Spotlight on: Jan Sennhenn
County Director - 4-H / Family and Consumer Science
Montezuma
County
4-H has been a huge
part of my life. Hi, I’m Jan Sennhenn. Growing up in Wisconsin on a dairy
farm I watched my older brother show our Holsteins at the county and state
fairs. I could not wait to be old enough to be in 4-H to show dairy cattle even
after one of my brother’s heifers took off with me hanging on to the end
of the lead halter!
Much to my disappointment, my Dad would not let me
show our many dairy animals because I was too little! Instead I learned to sew,
cook and knit. Eventually my Dad gave in and I was allowed to show our family
Holsteins not only in 4-H shows but also Black & White shows around
Wisconsin.
By the time I was a senior in high school, I was keeping
records on 100 producing cows! The things I remember most about my 4-H
experiences are the practices for our club’s one act play entries, camp,
dairy judging, and the many leadership trips I was fortunate to be selected to
attend. I also remember my four year as a collegiate 4-H member. What an
opportunity that was to go and speak to high school students representing the
University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture!
My job search
after grad school wasn’t going well when someone said “why don’t
you apply to be a 4-H agent?” Why not? After all my dad was a 4-H member,
as were my all of my siblings, and my parents had been our club and project
leaders. I was an eight year 4-H member and four year collegiate member. And
just to prove our family bled green, my sister was currently a 4-H agent in
Jefferson County (she moved on to be the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation director). My
job searches eventually lead me to Montezuma County in the southwest corner of
the state of Colorado where I was offer the position of Family & Consumer
Science/4-H Agent. That was back in 1978. Yes, 31 years ago!
Over the
years I have had the good fortune to work with many of the young people who now
have their own children in the 4-H program. Over half of my adult volunteers
are former 4-H members. The rewards that I am given are the smiles on the
members’ faces when they have reached a milestone or accomplished a new
task; the unsolicited hugs I so generously receive; and to witness the changes
in a shy, soft spoken young person who has grown into a confident young adult.
I have a job I dearly love. Who could ask for anything more?