Dear Editor,
My name is Spens Schlicht and I am an eight-year member of the Town ‘N Kountry Kids 4-H Club.
I am writing this letter to encourage the youth in our community to join 4-H.  I joined 4-H when I was eight years old — mainly, because my brother, Rex, was so involved in it. At first, I didn’t really understand all the benefits of 4-H. I was just in it for the fun activities and the opportunity to be around animals.
As the years have gone by, I now realize that the character 4-H builds in you goes far beyond having fun.  I mean, I still have fun and I still LOVE showing chickens and ducks, but 4-H has helped mold me into the person I am today.  4-H has helped me develop my self-confidence, my public speaking ability, my pride in our community, and my appreciation for others.  It instills responsibilty, cooperation and (most importantly) caring skills into our character.  These are the characters that will make the world a better place.
Spens Schlicht

Sanborn Weekly Journal,
We have just celebrated National 4-H Week, as we are approaching another new and exciting 4-H year. I am entering into my fifth year as a member of the Town-N-Kountry 4-H Club. As I reflect on this past year, I am reminded of the importance of 4-H in a kid’s life. I was faced with new challenges and opportunities, promoting self-growth and confidence.
It was the first year I participated in Public Speaking at the county level, and on to the state level. My illustrated talk was about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, “The Invisible Wounds of War”. This was a very difficult and in-depth topic that I took to heart, talking about Vets in distress. With the support of parents and “Coach Paula,” I was able to succeed and make my first experience a positive one.
I have learned to be open- minded, that your way is not always the best way. We learn from others to be patient. Sometimes the judge’s feedback is difficult to accept as a positive learning experience. 4-H helps you to find what you are good at, your strengths and weaknesses, explore new ways and explore important issues. 4-H helps you to believe in yourself and pushes you to find new paths. We work together to seek new ideas and stand up for our community.
Emily Ohlrogge

Dear Editor,
My favorite thing about 4-H is shooting sports and all that I have learned to better my shooting skills. Being able to build and make projects, take photos and show them at Achievement Days is also one of the things I like about 4-H. 4-H has taught me many good things, and I encourage people to get involved and to join or try it.
Evan Ohlrogge

Dear Editor:
I have been in the Town-N-Kountry Kids 4-H Club in Sanborn County for two years. An experience that meant something to me was showing my cat. It was really nice to be able to do that. Showing my cat was harder than I thought, and I was nervous about the questions, too.
My club has helped me by telling what to do when I didn’t know what to do, so that was nice. On cat showing day, my first cat show, I didn’t know really how to show it, so my club helped me a little. I really like 4-H because it helps me be more confident and I can make more friends and memories.
Braxton Gentles,
Seventh grade