8 Broadcaster Press June 11, 2019 www.broadcasteronline.com State 4-H Ambassador Shares Experience & Knowledge During Companion Animal Workshop BROOKINGS, S.D. – When South Dakota 4-H launched the Companion Animal project area in 2017, Hailie Stuck was eager to participate. Two years later, the State 4-H Ambassador from Brentford encourages younger members to participate by leading informational, Companion Animal workshops. “When 4-H added the Companion Animal area, it expanded opportunities for kids who don’t have farm animals or are prone to allergies,” explains Stuck, 15, and a sophomore at Northwestern Area High School. “During the workshop, I brought my guinea pig, Baby Girl, and went over what 4-H members would need to bring to the show, which animals they can show and how to show them.” The companion animal project area is open to any pet which relies on humans for its care. Youth can exhibit turtles, ferrets, beta fish, snakes, hedgehogs, hamsters – you name it. Unique to other 4-H animal project areas, pets exhibited within the new companion animal project area are judged on their health, wellbeing and environment provided to them, versus specific breed standards. Showing animals has been a tradition for generations of 4-H members. The practice teaches many life and leadership skills including public presentation skills, confidence and discipline – youth need to practice with their animals at home to have them ready to show before a judge. “Showing animals really teaches you that you are not always in control. It’s hard work, but with enough work, you can really develop a bond with your animals and that can be rewarding itself, even more than the ribbons and trophies from the fair,” says Stuck, who began showing rabbits in 4-H. Then, she began showing guinea pigs and today, she also shows sheep. Stuck adds that she also enjoys the social aspect of showing animals. “Showing brings people together. I love the fact that there are so many kids involved who have similar interests,” she says. Through participation in 4-H activi- ties, Stuck made friends from across South Dakota. Two years ago, she attended 4-H Teen Leadership Conference (TLC) and decided she wanted to be a part of the group of 4-H teens who organize the conference, so she decided to apply and interview to become a State 4-H Ambassador. Developed to expand leadership opportunities for teens, the State 4-H Ambassador program offers opportunities to South Dakota teens because it is designed to engage youth in leadership development through all four 4-H program priority areas including: Agriculture Health & Wellness Leadership Science State 4-H Ambassadors can choose to be a part of the TLC planning team or further develop their leadership skills through participation in other state-wide 4-H programming. State 4-H Ambassadors also work on an individual project. The Companion Animal workshop Stuck hosted is the project she decided to do as part of the leadership develop- ment component of serving as a State 4-H Ambassador. “What impresses me about the State 4-H Ambassador program, is it challenges teens to work on projects to promote the areas of 4-H they feel they are experts in. Hailie is taking the skills she has learned in 4-H and promoting something she is passionate about,” says Kimberly McGraw, SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Advisor - Clark & Spink Counties. “I am a proponent of youth-teachingyouth. When an older 4-Her teaches younger members something, they absorb the information differently. They get more excited about it.” Stuck agrees. “I still look up to older 4-H members. They put things into perspective, because if they can do something, and they are close to my age, then I believe I can do it too someday.” To learn more about the State 4-H Ambassador program or more about 4-H programming in your area, contact your local SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Advisor, on the Our Experts page and search by county. SDSU Extension Teams with CASA to Engage Volunteers in Rural Communities During ENERGIZE! Conference BROOKINGS, S.D. – Making communities a better place is a continual goal of SDSU Extension across South Dakota. During the recent ENERGIZE! Conference held April 30-May 1, 2019 in Lemmon, SDSU Extension provided opportunities for several community organizations to showcase the resources they offer to citizens, but for the Northern Hills Area CASA, the conference was an especially important opportunity. CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, provides a voice for abused and neglected children involved in court proceedings. With the Northern Hills Area CASA providing services to children in the 4th Judicial Circuit, which encompasses the eight counties of Butte, Lawrence, Meade, Corson, Perkins, Harding, Ziebach and Dewey, Kelley notes that sometimes it can be challenging to reach all those areas. Thus, she wanted to be an exhibitor at the ENERGIZE! Conference to help make more people aware of CASA’s services as well as the organization’s continued need for adult volunteers. Kelley explains that she was excited about the conference because it was held in a rural community with many of the more than 120 attendees from rural communities. “CASA relies on volunteers and by attending the conference my hope was to build relationships and perhaps get more people interested in becoming CASA volunteers,” she said. Kelley notes that unfortunately the Northern Hills Area CASA is seeing an increase in cases in communities across their eight-county region. She attributes this to the rising opioid abuse and meth addiction crisis facing many rural areas. In addition to having a trade show booth at the conference, during the opening session of the conference Kelley was afforded the opportunity to share remarks about CASA’s efforts and need for volunteers prior to the keynote speaker. SDSU Extension Community Vitality Program Director Kenneth Sherin explained that inviting CASA to be a part of the conference as a civic engagement opportunity partner was a means for SDSU Extension to “pay it forward.” He added, “We feel it’s important to provide this social cause an opportunity to address an audience they otherwise may not get their message to.” For those interested in becoming CASA volunteers, Kelley explains that volunteers are only assigned one case at a time, which can cover a span of a year or more. CASA volunteers receive training and are appointed to cases by a judge. For more information about becoming a volunteer visit the CASA website or contact Kelley at 605.722.4558 or by email. To learn more about how SDSU Extension works to serve rural communities and all South Dakotans, visit the Community tab. Kevin Wientijes and Bruce Brandner from the Herreid Community Foundation sharing about the evolution of Herreid’s Community Foundation. Session held in Kokomo Gallery in Lemmon, during the 2019 Energize Conference, hosted by SDSU Extension. Why settle for just a slice … When 100% of your retail market receives The Broadcaster. Athlete Spotlight The Broadcaster is the primary medium successful businesses have used to reach their customers for over 50 years. Your Broadcaster carries more advertising than all other local media combined. And, like our customers, we continue to grow. 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