Fair Enough
People enter the 4-H program in many ways. Sometimes the little ones get pushed into it by their parents; other times, it's through their own initiative. No matter how they may enter the doors of 4-H, one thing is sure: they're better people when they leave.
As the youngest of five in my family, it was assumed that I would join 4-H. My older siblings were also involved, and by the time I came of age, there wasn't a question about it. Being the son of a hog farmer, of course, I took swine. For a few years, I took steers, too. My brother enrolled in the electricity project, and for some reason, I veered toward photography and public speaking.
Public speaking was an interesting project. I liked speech class in high school and thought this 4-H project would be in my wheelhouse. I was given the theme of "Pathways to the Future" and had a time limit of five to seven minutes to speak. I wrote my outline on notecards.
When the day of the contest arrived, I was shocked to see that there were just a few 4-H'ers competing. I now realize that the No. 1 fear of most Americans is speaking in front of an audience. People avoid it at all costs.
Not me. I found it to be exhilarating. I imagined myself as the next Rich Little, who, you may recall, was a comedian and impressionist. He rose to popularity in the 1970s and '80s. When I was in junior high school, I stood in front of my classmates and imitated famous people. By the time I was in high school, I was making fun of my teachers.
At any rate, I remember having a difficult time with my "Pathway to the Future" speech. I mispronounced several words and didn't do very well. However, the judges must have seen something in me. I was pleasantly surprised when my name was announced as the first-place competitor.
I made it all the way to the state contest that year. My older sister, Kay, had done the same thing during her years in 4-H, except she was in the demonstration contest. She won first place and a trip to Washington, D.C. I didn't do as well—second runnerup—but still respectable.
It was an interesting experience to represent your county at the state level. At the county contest, there were a dozen people in the room, including the judges. At the state contest, held during the state fair, there were hundreds. And they were all looking at me. I had one rough spot, and that kept me from winning. However, I gained more confidence in my public speaking ability. I spoke at my high school graduation and then chose speech as my major in college.
Four-H gets the credit for that.