Hollister resident Linnae Rodriguez took home the highest honor in the state for 4-H this July in recognition of her leadership and involvement with the organization.
Rodriguez, 19, was one of just five 4-H members honored July 26 with the Diamond Clover, a charm that recognizes her leadership at a state level, the completion of specific activities and at least five years of membership in the organization.
“It’s our highest achievement award for 4-H and it’s throughout the state,” she said.
Rodriguez finished a term as a state ambassador, attended a state leadership conference, held at least one club office and was a winner or medalist of a state 4-H record book competition, among other achievements.
The 4-H leader, now a second-year student at the University of Redlands in Southern California, has participated in at least 10 4-H projects including skiing, arts and crafts, dog care, food preservation, cooking, hobbies, sewing and senior master gardener, she said.
“What else?” said Rodriguez, as she tried to count all the projects she had done. “Let me think– leadership, First Aid and CPR, and beekeeping.”
Her favorite project was leadership because it brought her out of her shell and helped her gain public speaking skills, she said. But one of the more memorable projects might have been beekeeping because Rodriguez does not like the honey-creating insects.
“I tried to do it for a year to get over my fear of bees,” she said. “It didn’t work. I still don’t like bees. I now understand how useful they are but I still don’t like them.”
Rodriguez also credits 4-H with emphasizing community service and giving back, she said.
As a 4-H member, Rodriguez visited a homeless shelter with her club, which adopted it, she said. Rodriguez continued to work with the shelters through 4-H, she said. In 2012, she helped bring handmade hats, scarves and fingerless gloves to the homeless, she said. In 2014, she helped bring donated blankets to homeless shelters in three counties, she said. Now in college, Rodriguez volunteers at the Totally Kids Outreach Rehabilitation Hospital, she said.
