Being selected for the Texas 4-H Congress is a tall order for any high school student in the state. And being chosen a 4-H Fashion Ambassador for Texas is no mean feat, either.
Spur High School’s Jeri Holcomb was chosen as a freshman last year for both.
She sat down with The Texas Spur to reflect on the many lessons learned last summer through the two programs.
Let’s get some facts down, first, for those who aren’t familiar: Texas 4-H Congress is a four-day mock legislative experience for 4-H members in grades 9th to 12th, according to the Texas 4-H website. During this time, 4-H members assume the roles of legislators, lobbyists, and press corps to gain a first-hand understanding of how the legislative process works.
But the really neat part is, the high schoolers do this right there in the same committee rooms and legislative chambers as our real elected officials—during alternate years, when the legislature isn’t in session.
“We each had to submit a bill and make arguments to support it,” Holcomb explained. Participants were selected earlier on the basis of bills they entered for the competition. Nine hundred entries were received. Dickens AgriLife agent Amanda Spiva assisted Holcomb in submitting hers, which was among the 100 chosen to advance to the July 14-17 Congressin Austin.
Holcomb’s bill—which proposed to protect the purchase of Texas land by non-U.S. citizens—didn’t make it out of committee, a fate that she learned befalls many real bills proposed in the state legislature. She said she had been interested in proposing this bill based on the experience of her stepfather, who owns farm and ranch land himself. Many parcels these days are being sold sight unseen to the highest bidder, Holcomb said, with the purchaser turning out to be a foreign individual or company.
Only 15 to 20 of the mock bills made to the floor of the House or Senate, Holcomb said.
“We had a bill book with everyone’s bills” to consult, and arguments sometimes ran high. “It was stressful!” Delegates had to stand up and provide evidence, and debate went back and forth sometimes for two hours at a stretch. Students designated in lobbyist and journalist roles came in and out—just as in the real session. One of the journalists took interest in her bill, Holcomb said, but was unable to follow up when she was abruptly called awaw to another committee.
Ah,thevagariesofpolitics. This writer has experienced a bit of that when paying advocacy visits to representatives, senators and their staffers during session years. It’s a circus, no doubt about it.
Holcomb’s biggest takeaway, she said, was “getting to learm more about government, and meeting new friends.”
For her separate Fashion and Interior Design project, Holcomb changed gears for a week on the Texas Tech University campus.
Learning to be a 4-H Fashion Ambassador, she said, involved a whirlwind of museum and retail tours, including a trip to downtown Plainview.
Fashion Ambassadors fill ceremonial roles in Texas 4-H, including presenting awards during State Roundup. “People look up to you; you have to teach about fashion,” said Holcomb.
Her years of experience in sewing, and teching sewing, prepared her for participation in this select program. First learning to hand-sew from her grandmother, Holcombadvanced to machine sewing, and from home interior projects like a pillowcase to more advanced clothing designs, while moving from several school districts with her family before coming to Spur.
With two key leadership experiences behind her and three years of high school to go, Holcomb revels in multiple aspects of 4-H. She’s involved with animal raising and showmanship as well (she’s especially fond of pigs, and plans to raise three for this year’s projects).
Although she said she likes sewing best, Holcomb aims to pursue her dream of being a veterinarian.
And she’s planning ahead. When she achieves that goal, she said with a smile, she fully expects she’ll sew her own customdesigned scrubs.
Learn more about upcoming sessions of the Texas 4-H Congress at https:// texas4-h.tamu.edu/events/ congress and the Fashion Ambassador program at https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ wp-content/uploads/fashion_ ambassador_guidelines. pdf
