The Campolindo garden is home to a number of goats that are well loved by the student body and community alike. However, the goats are not owned by the school, but rather members of Lamorinda 4-H.
4-H is a youth-run organization open to ages 5-18 where members can build life skills by leading hands-on projects in areas including agriculture, science, sustainability, and community service. These skills aim to help 4-H’ers to grow confidence as well as independence. The organization’s motto is “head, hands, heart, health” resulting in the name 4-H.
Lamorinda 4-H operates by offering different projects, led by adults and junior leaders for members to join. For the 2024-2025 year, the projects available for sign ups from Lamorinda 4-H are rabbits and cavy (beginner and advanced), poultry, cake decorating, intermediate baking, arts and crafts, sewing, beekeeping, and goats (fiber and market).
Sophomore Madison Watkins is in her fourth year with Lamorinda 4-H. This year, she said “I’m in the goat project, beekeeping, and fiber arts, which I really enjoy.” Watkins holds the position of secretary for the club. She mentioned, “4-H has given [her] a community outside of school” and that “it’s really fun and interesting to learn about each project.” Over her years with the club she has enjoyed “winning prizes at fair.”
For the 2024-25 year sophomore Maddie Carpenter is the “treasurer,” but she has held many leadership positions in her previous four years such as “secretary and outreach.” Carpenter’s favorite project has been “beekeeping,” and she is continuing with it this year along with the “goat project.” She feels 4-H has been “a good way to connect with the community and to find new things to learn.”
On the adult leader side, Devon Mazaika is a “co-community leader as well as project leader for many projects” and is in her 11th year with the club. Mazaika believes that 4-H is “so valuable because it teaches life skills.” She says young members learn through the years with the club many lessons including, “public speaking skills, time management, event management, resiliency and the meaning of hard work.” Specifically for high school students, Mazaika mentioned “record books, which is essentially a resume of your time in 4-H, can help…in the college application process.”
To find more information about the club and enrolment visit the Lamorinda 4-H website: https://sites.google.com/view/lamorinda4h/about
