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| Volume XXV, Number 10 | July 23, 2004 |
By Susan Etxebarria
BRIGHTON — In the hall of the cattle and range building at Brighton hangs a large framed picture on the wall, a copy of an enlarged photo actually, showing some of the tribe’s first “unofficial” 4-H’ers holding their pet project–chickens. The photo is entitled “Chicken Project–1950.”
It is a reminder of harder times. It is a snapshot of the history of humble beginnings for programs like 4-H on the reservation. Times have changed and 4-H members today raise and sell steer and swine, investing hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours to reap big profits.
So, after all the prizes and awards were given to the excited youth at the year-end Brighton 4-H Banquet Monday June 28, and after the happy 4-H’ers received their checks from buyers, tribal elder Rosie Billie stood up and spoke words of wisdom.
She recalled when she was involved in a 4-H-type project and was one of those youngsters who started out with a chicken. She recalled hunting for grasshoppers to feed the chickens and she said she was so poor her father had to give her a dime to buy the feed.
As an adult, Billie became one of the first women cattle owners of the tribe.
“ Handle your money well and you can live good,” she advised the youth. “Don’t waste your money, save it.”
In today’s 4-H, the kids can earn sizeable amounts of money raising their swine or steer and selling them at the annual Seminole 4-H Youth Livestock Show & Sale. This year, for example, thanks to the generosity of a buyer who believes in the goals of 4-H, one of the youths earned $7,000 for his exceptional steer. All the youths did very well; this kind of money isn’t chicken scratch.
Although not all the animals bring in top dollar, the financial rewards may be enough to motivate some of the kids to join 4-H. However, money is not the only motivation, since money can’t produce healthy, hearty animals. It takes hard work, love, dedication and a sense of responsibility.
The 4-H program trains kids to become responsible adults. Responsible people make good decisions. Responsible people succeed. That is perhaps the reason why 4-H is an important tool in raising kids. Everyone makes mistakes but learning responsible behavior is one of the major goals of 4-H.
Parents also benefit from encouraging their children to get involved with 4-H. One of the major responsibilities of parenting is teaching kids responsibility, and 4-H makes that task a little easier.
The 4-H program is the youth education program and part of the Cooperative Extension Service–a program that offers skills and training to tomorrow’s leaders. The mission of Seminole Indian 4-H is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of the Seminole Tribe and society.
All you have to do is look at some of the 4-H members of yesterday to see the leaders of today. Among the list of former 4-H members are tribal leaders Mitchell Cypress, Johnny Jones, Roger Smith, and Paul Bowers.
As a young 4-H’er, Richard Bowers went all the way to Tallahassee, Fla. with his alligator project and many people in the senate today still remember the show he put on for them on the steps of the Capitol. Bowers is currently serving as the president of the Indian Agricultural Council–a worldwide organization. Other notable 4-H alumni include Timmy Johns, Connie Whidden, David Cypress, Pastor Wonder Johns and rancher Sammy Gopher, to name just a few.
There were several 4-H banquets held in June. Big Cypress hosted theirs at Sonny’s BBQ in Clewiston, Fla. where Nathan Billie received his four year pin.
“ 4-H teaches us responsibility,” said Billie. “We have to take care of our animals. We have to wash them and walk them and feed them.”
He said his steer weighed 600 pounds when he bought his steer from Mae Jumper. At the livestock show eight months later it weighed in at 1,200 pounds. He said his secret to success was to feed his steer three times a day using Best Feed Ringmaster.
Graduating Brighton senior, Trina Bowers said that kids “will definitely stay out of trouble” and learn to be responsible if they are involved in 4-H. She joined when she was eight-years-old and her first project was raising a swine, but since then she has raised steers. It is a big responsibility to take care of an animal and steer can be more difficult to raise than swine, according to Bowers.
“ You don’t have to put a halter on a swine,” she said. “We had one steer and we tried to tame him. He pinned mom into a corner and tried to hurt her and almost broke her arm. We couldn’t break him. I had a couple of steers like that.”
Bowers’ strength was in the showmanship class, where she won top honors twice in the junior class, and three times in the senior class. She will now be attending the Heritage Institute in Ft. Myers, Fla. beginning August 9. She plans to study massage therapy.
