Ann Janson has been involved with New York State 4-H for nearly 60 years. First, as a youth in Columbia County and later, as a volunteer involving her own children in the program. She has served as the Horse Bowl Chair and mentored many youth participants in the horse program. Ann's passion for volunteering is driven by her desire to see kids excel and her belief in the transformative power of 4-H programming.
4-H Volunteer
Why did you start volunteering with 4-H?
I grew up in Columbia County and was in 4-H as a youth, so I’ve been involved with 4-H for almost 60 years. After college, I settled in Central New York. As an adult with a family, I wanted my children to be involved in 4-H. I contacted my County to see how, and we got involved with the horse program in New York state. My kids were very involved in Horse Bowl and Hippology, among other activities. In 2004, I was asked to become the Horse Bowl Chair.
From your perspective, what is the benefit of 4-H for the youth who participate?
The youth that I work with in the horse program are go-getters and fun to be around. They're our future. They're the ones who are going to take care of me in a couple of years. I’ve seen them grow up and become doctors, aeronautical engineers, veterinarians and operate their own businesses, including farms.
These 4-Hers are not afraid to speak to anyone. Communication skills are an integral part of these programs. Some of the youth I work with are very outgoing and involved in many different programs, not just 4-H and not just horse-related activities. Three or four of them are also national-level rabbit competitors and excel in that world too. They are task-oriented and are the ones who will take us into the next generation using skills developed and honed in 4-H to pay it forward and become future volunteers.
What keeps you involved as a volunteer?
It’s what I've always done. Although I no longer give lessons, we had a 30-horse barn with multiple instructors and a large 4-H group. We started this group to teach the youth how to properly take care of the animals. I encouraged them to excel, and many have gone on to do great things.
In the horse program, the youth learn about horses, study, practice, and then go to regional events. It’s great to see the “light bulbs” come on as they remember what they've learned and discussed. You see them succeed and want to do more. It's a win-win. When they are motivated to do more, it makes your job easier.
Now, my grandkids participate in horse and livestock programs. When my daughter participated in Horse Bowl and Hippology, we saw how smoothly it ran. We are applying that same template to better develop livestock knowledge and make programming as thorough and comprehensive as we can. We're trying to achieve the same skill level in livestock, but it must start at the county level.
What kinds of connections have you made as a 4-H volunteer?
I have a lot of friends in different states now, coaches from all over the country. The kids have friends from other states they stay in contact with and run into occasionally. These kids root each other on at nationals. So the program connects youth and provides a bigger picture and new possibilities, beyond our little county and even New York state.
Can you talk about a challenge you’ve faced in your role as a volunteer with 4-H?
The biggest challenge for any volunteer is time. Dedicating the hours and resources to make these programs successful can be daunting. Having good volunteers in a program helps new educators succeed. It's a win-win situation.
Many educators struggle because they don't have enough hours in the day, and it takes volunteers to help run the programs effectively. If we, as volunteers, do our part and make it easier on the county-based educators, then the whole program succeeds.
What are some helpful qualities you need as a volunteer?
A good volunteer needs to be humble, willing to serve, reliable, and flexible. You have to be a role model. You can't be selfish and be a volunteer. You must be willing to put yourself out there and do whatever is needed to get the task done. The ability to communicate well helps keep of the many parts and pieces of these programs running smoothly.
I think a lot of volunteers ask, "What can I do?" 4-H is so vast. If you have a talent of any kind, like helping a kid learn how to sew, safely handle firearms, machinery safety, etc., just reach out to your local county and say, "This is my skill set. I'd like to teach youth. What can I do?"
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