regionals in Georgia, All American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio, and Eastern Nationals in Kentucky.

The platform I hope to implement within my year of service is 4-H Pals. What I desire to accomplish with this is based on what has impacted my progressive 4-H experience the most, which is mentorship. Jenna, Katie, and I had a similar interest, which was horses. I believe that many younger members also have similar interests with older members, whether they realize it or not. According to the 2022-2023 Kentucky 4-H data, there were 170,431 youth involved in 4-H. The highest numbers were in elementary school with the peak being in fourth grade at 34,584. However, by the end of middle school those numbers gradually fell by half. Beginning in high school there is another significant decrease in the number of youth involved in Kentucky 4-H. In the first two years of high school, numbers drop to around 5,000 youth. The last two years of high school drop even further to around 3,000 participants. Beneficial 4-H experiences include the following: confident leadership, life skills, new friendships, mentorships, and life-long opportunities. All of these are essential at any life stage but are extremely important in high school as youth mature and are more involved in their own decision-making."