My 4-H Story--1996--Second Year in 4-H

My 4-H Story
Written 1996
Age: 8 ½
Year in 4-H: 2

     Hi! My name is John Trammell I am a primary member of Arroyo Verde 4-H Club and I am 8 ½ years old.  My sister’s name is Ashley.  She is going to join 4-H this year.  She is going to be a primary member too.  She started Kindergarten this year.  My mom is Rozie and she is our club leader.  Me dad’s name is Steven and he is a leader in photography.  This year I will go to Arroyo Verde School .  I will be in 3rd Grade.  I have been playing Piano to 3 years.  I am in swimming for 9 years.  I have been very busy this year in the 4-H club.  I took part in the following club events: 4th of July Parade, 4-H Day Camp, Nickelodeon’s BIG HELP, Redlands Christmas Parade, County Field Day, Food Fiesta, Achievement Night, New Member’s Orientation, and the most fun one-the Sea World Shark Encounter Sleep Over.  I sort of have to go since my mom is the club leader and has to go to this stuff.

I also did a few projects this year.  We built a bird house so I can start raising white pigeons.  I got a new camera because I was learning how to take good pictures.  My old camera didn’t do so good.  So Now I can do real good in photography.  My Rock collection is getting lots of new pieces added to them.  I entered them into the National Orange Show and got First Place.  I also got a check for it.  The other thing I did this year was try out building a rocket.  It sure can get messy working with the spray paint.  Next year I hope I can see it fly up to the sky.

     Some of the other things I liked doing with my club is the stuff we do for other people.  This year we went and washed a whole lot of rubber ducks and then had to count to 160.  That’s how many went into each box.  Then we made some cards for the sick kids at the hospital.  It was fun doing that.  We got to use stickers, stamps, markers and crayons.  Our club made 54 of them.  Then we also made some decorations for a convalescent hospital were there a lot of old people.  We painted a bunch of small pumpkins and made a bunch of decorations out of paper.  Before Halloween we went there and a couple of 4-H kids did a magic show.  Everyone really liked and so did I.  We also did a canned food collection for the people that don’t have a lot of money and need help buying or getting food.  We took it to Mary’s Table.  But that is not all.  We also did some work at a Park in Highland.  It has a funny name.  I think it is called Aurantia.  First we planted California Poppy seeds and later we planted two trees for Arbor Day.  The other thing I remember doing is stuffing a big see through plastic Easter Egg with small goodies no candy.  We took 9 of them to the Hospital so that the kids would have something nice to do while they are sick.

Field Day was interesting.  I gave a demonstration on How to take Care of Your Camera.  A man was there from the Sun newspaper taking all sorts of pictures.  Somehow my picture got into the paper showing me doing my demonstration.  I got a blue ribbon for my demonstration.  I also played the piano in the cultural arts part.  I got a Gold for that.  I also did some judging there.  The animals were fun but hard to do.  I don’t know much about big animals.

     This year I ran for an office.  Primary members can’t do the bigger officer positions.  I ran for Greetor.  Maria Johnson, another one of our members, and I are the Greetors.  I had to get up infront of the club and give a speech and tell everyone why they should vote for me.

    At Christmas time, I gave an interesting talk on a special thing my mom and oma do.  We celebrate St. Nicholas Day.  That comes on December 6.  After my speech I gave everyone a goody bag since they were all good kids this year.  No one got a “Rute” of switch for being bad.

     The most fun thing we did was go to the Shark Encounter and sleep with the Sharks.  I got to be one of the ones that slept in the tunnel right next to the glass where the sharks were swimming.  But that’s not all we did.  We had a pizza party dinner, we got to see the Shamu show and the Sea Otter and Seal Show.  I also went in a class and learned to name all the shark parts and what the sharks are like.  Then we made our own Sharks.  The next day, we got a tour of Sea World even before it opened.  It was neat to have the whole park to ourselves. 

     I like being in 4-H.  Ever since I joined, I learned a lot of new things.  I get to do a lot of things.  I get to go a lot of new places.  I sure wish some of my school friends would join the fun.  But I get to make more friends in 4-H too.  I will be a primary one more year.  Then I get to do some bigger stuff. 

     You probably are wondering why this is typed.  Well, I don’t write or spell good.  I don’t  like to write a whole lot.  But I talk real good.  So my mom said to write on a piece of scrap paper how I think I would say it and she would type it so that everyone could read it.  It would be easier when we get our computer.  Next Year.

Signed John Trammell

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