News

4-H member credits organization for agriculture passion

It is National 4-H Week and an 11-year member of the organization shared with Brownfield the story of how 4-H taught her to advocate for agriculture.

“This year, the 4-H theme is ‘4-H Inspires kids to do’ and when I think about my personal 4-H story, that is exactly what has happened. 4-H has inspired me to try new things, to chase after my dreams and to really find what I am interested in so  I can be successful in that and help others as well.”

Parker Karrick, a member of the Patoka Panthers 4-H Club in Marion County, Illinois, and Chair of the Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team says 4-H has taught her to speak about topics she’s passionate about like the production of GMO foods.

“It is important to us that we use those so that we can maximize our production and ultimately feed everybody. You know, we are eating the food as well. It is not something we are doing just to gain more money or anything like that, but we really are doing it for the people.”

Karrick encourages all youth to join 4-H to develop themselves personally and professionally.

“4-H provides those opportunities for you to learn how to run a meeting or speak to people or do a science project and a lot of people need those soft skills taught to them at a very young age. That is what 4-H is doing.”

Audio: Interview with Parker Karrick