Introduction

I entered this world into Birkenfeld, Rhineland-Pfalz, West Germany shortly after the Berlin Wall was beginning to crumble. From what is known he is an unique kidd, a lover of technology, foreign born, plays the piano (pretty well for a white kid), has an Apple computer, loves to do film projects, theatre was once his major, Computer Science is now his college goal, obsessed with everything about The Sims, a lifetime member of Georgia 4-H, and has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ his Lord and Saviour.

Ancestry:

Places I've traveled to (in North America):

Places I've traveled to (in Europe):

4-H Career

This organization of green and white with kids doing project demonstrations, public speaking, and running around crazy at camp is what led me to be apart of it. My first meeting in this club began as a Cloverleaf, a fifth or sixth grade student, in September of 2000. Our 4-H leader (Program Assistant) came into the classroom with a bright smile on her face and a load of enthusiasm in her presence. She began to talk about this new organization called 4-H and what it stood for and the things that you could do in it. It really appealed to me, especially when I discovered my leader was borne in Germany and lived there for a while.

At the time I was too shy to go to the Cloverleaf District Project Achievement in Archaeology, it's the category that I chose at CPA (County Project Achievement); little did I know that one day I would return to doing public presentations. The time came around when our leader talked about summer camp. Oh, she exclaimed such high praises about this camp, Camp Wahsega in Dahlonega, Georgia and had the whole class excited to go. It was my first time leaving home without my family, definitely a change in my life.

The next year of 4-H was one where I did very little except go to summer camp; Camp Jekyll in Jekyll Island, Georgia. My eighth grade year of school was where I met a very unique friend that urged me to become more active in 4-H. She pretty much forced me to do this activity and that, we decorated a park for Christmas, wrapped Christmas presents, volunteered at a preschool centre and other acts of community service; I even became club Secretary. I did not know what to do for project achievement except the instrument that I played in band, so I entered into the Performing Arts - Other Instrumental category. I did not place too well but I did not care because I had so much fun at this magical place called Rock Eagle 4-H Centre, where the Junior-Senior Southeast District Project Achievement was held. There was singing of stripped sweaters, friends tripping over park benches, vicious squirrels, and sightings of Michael Jackson. It was truly a great weekend excursion and fuelled my obsession with this organization of 4-H.

High school time came and with it more responsibilities and life changes, 4-H helped cope with a lot of stress. I buried myself into community service projects to build up points on my portfolio to use for competition at District Project Achievement and to make friendships across the state. I became Secretary again that year and did not place well in the Performing Arts - Other Instrumental category and also ran for an office on the Southeast District Senior Board of Directors but failed. I did not falter in my attempts though. The next year came even more trips to Rock Eagle for Fall Forum, teaching at Junior Conference, and District Project Achievement. My category for District Project Competition was a change with doing the Piano category instead, and still failed. In my local club though I became Vice-President, which was rather difficult. This helped train my leadership abilities slowly but surely.

The penultimate year of high school became more stressful with band and other school clubs and activities, but 4-H still stayed first in front of many other things. It became my second year on the Georgia 4-H Youth Leadership Technology Team where I learned valuable skills with new technologies and priceless friendships that could never be torn. Again I was nominated as Vice-President and succeeded, I would have gotten President but a freshmen got that title, somehow. During the year I did just about every activity that was thrown at me in this great organization, too many to list. At District Project Achievement this year I listened to my new 4-H leader with her advice on to choosing the Computers project instead of performing arts. This was the first time that I actually had to make a speech in front of people and talk. Procrastination took the best of me and I made my presentation on my MacBook during the bus ride to Rock Eagle and somehow I managed to woo the crowd for my placement of third place. This sparked a new desire to win in 4-H, as the motto states "To make the best better"; I certainly did this.

My final year of high school was all the same of the usual 4-H activities, state and district events, county events, community service, and leadership activities. This year though I applied to try out as a summer camp counselor and work at one of the many 4-H camps but little did I know I was not accepted but did not give up. I got better at my presentation for District Project Achievement and created my presentation a week before competition. Did I create a speech? No, I did not. I am not good at writing something and memorizing it like in acting; that is super hard work. Instead I crammed as much random information about my topic "Blogging" and made key points in my Keynote to ramble on about. I made eye contact with the crowd and judges and walked a little around the room with my computer's remote control clicking through slides and discussing the topic. I received first place for my efforts and was invited to compete on the state level at State Congress. Ecstatic I was for getting this blue ribbon weighed down by a gold coloured metal.

High school graduation came and went so did my senior trip to the Florida Keys but 4-H still kept me busy throughout the summer. I volunteered to be a Teen Leader at Rock Eagle Cloverleaf Camp and I learned how strenuous fifth and sixth graders could be (I do not remember being that wild but I could be wrong). A month later in July was when my 4-H leader and I got to go spend a week in a five star hotel to compete on the state level at State Congress in the Computers project. It was an amazing experience that I wish I could do over again but a little better. I received fourth place in the state, which is last at State Congress, but overall is a good accomplishment. The other competitors were on the Georgia 4-H Youth Leadership Technology Team and we all knew each other decently. The next summer I was awarded as an Honorary Master 4-H'er, which is one of the highest awards and achievements in 4-H.

That was not the end to 4-H for me. Why? Because I still stayed involved in volunteering with my county and 4-H Technology Team. Even when I went to college I sought out this organization and became involved. It was not until my second year of college to where I got the President position and upheld it to my third year as well. Collegiate 4-H is a little different than Georgia 4-H where as it is organized through employers of the University of Georgia. Collegiate 4-H is organized by college aged kids from across the country and supported by the National 4-H Council and other subsidiaries. There are four regions on the collegiate level: West, Midwest, South, and Northeast. On the collegiate level of 4-H, I became a regional officer in the Southern Region. I currently uphold the office of webmaster over an area of thirteen states and a position on the National 4-H Communications Team.

As a humble fifth grader that never left the county much, this organization of 4-H has broken me out of my shy shell and introduced me to new found friends across the state, the importance of community service and well being, leadership activities, and the confidence to speak publicly in front of a large crowd. I thank the outcome of my life from all of the people involved in this organization of green and white where volunteers constantly work to "make the best better". This is part of my story and I am Georgia 4-H.

Articles I've contributed heavily to

Templates I've created

Articles I've created