Gavin Warmkagathje was recognized as the Winona 4-H Youth Representative for the month of November. He is the son of Mary and Ed Warmkagathje, a member of the Little Valley Victors 4-H Club and a senior at Saint Charles High School. Upon graduation, Gavin intends to attend the University of St. Thomas to major in biochemistry.
Currently, Gavin serves as the president of the Little Valley Victors 4-H Club. He has participated in 4-H since Kindergarten and has exhibited dairy steers, dairy market goats and a wide variety of static projects such as photography, food and nutrition, consumer education, safety, health, home environment, shop, youth leadership and more!
Gavin’s favorite project is dairy steers: “ I love the whole process of picking them out of our feedlot. Every day I get to feed them and really build a relationship with the steer I plan to work with for the fair. It always fascinates me how such a large animal can be so capable of walking, standing, setting up and staying calm when directed. The whole process is so much fun and when I get in the show ring with my steer it feels so comfortable like it is something I have always been meant to do.”
He has also participated in several community service activities including ditch clean-up, caroling at the local nursing homes, helping purchase and deliver goods with his 4-H club at the Hometown Resource Center and making Christmas crafts for the elderly.
When reflecting on what he has learned throughout his time in 4-H Gavin shared, “ I have learned so many people skills and how to conduct myself in interviews. For each of the countless static projects I have exhibited, I have needed to come up with ways to show off the best parts my project has to offer and give reason to some of its possible flaws. I have also learned to accept criticism when mine is not the best. My people skills have also been strengthened. Whether it be from people asking me about how I take care of my cattle at the county fair or the early morning breakfasts with Blue Ribbon buyers at our yearly auction, I have learned how important it is to be able to think on my feet and immerse myself into conversations with those I have never met before. I know that these skills are going to benefit me later in life, and for that, I am very grateful.”
Winona Sunrisers Kiwanis Club honors one outstanding Winona County 4-H member during its breakfast meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The club meets every week every Wednesday at 7 a.m. at the Winona Family Restaurant in Winona.
The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.