4-H puts teen on positive path

Angel often ran the streets of Effingham growing up. But that was before 4-H. Now she prefers to hang with her 4-H family and friends doing service projects for others. Though Angel credits 4-H with making her the person she is becoming,joining wasn’t easy. No one in her family had ever been in 4-H. A family friend invited Angel to the Lit’l Bit Country 4-H Club seven years ago. Since then, she’s also joined the Sassy Stitchers and the Effingham County 4-H Youth Ambassadors.

From the first meeting she attended,Angel says, she felt that she belonged. She was drawn to the club president—

first because they both have red hair, later because they learned they were more alike than different.

“4-H keeps me out of trouble,” the now 16-year-old junior admits. It has also given her opportunities to explore career interests. Angel will be the first in her family to pursue a college degree. She hopes to attend Southern Illinois University to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Angel didn’t speak for the first several years of her life and used sign language to communicate.She was very shy.But this spring, after attending the Speaking for Illinois 4-H training,Angel spoke to state legislators during 4-H Legislative Connection.Now, with a network of friends and caring adults, Angel is developing new skills and learning to work with others as a team. Angel credits the volunteer leaders for going out of their way to pick her up for meetings and encouraging her to step outside her comfort zone.