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Personal 4-H Biography
I am proud to say that I was a 4-H member of Manistee County and when I visit other places I try to have 4-H recognized as much as possible because I feel growing up in the
4-H program has taught me to stay away from drugs, alcohol, and violence. Today, kids lives are being ruined with negative influences such as drugs and I think that if 4-H helped me stay away from those negative influences that it just might help other kids as well.
In 4-H I kept busy by numerous projects such as: goats, sheep, chickens, cats, dairy feeders, veal, horses, crafts, art work, baking, and much, much more! Taking my animals to the Summer Library Programs, Live Nativity Scenes for Local Churches, volunteering my time and animals for The Market Place Bible Camps in Manistee, I feel, has enriched my life as well as those in attendance.
I have previously won county medal awards for the sheep, goat, veal, visual arts, and cat categories at the Manistee County 4-H Leader’s Banquets.
Most recently I was awarded the County medal in Leadership, Achievement, Citizenship as well as Key Club, and once again for my Goat and Sheep projects. I have attended numerous 4-H camps, Goat Leader workshops,as well as attending Exploration Days at MSU. I have been to a grand amount of goat shows in other towns such as Greenville, Lansing, and Ovid, Michigan. I’ve even accomplished many state awards with my goats and in 1998 I was invited to the National Goat Show with high honors. I held the position of Manistee County 4-H Advisory Council Secretary for 4 years consecutively. February 19, 2000, I attended the West Central Region 4-H Leader Meet to enhance Positive Youth Development.
Outside of 4-H, in highschool, I was involved with cheerleading, volleyball, softball, my high school band, and I also help finance my own farm, Northern Dreams Farm which at that time had 30 Suffolk ewes, 2 Suffolk rams, and about 50 alpine does and 4 alpine bucks. I raised, sold, and showed my animals to help pay for college when I graduated from Onekama High School in the spring of 2001. At Onekama High School I was a 7-year honor roll student and I have received many awards in art, reading/writing, band, cheerleading, volleyball and softball.
I attended Grand Valley State University and pursued Pre-Med. I was on the GVSU Cheer Team for Football and Basketball seasons during the 2001-2002 academic year.
I was an active member of GVSU's Passport program, living in the substance free housing my Freshman year as a Mentee. I also participated in the Passport Program as a Mentor for the 2002-2003 academic year as well as living in a substance-free living center on campus.
2005 I transferred to Baker College in the spring quarter, where I continued my education in surgical technology and sterile processing.
In 1992, the sheep aspect of the farm was based on one simple question that would change my life forever. Charlie Johnson, a dear friend of mine who will always be remembered, asked me if I’d like to keep my market lamb and of course I said YES because I loved her very much! He had one condition for me though. If I were to keep Sheena, my lamb, than I must bring her back to the fair the next year with her very own lambs. Charlie used to always say to people, that's “My Girl”, referring to me. So, when he passed away, I dedicated a special webpage just for Charlie and it plays the song “My Girl” just for him. My flock of sheep started all because of Charlie!
4-H has been the center of my life and I have no doubt it has helped make me the person I am today. I have developed organizational and time management skills, communication skills, how to handle defeat as well as winning, sportsmanship and clean living. In the future, my goal is to continue to promote 4-H and give back to the program what is has given me by becoming a leader. 2002 marks my first year as a 4-H Leader!
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