Meet Dante Stachowicz: Dickinson County 4-H
Print
EmailA personal testimonial of the impact of Michigan 4-H from Dickinson County 4-H'er Dante Stachowicz.
Dante Stachowicz is a 17-year-old 4-H'er from Dickinson County. He's been involved in 4-H for the past 12 years as a member of the Yooper Scooper 4-H Club, where he takes part in a variety of livestock project areas. He plans to enroll at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with hopes to pursue a degree in civil engineering. The following is a personal essay Dante wrote his senior year of high school as he reflected on the impact of 4-H on his life.
Participating in 4-H has been a amazing experience for me, shaping my skills, character and aspirations.
Looking back at the various positions and clubs I have been in, 4-H has given me the opportunity to develop a strong sense of responsibility, teamwork and community service. These experiences have enhanced my personal growth, which I will continue to use throughout my collegiate career and into my adult years. I am eager to further my education and continue contributing to the community using the skills 4-H has taught me, and this scholarship will get me one step closer to achieving this.
To further my education, I will be going to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where I plan to major in civil engineering. Ever since I was a little kid, building things has always been a favorite of mine. Whether it was Legos or wood that I would find in my grandpa's garage, I would use my cognitive thinking skills to create different designs of things in my head and make them.
Another reason I have picked to take this route is to ensure safety in the designing stage of the process. This is when I realized the engineering field was made for me. From elementary school to high school, math has always been my strong suit, but when you look at my personal development, the first thing that comes to mind is leadership and time management. Both of these skill were acquired due to 4-H. My strong work ethic that drives me to excel academically and athletically was also given to me by 4-H.
Without 4-H I would not be where I am today. It has taught me so many valuable life skills that I will use in the future to be the best at what I do, and when I get to that point in my life, I will look back and thank 4-H.
Everyone talks about all the qualities that 4-H gives you, but one thing that I will never forget are the friendships I have made throughout my time. From the beginning of 4-H, I always knew it would help me in the long run, and this scholarship will help me push a bit further to reaching my goals.
