By William Meiners
Herald Staff Writer
[private]Two Gratiot County 4-H members will take their love and knowledge of animals to the state championships this weekend. Kylee Anderson, daughter of Adam Anderson and Stacy Wonsey-Anderson of St. Louis, and Molly Lake, daughter of Seth and Angie Lake of Ithaca, participated in the 4-H “Skillathon” qualifiers in the first weekend of March, performing well enough to advance to the state competition.
Stacey Woggon, Gratiot County 4-H program coordinator, said the Skillathon competition “tests competitors’ knowledge of market livestock, animal science, and management practices.”
There are 10 categories for the competition, including poultry, rabbits/cavies, dogs, sheep, goats, swine, dairy, beef, horses, and general knowledge.
Divided into divisions based on age, Anderson, a member of the Hooves-N-Boots club, and Lake, who belongs to the Somethin’ Special club, were among the youngest competitors. Both had to answer a series of 155 questions and get more than 50 percent correct.
Woggon noted the questions took place over Zoom as the competitors are put into separate breakout rooms with the judges. “Michigan 4-H hosts this competition annually and is known for having the most comprehensive test in the nation,” she said. “The girls’ knowledge and ability to retain information around these topics is what made them successful in the event.”
Although the girls were part of the “novice division,” both are becoming more familiar with 4-H contests as they have been competing around the state with their cattle over the last year. Angie Lake, who is also a 4-H Club leader, said Molly started her own beef operation with the purchase of a few heifers during the pandemic. And although she’s learned a lot about the beef and hog industries, this competition proved challenging, Angie said, with having to study chickens, rabbits, horses, and other livestock.
Yet when the moment arrived and Molly found herself in the Zoom spotlight, she said she fought off some nerves and was ultimately “relieved” after answering so many questions correctly. She’s also looking forward to this weekend’s state championship, promising to “try my hardest.”
Certainly, for many kids who grow up with 4-H, “giving their best” is the whole point. “4-H is all about teaching life skills,” Woggon said. “I think events like the Skillathon can help youth figure out how they learn and perform best. Setting goals and mapping out when and what they are going to study is helpful not only in this competition, but in school and other aspects of life. Some 4-H members go on to work in animal science related fields, so the knowledge they gain from events like the Skillathon can also make them more marketable.”
Although Woggon did not work directly with Anderson or Lake on preparing for the challenge, 4-H does have study guides and curriculum available to help prep young people for events like the Skillathon. Of course, having parents who have made their own ways through 4-H also offers a built-in support system.
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