SR freshman makes quick jump into 4-H
“Jump Right In” is a Zac Brown Band song that describes Cameron Suorsa’s Butler County 4-H experience.
He joined just two years ago, and the 15-year-old son of Dr. Daniel and Tiffany Suorsa of Slippery Rock didn’t hesitate to get involved.
“At first I joined 4-H because I love animals and business, and 4-H animal projects are both of those,” said Cameron. “But I learned that 4-H is so much more, and it provides the experiences for leadership, management, public speaking and fun.”
Cameron belongs to four 4-H clubs: Beef Breeding, Caprine Connection, West Sunbury Wranglers and Youth Council, for which he represents the beef and goat clubs.
Through his club work, he’s participated in many countywide activities and events, including 4-H officer training, Kids Day America, Sunnyview Day, the Big Butler Fair and the Butler Farm Show, and he helped with the annual 4-H Benefit Auction and Achievement Banquet, among many others.
On the regional and state level, Cameron also dove right into leadership activities by attending the State Leadership Conference at Penn State the past two years and serving as a camp counselor for the In-Betweeners 4-H Retreat.
He just attended Pennsylvania 4-H Capital Days, where he visited the state Capitol in Harrisburg to learn about the legislative process, and he will be attending the Northwest Teen Leader Retreat next month to gain more camp counselor training.
“Most rewarding about 4-H so far is the ability to work with and hear the opinions of others at the numerous events I attended and working on my public speaking,” Cameron said. “If I had not joined 4-H, I wouldn’t have been able to give a speech in front of 100 people just last month.”
Cameron joined fellow 4-H’er Ashley Frye in sharing their 4-H opportunities at the annual Butler County Farm-City Banquet.
“All of these experiences are invaluable as they prepare us for our future careers,” he noted.
He looks forward to building his resume by holding club offices and running for the State 4-H Council when he is old enough.
The budding entrepreneur works with his grandparents Dr. Paul and Gertrude Suorsa in operating Arcadian Exotics Farm on the family’s 60 acres.
They have nearly 40 miniature donkeys with about 20 babies on the way, more than 20 pygmy goats and 10 Nigerian Dwarf goats, along with his 4-H horse, three rabbits, three German Shepherds and six barn cats. Cameron also is raising two beef calves for 4-H.
The Slippery Rock High School freshman is involved in concert band and choir, and he plans to follow in his grandfather and father’s footsteps by attending college to become a veterinarian and to operate his own farm business with horses, miniature donkeys, beef and dairy cattle, and meat and dairy goats.
The quick 4-H convert offers this advice to potential members: “If you would like to gain leadership abilities, communication skills, independence and many new friends, along with the enjoyment of working with projects you personally love, then you should look into 4-H.”
For information about the county 4-H, contact Jean Kummer at the Extension Office by calling 724-287-4761, Ext. 224.
