Patience Prevails
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The 4-H-FFA (Future Farmers of America) Livestock Auction did not see the record sales it had last year, but plenty of buyers still raised their hands on Thursday night.
Kaitlin Eichenlaub, an incoming senior at Knoch High School, sold her Grand Champion, 1,370-pound market steer for $6,850.
Kaitlin said this is her second year raising a steer, but she has been involved with 4-H since age 9. She said this year challenged her patience, but she prevailed.
“He's been really stubborn, so I had to put in a lot more work than last year,” Kaitlin said. “It paid off.”
Kaitlin, who hopes to go to college for accounting, said she couldn't imagine a better organization to get involved with than 4-H.“We've got some really good leaders, and everybody works hard to make it a good organization,” Kaitlin said.Austin Miller, an incoming 11th grader at Knoch High School, received $2,256 for his 141-pound Grand Champion lamb.“You get to work with them, and you get to see the progress they go through from start to finish,” Austin said.He plans to add this year's earnings to his college savings. He said he wants to study agricultural science at Penn State.“If you can get into it, I would get into it,” Austin said. “It just opens up a whole different world of stuff you can do.”Apryl Scott, a freshman at Moniteau High School, earned $996 for her 83-pound market goat.“I like learning new things about animals, and I like taking care of them,” Apryl said.
She said she will put the money aside for college, wanting to pursue a career in the medical field. She said her time in 4-H has prepared her to work hard for that goal.Before the kids began auctioning their animals, two charity animals were auctioned: One for the Disabled American Veterans and one for the Lighthouse Foundation.Artie Slear of Keystone Ridge Designs on Mercer Road, Butler, purchased a pen of rabbits for $2,000. The money will go directly to the Lighthouse Foundation.
Slear said he has connections with the foundation, and he wanted to continue his support.“They help a lot of people in need, whether it's housing, vocation or other areas,” he said.Slear said this was a great way to support two organizations he respects.“We've (our family) been supporters of 4-H for 30 years,” Slear said. “We love to come out and support them.”Ken Metrick was the auction's announcer.“There's a lot of good livestock. The kids do a great job,” Metrick said. “Butler has done really well to hold quality. There's no bad animals here.”Metrick said 4-H and FFA are about more than just livestock.
“It's a lot of life skills. This (the auction) is part of it, but it's life skills.” “When a kid comes into the ring and five or six hands go up, you know those kids have done their homework.”Sarah Rodgers, a 2019 Knoch High School graduate, won two scholarships through her involvement with 4-H this year.She said she plans to attend Slippery Rock University next year to study developmental psychology.“I'm just really looking to help people,” Rodgers said. “I think mental health gets pushed aside these days.”
