From competitor to coach: Michigan 4-H youth gives back by leading novice team to state title
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EmailA Washtenaw County 4-H youth chose to forgo her eligibility for this year’s Michigan 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest to coach her county’s novice 4-H team. The team came out victorious at the contest, winning the novice state title.
Michigan 4-H member Harper Jane A. understands that some of the greatest accomplishments in 4-H are not always measured by personal awards, but by the opportunity to help others succeed.
Harper Jane was one of four Michigan 4-H members selected to compete at the 2025 National 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest held last November in Louisville, Kentucky. As captain of the Michigan team, she helped lead her teammates to a fifth-place national finish, capping off eight years of competing in the Michigan 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl program.
After returning home from the National 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest, Harper Jane began reflecting on what her next chapter in 4-H would look like. Although she still had eligibility to compete as a youth during the 2026 season, she made the remarkable decision to step away from competition and invest her time and talents into coaching the Washtenaw County novice 4-H dairy quiz bowl team. Rather than pursue another year of individual success, Harper Jane chose to give younger members the same encouragement, knowledge and confidence that had been given to her throughout her own 4-H journey.
When she was asked why she gave up her 2026 dairy quiz bowl season in order to coach the novice team, Harper Jane shared, “I had an amazing ending to my experience as a competitor when I went to the North American International Livestock Exposition this past November and served as captain of our Michigan 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl National team. Afterward, my ten years of competing felt like a closed chapter. My love of all things dairy science blossomed because of an amazing mentor, Katelyn Packard. This year, as our county team grew, I wanted to be able to give the youngest members that same focused feedback I experienced from my coaches when I was a novice.”
Inspired by the mentorship she received from Packard, Harper Jane embraced the role of coach with the same dedication she once brought as a competitor. She transformed practices around the dining room table into meaningful learning experiences, helping novice members build confidence, teamwork, communication skills and dairy science knowledge.
Her investment in these young 4-H members paid off in an extraordinary way. The novice team, made up of youth with no more than one year of dairy quiz bowl experience, captured the 2026 Michigan 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Novice State Championship. While the state title was an incredible achievement, the greatest success was the growth each youth experienced through Harper Jane's patient coaching, encouragement and individualized support.
Coaching a championship team requires much more than knowledge of the subject matter. It requires empathy, perseverance, leadership and a commitment to helping others reach their potential. Through this experience, Harper Jane demonstrated that some of the most meaningful leadership opportunities come from serving others.
When she was asked what she would say to encourage other 4-H youth to become coaches, Harper Jane said, “4-H is about community, which requires both giving and receiving and growing in a variety of roles. I competed in dairy quiz bowl for eight years and learned many beneficial skills from a variety of people, most of them volunteers. I felt it an honor to help a new generation of youth succeed, and I would encourage older teens to benefit from the gift of giving back.”
Harper Jane's story exemplifies the heart of positive youth development. Through 4-H, young people gain more than technical knowledge and competitive experience as they develop confidence, leadership, communication, responsibility and a commitment to serving others. As youth grow, they become mentors who inspire and empower the next generation, creating a cycle of learning and leadership that strengthens the entire 4-H community.
Volunteer-supported programs like Michigan 4-H provide young people with opportunities to develop these lifelong leadership skills while making a lasting impact on those around them. Harper Jane's decision to give up her own opportunity to compete in order to invest in younger members is a powerful example of the 4-H pledge in action. By choosing service over personal recognition, she helped a new generation of dairy quiz bowl participants discover confidence, achieve success and experience the true spirit of 4-H.
The Michigan 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest is a part of Michigan 4-H Youth Dairy Days through Michigan State University Extension.
