Giving back: Hansen is one of many who help 4-H members reach potential

     National 4-H Week is a time to celebrate not only the thousands of youngsters who work to better themselves through the organization’s activities, but also those who help the students accomplish that.

     One of those is Heather Hansen, who is an advisor to the Jones County 4-H Teen Council, a group that serves as role model and activity organizer for clubs throughout the county.

     There’s a reason Hansen enjoys helping the Teen Council do its job; she was once a member herself.

     Because of that, Hansen said she knows the benefits council membership can provide.

     “It’s the leadership skills,” Hansen said, “learning how to be a leader, what all is involved in being a role model for the rest of the kids in the county, and then also getting younger kids excited and involved in 4-H.”

     The council meets once a month, and engages in activities that help with those skills.

     “They learn different aspects of everything involved in being a leader,” Hansen said. “It’s a great way to meet new friends, to get involved and have new opportunities available, and also to have fun being a role model for younger kids.”

     One of the council activities is called a Breakout EDU box, a timed event.

     “It’s a wooden box that has padlocks on it,” Hansen said. “There’s a story problem scenario, and they have to find clues around the room, and figure out how the clues work with the story problem. Then they can find find the codes for all six different locks and break out of the box in time.

     “It’s a good team building activity, which involves working together and communication.”

     The council is also in charge of the annual Jones County 4-H Awards, which this year will be held Nov. 12 at the Citizens State Bank Youth Development Center. They help with decorations, and do most of the speaking, introducing award-winners.

     The advisors – Jenna Vsetecka and Connie Burhop are the other two – tried something new this year with the Teen Council. Rather than sit in the board room at the Youth Development Center, they went bowling for one meeting, and to a local restaurant for another.

     “Getting out, the kids are more willing to talk,” Hansen explained.

     This is Hansen’s second year as a teen council advisor. She has plenty of 4-H experience herself. She was in 4-H for nine years, and served on the Teen Council. While in 4-H, she showed pigs each year, at one point winning in Junior Showmanship.

     “I took indoor projects to the fair each year as well,” she said. “I was involved in Teen Council, and enjoyed getting to go to 4-H Camp when I was younger, and trips when I was older, with other 4-H counties.”

     After graduating from Midland High School, she attended the University of Northern Iowa, majoring in elementary education with a minor in library science.

     For two summers while she was a college student, she was a 4-H intern at the Jones County Extension office.

     She said she remains involved in 4-H because she understands the value it provides for members.

     “It’s community service-driven,” Hansen said. “They get to meet lots of people from different towns in the county, and do lots of fun activities.”

     Another reason she stayed involved is because she knew some of the kids personally.

     “I wanted to help them explore those opportunities and make the most of it,” she said.