My name is Heather Gottke and I am the 4-H Program Coordinator for Van Wert County. I am employed by the Ohio State University Extension Office and have been working here for 6 years. Before I worked with Van Wert County I served many summers with Paulding County Extension, and a semester long internship with Allen County all serving the 4-H and Jr. Fair programs.
As a 4-H professional I am first and foremost a youth development specialist. I am to form and promote activities that will help our youth in this community grow and become productive members that help keep the future of Van Wert County bright and prospering. I work with our over 25 clubs in the community to help our 500 4-H members grow and learn through projects, camps, teen leaders, and community service. Some of my favorite activities that I am able to do throughout the 4-H “year” are 4-H Camp, and the Jr. Fair. Working directly with youth to achieve our goals is both hard work and satisfying.
In the community I work with a few projects that some may be familiar with. In the Fall I help with the Cows and Plows ag literacy program in cooperation with the Soil and Water District office. I love working with teachers to develop enrichment activities that are both fun and educational. I have taught a number of leadership classes for both teens and children from one time to on-going.
Throughout my work with Extension I am able to focus on projects that help the 4-H program grow and develop. I have assisted in editing the Scrapbooking project book that we currently use for the state of Ohio, helped with promotion and delivery of our IEP program, the “Winning Plan” and love to share the uses of technology with others. In the winter months I focus on planning, grant writing, and working with committees to gather the needed information for much of the events and activities that occur in the 4-H program.
The programs that I provide are only a small part of what Ohio State University Extension is. We are helping communities grow stronger. We want to help families, grow gardens, nurture agriculture, and show our children the future. The programming we offer is developed with the needs of OUR community in mind.
Many people will ask me about my day to day schedule as a 4-H professional. It is constantly changing to meet the seasons! This time of year we are preparing for the Fair with judging, work days at the fair grounds, and other special events. Before the fun stuff (the fair) can happen, I get to do a whole lot of paperwork, working out details, and planning so that when the time comes, things can go smoothly. I prepare risk management documents, plan of activities, contact outside entities for assistance, and work with partners (such as the fairboards) to make things happen.
The chaos, the excitement, and the stress all can be good and bad. While being a 4-H professional does not compare to the stress level of other professions in the same way – it is a lot of pressure. I take it very seriously that there are 500 kids (and their families) relying on me to get the job done, to fix what isn’t right, and to do it professionally. I love my job because I get to provide top-notch experiences for youth in Van Wert County through 4-H. I love it even more because I get to build positive relationships with both my youth and volunteers that I hope last a lifetime for both them and myself. And I love my job the most because when youth succeed over and over again – I’m as proud as their parents.
Thank you to all the supporters, friends, families, and even my own family for all the help throughout my first 6 years here. Without you all, this program couldn’t be where it is today. Let’s keep a good thing going!
