Happy National Youth Science Day! This year’s science experiment is Maps & Apps! This Q&A post will take the place of an experience today since I didn’t get anything else put together for today.
These questions came from the Iowa 4-H Foundation Blog. I figured I would take the time to answer these great questions!

Q: What are the HIGHLIGHTS of your 4-H experience?
A: I have been involved with 4-H for 12 years and have had LOTS of experiences in 4-H. I have presented at the White House once during the 2013 National 4-H Conference and got invited back to the 2013 White House Science Fair. This was probably the highlight of my 4-H experiences. Another highlight was serving on the 2012-2013 Iowa 4-H State Council.

Q: What does 4-H mean to you?
A: 4-H means the world to me. It has given me leadership, communication, geospatial, and many other skills. It has built my future career path out of nothing. It also means friendships for life.

Q: What is the most important lesson or educational experience you learned/had from 4-H?
A: The most important educational experience that I gained while in 4-H was in geospatial technology. It was geospatial technology that I got the most involved with.

Q: How has 4-H influenced or helped your college experience?
A: Like I said previously, 4-H has purely influenced my college major and future career path (Geographic Information Sciences & Emergency Management).

Q: What does National 4-H Week mean to you?
A: National 4-H Week means the time when I can scream & shout out the greatness of 4-H! 🙂

Q: What is your favorite 4-H memory?
A: Several of my favorite 4-H memories involved Jay Staker (E-SET Guy) when I was on the State Tech Team. Other memories are when I was on State Council. One involved us staying up till midnight during a retreat to celebrate someone’s 18th birthday. I also fondly enjoyed learning the choreography to our dance production for the 2013 State 4-H Conference. Another was during the 2012 State 4-H Conference when Scott Greenburg came and talked about an issue close to my heart and I hugged him and just lost it.

I have seen my friends post about their favorite moment in 4-H, so I thought I would post mine, as this was my last year as a member. The good problem I have is that I have been blessed to have multiple favorite moments while in 4-H, so I’ll be posting 3-4 “Favorite Moments” this week, followed by things I’m looking forward to in the future.

2012-2013 Iowa 4-H Council

This is the first of my last 4-H experiences. I was so excited that I was selected to be in this group that helps plan our yearly State 4-H Conference, run a fundraiser that is the only 4-H’er led fundraisers like that in the country, called “4-Hers for 4-H”, where clubs would contribute money to our group for the next year’s budget. Over the course of the year, our group designed the 2013 State 4-H Conference from the ground up, through planning the theme and design concepts, selecting keynote speakers, making the schedule, and promoting the conference. Even though we all had our differences, in the end we all came together and executed the super awesome 2013 State 4-H Conference (along with a great choreographed production)! In addition to learning how to plan a conference, I developed close relationships with many of the ambassadors, which were really hard to leave. I can’t wait until my 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year reunions! 🙂 Also a special SHOUTOUT to the people who make Council so great… Brenda, Cayla, Matt, Alison, & Kurt!

I have seen my friends post about their favorite moment in 4-H, so I thought I would post mine, as this was my last year as a member. The good problem I have is that I have been blessed to have multiple favorite moments while in 4-H, so I’ll be posting 3-4 “Favorite Moments” this week, followed by things I’m looking forward to in the future.

2013 National 4-H Conference

I was lucky to be selected as one of 4 Iowa delegates to attend the National 4-H Conference in Chevy Chase, MD. The week I was there went by SO fast. I met TONS of new friends who I’m still in contact with today. In fact, I spent a week with a gal that I met from West Virginia this summer. We started a Facebook chat that now has well over 20,000 messages 🙂 But the people I met from all over the nation (including places like North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Montana, Nova Scotia, and Hawaii), will forever be my best friends. I’m already “planning” a trip down south over winter break to visit my friend Steven in Puerto Rico. As we were from Iowa, we were lucky enough to meet 1:1 our former governor and current Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, after he keynoted on Monday morning.

The Last Night

I have seen my friends post about their favorite moment in 4-H, so I thought I would post mine, as this was my last year as a member. The good problem I have is that I have been blessed to have multiple favorite moments while in 4-H, so I’ll be posting 3-4 “Favorite Moments” this week, followed by things I’m looking forward to in the future.

2013 White House Science Fair

I was invited to the 2013 White House Science Fair this year, to represent 4-H and geospatial technology. While there, I met the Deputy Secretary of the USDA in addition to other AMAZING people like Jack Andraka, Bill Nye the Science Guy, a Dean’s List recipient, Falcon Robotics #842 Team Members. Although I was hoping to be selected to have a display there, I look back and I am glad I did not. The reason behind that is because my friend, Jim Kahler, who is the National Program Leader of STEM at the National 4-H Headquarters in Washington DC, showed me all the AMAZING programs that 4-H is getting into. From Team Rocket America! to FIRST Robotics, we are or are getting involved with almost EVERY single program that was represented.

View my 2 other posts on my adventure in DC: Sunday post & Monday post