As a senior Coryell County 4-H ambassador, Jeret Burks shares how his experience in 4-H has shaped his leadership skills and prepared him for his future.
Burks started his 4-H journey in the third grade when he first got involved with the Coryell County Youth Fair. When he became an ambassador during his freshman year of high school, his involvement grew beyond the county fair to participation in several community service and leadership projects within the state’s program.
“Just being an ambassador, we do so much community service and leadership just in the county – it's probably the biggest part of 4-H that I've done so far,” Burks said.
As an ambassador, he has traveled to different parts of the state for competitions and leadership development events, such as the Texas 4-H’s District 8 Surge leadership camp, the Texas 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl, and the State 4-H Roundup.
For his senior year, Burks was recently elected to serve as a 4-H District 8 officer, which provides ambassadors with opportunities to practice and share their leadership skills as well as assist in planning district events and activities.
“4H’s most important impact on me has been leadership development,” Burks said. “I think that can be really good for a lot of lot of kids in school around the state.”
Burks shares how the 4-H program has also cultivated his public speaking skills through state speaking competitions on a chosen educational topic. He said he has placed third and fourth place in the competitions and plans on participating one more time for his senior year.
“Growing up, I was a very, very shy kid,” Burks said. “I didn’t like to talk to anybody, to get out, or anything, but being an ambassador and being forced into these positions where I have to talk, it's been amazing.”
From picking trash up off the side of the road to assisting at community events, Burks shares how the county’s 4-H ambassador team serves their local communities throughout the year. This includes unloading and sorting the donated foods at Gatesville’s Food for Families, helping out at the Hidden Gem Harvest Festival and the Pee Wee show at the county fair, among others.
Out of all his experiences in 4-H, he said he most enjoyed the Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador Program at Texas A&M University, which brings together a group of 4-H members from across the state. The course teaches students how to become advocates for agriculture and help place it in a positive light.
“We went through an advocacy training deal on how we need to speak to people about agriculture, because it can typically be portrayed bad by some media members,” Burks said. “So, how we needed to put a brighter face to that – a more positive face to agriculture.”
Burks recently received his acceptance letter from Texas A&M University where he plans to study civil engineering. He said his 4-H experience inspired him to attend Texas A&M, where Texas 4-H’s State Roundup and livestock ambassador program is held every year.
“Before 4-H, I wanted to go to Texas Tech, and I wanted to be a lawyer. I’ve got a lot of family up there, but going to State Roundup every year and seeing what a good campus they have, having the competitions, and then when I had that livestock ambassador course, I was like, ‘yes, this is where I want to go,’” he said.
Along with being a 4-H ambassador, Burks is also involved in Gatesville’s FFA program and plays on the Gatesville High School football team.
National 4-H Week
Sunday marks the first day of National 4-H Week, which runs through Saturday, Oct. 12. Coryell County 4-H extension agent, Becky Coward, highlights how this year’s theme “Beyond Ready” demonstrates how 4-H students are more likely to contribute to their communities.
“They are two times more likely to participate in science programs outside of school and two times more likely to make healthier choices,” Coward said. “And a lot of that stems from the big five project areas that we teach – agriculture and livestock, family and community health, leadership and citizenship, natural resources, and STEM.”
Although Texas has the largest 4-H program, National 4-H Week is celebrated throughout the nation. 4-H youth across all 50 states participate in a variety of service projects during the week.
While most people might think 4-H’s main contribution is the county fair, Coward strives for 4-H to also be recognized as a youth service organization.
“I still maintain that a lot of people don't understand what we're about,’ Coward said. “They stereotype us as an agriculture youth organization, which indeed we are, but we're just so much more than that.”
Burks also appreciates the involvement and growth Coward encourages in the county’s 4-H ambassador team.
“She (Coward) is just really good in helping develop us more than just base 4-H officers,” Burks said. “She tries to take it a step forward and help us become the best potential we can be in 4-H and as leaders.”