“ I have my heart set on going to school, graduating and then working at the spa at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel,” Bowers said.
Big Cypress’s Victoria Hernandez, winner of the Merit Award for the Reserve Grand Champion, graduated from Ahfachkee High School this year. She has been a 4-H member for 11 years. This year she started working with her Brangus steer from Jonah Cypress’ herd in August when it weighed 690 pounds. It gained 663 pounds under her care.
Hernandez encourages other young people to join 4-H.
“ They’re missing out on the fun, the learning experiences, meeting other people from different communities, meeting the judges and the buyers,” she said.
She said that 4-H “made me a better person.”
“ It makes you able to talk to more people,” Hernandez continued. “And not to be afraid to do what you want to do.”
The 4-H program has come a long way. The Chicken Project mentioned above was not an official 4-H program, but a pre-cursor of 4-H organized by FIRST NAME Bohmer, who taught the Brighton Indian School years ago. At that time Rosie Billie, Howard Micco and Wonder Johns were children at the school.
In 1956, Seminole students who wished to be 4-H members had to join the Glades County 4-H under the supervision of the Glades County Extension Agent, Maeola Fulton.
Throughout the state of Florida, each county has a University of Florida extension agent responsible for 4-H chapters. However, in 1998 the Seminole Tribe was able to achieve a status of its own and is now recognized as the Seminole Tribe of Florida County.
“ We are very proud of achieving that designation,” said Polly Hayes, who has been the 4-H coordinator for the Seminole Tribe for the past eight years.
When Hayes came on board there were only 33 youths in 4-H. This past year there were 110.
Hayes was also a 4-H member who attended the 4-H summer camp when she was 15-years-old. In the photo of kids at Camp Cloverleaf (see photo), Hayes has been able to identify a few of the tribe members but she is hoping that others who read this story can help her identify everyone in the photo. And, by the way, 4-H youth still continue to go to Camp Cloverleaf each summer.
Parents are often the best volunteers in 4-H and there are many who deserve recognition. At the Brighton 4-H banquet, Hayes introduced two parent leaders who were once members of 4-H themselves.
“ Without the help of our project leaders, its hard to keep going,” she said. “I want to recognize parents like Betty Billie for her help. She received her first year pin, as well as Emma Urbina.”
Urbina did a wonderful job as the banquet’s master of ceremonies of the banquet.
“ This is my first year as a volunteer”, said Urbina, “It was a learning experience. I see some kids need help. If you see something I did wrong, come help me. It was my first year and it was rough sometimes but they asked me to do it again and I said I would.”
There are so many people who support the 4-H program and devote their time in so many ways that the tributes could go on and on. However, special mention must go to the advisory committee made up of Chris Marrero and Norita Yzaguirre of Immokalee; Candy Mancil and Linda Tommie of Big Cypress, Steve Young and Robin Osceola of Hollywood, and Dionne Smedley, Selena Billie and Betty Billie and Emma Urbina of Brighton.
Additional congratulations go out to graduating seniors Trina Bowers, Kari Kroplin and Victoria Hernandez. The Seminole Indian 4-H Club would also like to give recognition to the following youngsters who have shown outstanding dedication to their role as a club member and/or officer: Shayanna Osceola and Shelby Osceola from Hollywood, Adam Osceola, Trina Bowers and Kari Kroeplin from Brighton, Mark Arriaga and Lazara Marrero from Immokalee, and Keifer Jumper from Big Cypress.
Here are the results from the EVENT:
Swines (Judge Robert Damaree)
First class: Michael Shaffer (Immokalee), 182 pounds; Justin Garza (Immokalee), 184; Rosalinda Lopez, (Immokalee), 184; Jordan Rodriguez (Immokalee), 185; Nuathkee Henry (Big Cypress), 186; Keagan Cypress (B.C.), 190.
Second Class: Esmerelda Billie (Immokalee), 193; Nikki Davis (Immokalee), 193; Immokalee club hog, 194; Rosa Urbina (Brighton), 198; Ravenne Osceola (Brighton), 199; