The first step of a long road...

Becoming a Veterinarian is my dream job. When I first thought this would be a good match for me, I didn't realize how much work it really is. I realized that I would have to go to school for a really long time and that I would need really good grades, but I didn't realize I would need a lot of job shadowing hours! Around  500 I heard was a good amount! That means I have to have around 125 hours a year for the next four years. That's a lot when you think about all the other things going on in my life..riding horses, school, work, 4-H, family, friends, farm work, etc!

This month I started my job shadowing! Every Tuesday, I go to our small and large animal vet and shadow his every move! I have already learned and saw so much! I've seen plenty of dogs and cats spayed and neutered, cats declawed (which I believe is awful), tons of check-ups, a bloated fawn, checking cows to see if they were pregnant ( which was awesome!), and so much more! Unfortunately with job comes some tragedy.  The vet had to euthanize a miniature horse that had fallen and hit her head and an elderly dog that had cancer. Many people believe it's hard to watch an animal be euthanized and wouldn't be able to do it and believe me, so did I until I actually watched it. When you know it's that animals time to go and they have no quality of life, you know you are doing the right thing when you put the animal down. In no way does it make it easier, but at least you get some comfort knowing that they won't be in any pain and will be in a great place!

Job shadowing this vet has really helped to solidify in my mind that becoming a veterinarian is the best career for me and I can't wait to continue perusing it. I know that if I wasn't in 4-H there is no way that I would have chosen this path because 4-H gave me the opportunity to show with my horses and come to love animals in a way that I want to help them.

Truly,

Liz McAndrew

PA State 4-H Vice President of Operations and Events

Traveling to Kentucky

Ale-8-One, Darla, Build- a- Bear, Jumping photos, Call Me Maybe and Boyfriend are some of the words that describe our council exchange with Kentucky's 4-H. Our council made to drive to Kentucky starting June 9th. During the car ride we discorded our council likes to jam out to Boyfriend by Justin Bieber and Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen. As Mya told us before we left, our council would become closer then ever during our drive. We took a seven passenger seat van with seven people. The seats were all full and where ever there was room to fit luggage, it was stowed.  

As soon as we got to the university, we presented their state council with a presentation of Pennsylvania's 4-H program. Their state council was surprised with a treat from the Penn State Creamery. As part of our exchange, it was our goal to find differences in each of our programs and come up with new ideas that Kentucky uses. The biggest difference we discovered was their state Council was much bigger then ours. They hold 52 members on the council with 4 officers. It was a big shot to find out that the entire delegation the first two nights was their state council team. 

Besides presenting our presentation, we helped their state council run their week where ever they needed assistance. We also joined in their workshops that included, jewelry making, science building, environmental protection, and much more. We were surprised to join in on two dances while we were down there. They had an opening dance and a closing dance. 

Kentucky opened their arms to us and welcomed us in like we were one of them. Some of the fun events we went to were bowling, laser tag, miniature golfing, and roller skating. Our time spent in Kentucky was fulfilled with lasting memories and many new friends. I can say for my entire team that this trip will be in our top ten adventures for a long time. 

With something to think about,

Ashley Mohn, State 4-H council secretary

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Highschool to college

I never thought I would see the day that I was staring at family and friends, as my principal hands me my diploma. I graduated on May 29 2012, and it was the happiest day of my life. It's hard to believe my high school years are over ,but I have an awesome thing to look forward to, Penn State Dubois!! High school may be over ,but here is where my life begins. I have several people to thank for my accomplishments one is my mom. Mom thank you for everything that you did for me in my younger years. I want to also thank 4H for teaching me almost all I know. I will miss high school ,but college, bring it on.

What is your story?

“The Dash” by Linda Ellis was recently read to my class. This poem is about how we live our dash on our tombstones. Living our life to the fullest is almost writing a chapter book. Each year of our life a new chapter is added to our book. Once the poem was read, I began to think about my book so far. I have been fortunate enough to write many amazing events. As I looked back on the last 18 years I realized one thing. Most of those years were filled with dairy animals and 4-H projects. 4-H has been in my life for almost 11 years. 

Writing the chapters of your life, what stands out to you? I know for me, my projects in 4-H are the highlights that are bolded in my book. Not everything is a happy moment but those moments that are not happy mold us to who we are today. I also took the moment to think of people that have influenced me. Two people popped in to my head, my parents, but the next few people were 4-H volunteers, advisors and extension educators. I just want to take a quick moment and say thank you to those that influenced my career goal. 

Reading a book of someone else, is also part of your own book writing. As senior is coming to a close my school recognizes the seniors at an awards ceremony before graduating. As I sat watching my fellow classmates and I get called up for awards I realized that neither I or any of them did what they did alone. There was peers, teachers and other influences that changed our path and our story. Some students changed it for the better but others changed because people told them too. 

Influences come in and out of our lives that we might not see all of them at once, but when we do see some, it is those that change us the most. May it be 4-H influences, school, friends, or even parents, it changes our story. Taking those influences and molding them to fight our lives is how our story is created. What is your story telling others?

Ashley Mohn, Secretary

“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”