This week, 4-H members of all ages have been taking part in many animal shows at the Freeborn County Fair.

The fair is a culmination of many month’s worth of preparation and hard work for hundreds of our area youth.

In addition to teaching farming skills and how to raise animals before the fair, 4-H prepares these youth for the showmanship competitions at the fair, which are judged on the member’s ability to handle his or her animal and speak on the subject matter.

They also learn other life skills such as leadership, problem-solving, decision-making, communication and often teamwork through their projects.

Participating in 4-H not only gives the youth a much-needed positive activity, but it also sows the seeds through social skills for wider civic participation.

We thank the University of Minnesota Extension and the staff of Freeborn County’s own extension office, who make this program a reality.

In addition to showing animals for the 4-H program, there are several other 4-H categories youth can take part in — from dog agility to flower gardening to performing arts and photography and many in-between.

No matter which categories these 4-H’ers have chosen, we commend them for their examples of dedication.