Spotlight on: Wendy Woerner
Extension Agent - 4-H -- Larimer County
Hi! I am Wendy
Woerner. I was born in DeKalb, Texas and let's just say it wasn't in the 60's
or 70's! Growing up the middle child and my Dad's only daughter was the best!
My parents owned Palmore Timber Company, which was one of the largest in the
state at that time and when my parents weren't at the office, we were at home
on the ranch. Growing up in a small rural Texas town with two brothers was
never boring! During my middle school years, my parents sold their business, my
mom began teaching and my dad followed his life long passion to farm and ranch
full time, and that's what they've been doing ever since.
Growing up,
agriculture was the focus; however, my youth development education came through
the FFA program instead of 4-H. While in FFA, I took market and breeding beef,
market and breeding swine as well as a project unique to Texas, commercial
cattle feeding. I also was very actively involved in meat judging and many
career development events, such as public speaking, parliamentary procedure and
numerous leadership roles at the chapter, district and state-wide level. My
greatest passion and success came in the area of meat judging, including being
high individual at state-wide contests six times my senior year, which led to
numerous college scholarships.
After receiving a B.S. and M.S. in Animal
Science at Texas Tech University and coaching numerous collegiate judging and
quiz bowl teams, I married my husband, Dale, who is to this day my best friend!
His pursuit of an advanced degree and my first job opportunity brought us to
Colorado in the fall of 2005. Throughout six years in college and since
arriving in Colorado, I served as a 4-H volunteer and found that I loved
working with and the ability to have a positive impact on young people.
So…that's what led to my current position. As the 4-H agent with
Livestock, Small Animal, Shooting Sports, and General/Natural Resource project
responsibilities in Larimer County, I am constantly learning and being
challenged. I realize that it's all worth the smiles I get to see and the
change in behavior in 4-H youth!
Within 4-H, my true passion is for
youth education activities where youth are actively learning through the
hands-on approach. As a result, some of the events I believe in strongly are
judging, knowledge-based quiz bowls, such as livestock quiz bowl, and workshop
learning stations, such as those utilized in teaching meat quality assurance. I
love to share my passion for a subject with young people and am happy to pass
that on to other adults who like to learn as well.