That’s been the pace of life the past few years for Young, a recent graduate of Milton Union High School who will head this month to The Ohio State University.
Before she goes, though, there’s a lot to be done as the 4-H member and Junior Fair Board president gets to experience one more Miami County Fair.
Young has been active in 4-H since 2005 when she joined the Trojan horse club. It wasn’t long before she joined the Pampered Paws club because of her love of dogs and was active in the MU Footprints Livestock club.
Although once in three 4-H clubs she had to leave one because of time so stayed with the dogs and livestock.
She raised mostly chickens, except one year when she took on a dairy beef feeder with every intention of selling the project. “I never had any problem with the chickens, but that cow stole my heart,” she said. Big Mac stayed with the Young family as a pet.
For her dog projects she obtained a puppy and trained him, winning many local and state championships over the years. She continues to show Fred, a Shetland sheepdog, planning to compete in showmanship at this county fair.
In addition to projects, she has served as a camp counselor, participated in National 4-H Congress in Atlanta and the Citizenship Washington Focus program. She’s active in the 4-H CarTeens program focusing on the importance of safe driving.
She’s also a member of the Ohio 4-H Teen Advisory Council and, along with Fred, participates in an animal assisted therapy program. Active in school band since eighth grade, she assisted this summer at the Newton schools band camp.
She’d encourage any young person to try 4-H because the organization changed her life.
“It brought me out of my shell. I was such a shy child,” she said.
Kaylynn is the daughter of Kurt and Gail Young and has an older sister, Amy, who also was in 4-H.
She said being organized and being able to prioritize is the key to getting so much done. “I highly recommend being crazy busy because I’ve learned so much,” she said.
Saying good-bye to Miami County 4-H will be tough.
“I want to thank the senior fair board, all the advisers, all the parents, including my parents,” Young said. “4-H has taken me many great places. That is why I always try to give as much as I can but, no matter how much I give, it just can’t compare with what 4-H has done for me.”
She will study mechanical engineering with an eye on biomechanical engineering possibly to make prosthetic limbs or special braces for athletes. “I want to help people and not just make things,” she said.
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