Tradition across the country for youth to showcase livestock project in the show ring is a major objective for many.   For the fifteen minutes of showcasing projects in the show ring, many life skills are gained in the process prior to walking into the ring with the animal.  It is well documented that youth gain many skills that foster into adulthood from participating in the youth livestock projects.  Those skills help build and strengthen individuals in responsibility and decision making processes as well as allowing individuals to build leadership abilities for the future.   The Mason County youth livestock programs has seen hundreds of youth complete projects over the years.  Those youth while participating in the show ring have gained characteristics of responsibility through caring for animals, learning to select animals for breeding operations, learned genetics for improved quality and health, plus many other needed aspects of the livestock industry.  However, through livestock projects many youth gain the needed skills to become strong agriculture leaders of the future.  Youth programs require certified leaders to continue to educate and foster the project objectives for the future.  The current certified leaders in the county were former youth livestock youth participants that are now giving back to our youth of tomorrow.  Also, the county show encourages senior members that no longer have eligibility to show at the local fair to come back and judge, educate, and foster the novice youth during a fun show.   Over 50 youth under the age of 9 participated in the showmanship show offered during the fair.   A graduated senior came back to the fair and worked with the novice youth to help teach them the proper techniques of showing animals.   The Institute of Applied Research in Youth Development has found that youth involved in 4-H are nearly four times more likely to make contributions in the community and two more times more likely to be civically active.   Mason County has seen this trend locally with many of the  former youth livestock participants giving back to the community in various ways.   With programs like the youth livestock project fostering life skills in our youth, we should have confidence in leadership of the future.