The Program that Shaped Me by Morgan

The Program that Shaped Me by Morgan - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

Everyone has a passion in life; something they truly love. This passion is different for everyone. For some it is playing a sport, painting, exercising, fishing, etc. Throughout my life, I have been involved in numerous activities and programs that deeply affected me and I have greatly enjoyed, but nothing has left quite the same impact on me as the 4-H program. 4-H is my passion; the one thing I wouldn’t trade for the world.
When I joined the 4-H program when I was eight years old, I thought I knew exactly what I was signing myself up for. It would simply become something fun for me to do in my free time to help my summers pass more quickly. Little did I know, however, that 4-H would quickly become much more than a hobby. There was no way for me to know in the beginning the significant impact that little decision would have on my life, but I am very grateful that I signed up for the program ten short years ago.
Over the years, I have been enrolled in a wide variety of 4-H projects. Some of these include woodworking, robotics, veterinary science, market hog, market lamb, breeding beef, photography, leadership, and citizenship. For a few years, I was on livestock and meat judging teams. I have also had the opportunity to serve as a county ambassador and was selected to be a delegate for a cultural exchange to New Zealand in 2018 through Montana 4-H.
All of these opportunities have taught me several things that I will take with me for the rest of my life. More than anything, I foresee 4-H helping me in my future because it taught me to be a real-world leader. Other programs, such as sports, teach you how to be a situational leader. As an adult, I will not always be the captain of a sports team. I will, however, constantly be faced with real-world challenges and problems. Because of the experiences, 4-H has given me, I will be able to lead people through them. The communication skills that I have learned in the program will be vital to me doing this.
The program has taught me that what we do does not define who we are, what defines us is how we rise after falling. Over the last nine years that I have spent showing animals, I have faced countless hardships and serious adversity. Some animals didn’t make the required weight limit, others fell ill, and others made it to show day only to forget everything we had practiced diligently for months and misbehave in the show ring. 4-H taught me to rise above adversity. It is never too late to succeed, and this is something I will apply for the rest of my life.
My cultural exchange in New Zealand was by far the most eye-opening experience I have ever been a part of. It helped me to better understand other cultures and see everyday situations from another light. The insights I learned from stepping outside of my little world to see the bigger picture has given me a more global perspective and will affect many of my decisions from here on out.
When I take the 4-H pledge, I pledge “my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living...” Without a doubt, 4-H has helped me to develop these traits. I have learned to love to serve and search for opportunities to do so. I have also learned healthy habits and strive to live a lifestyle that follows them.
Even as my time in 4-H draws closer to an end, I know that I still have much to learn from the program. I am constantly learning and growing from it, and I know that the skills I have learned will carry me for the rest of my life. I know that they have truly made me better “for my club, my community, my country, and my world.”