Honoring leadership

Myrn Gosse of New Plymouth, Idaho, has led her Rawhide 4-H group for almost 40 years, and was inducted into the Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame in November.
“Our oldest daughter was in 4-H when the old leader quit,” Gosse said. “My husband said ‘if you want her to be in 4-H, you start it.’ I had children who were interested in horses, sewing, livestock — we did it all.”
That was in the early 1970s, when her daughter was around 10 or 11. Although she planned to hand the group off after her own children left the program, Gosse said she couldn’t disappoint members of Rawhide.
“I couldn’t look at all those little faces and say, ‘Sorry, I’m not doing it anymore,'” Gosse said. “My claim to fame is I can’t turn a little face down.”
Idaho 4-H, part of University of Idaho Extension, is part of a national youth program that works with children from kindergarten through 12th grade to teach them about science, agriculture, citizenship and the arts through hands-on activities and projects.
Maureen Toomey, extension associate of youth development, said Idaho 4-H will celebrate its centennial birthday in 2012.
Selected honorees are inducted into the hall of fame every three years, Toomey said. Fifteen people were chosen in 2005, and eight in 2008. This year the club will induct seven individuals and one couple, Toomey said.
Toomey said inductees are nominated by peers, extension faculty, or 4-H staff.
“They must have made significant contributions to 4-H and be role models in citizenship, leadership, career accomplishments and have good character,” Toomey said.
Inductees can be volunteers, faculty and staff who have been retired for at least three years. Toomey said the group receives letters of nomination describing the accomplishments of nominees, and a committee decides the honorees.
Arlinda Nauman, the Idaho 4-H director, said inductees are often chosen based on their length of service.
“In some cases the breadth — how many roles they filled in the 4-H program — is one way we honor their participation,” Nauman said. “They receive a plaque, and then they receive a glass plate etched with Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame members.”
Gosse’s club emphasizes horsemanship, but includes a wide variety of other opportunities for the 40 children who are involved.
“One thing I was really proud of (establishing) is the Idaho Horsemanship Award. That was one of my major goals,” Gosse said. “You have to be at least 14, pass a written test with a certain score, do an oral presentation, a demonstration. And then you do a performance test, in which you are allowed two mistakes. Not a lot of kids pass that — only one or two a year.”
Gosse said she is mentoring a girl right now who has a good chance of passing.
“You have to be an excellent horseman. The test is tough,” Gosse said. “I know I couldn’t pass. It covers all phases and history of the equine field.”

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