By Naomi Palmer

   There are so many different organizations out there dedicated to helping students foster their fullest potential in their communities. One of these is 4-H. 

   According to its website 4-H, delivered by Cooperative Extension, is a community where “kids and teens complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.” They prioritize the 4 “H’s”– head, heart, hands and health. 

   Senior Lainey Wait is a part of the Buena Vista Mavericks 4-H equestrian club, where they meet biweekly to ride and learn about horses. The club also plans events, prepares for competitions and participates in equestrian-related community service.

   As part of their projects, this 4-H equestrian club hosted a clinic to teach girl scouts about horses, while another event was planned to pack vitamins for the horses and clean up the Buena Vista community. 

   The equestrian club also competes in multiple horse competitions. They host a few themselves and also attend competitions held by other clubs. At the end of the year, the members compete in a county final to potentially advance to a state competition where kids from all over Arizona gather to compete.

   By involving herself in this specific 4-H club, Lainey said it helped her “learn responsibility” as all members are expected to keep a record book detailing the projects they participated in and the project’s expenses. The book also allows members to set their goals and reflect on their accomplishments.

   There are several clubs available under the Buena Vista Mavericks 4-H organization, including a baking club, a dog club and a business club. If you are interested in any of these, reach out and register now to become more involved in your community.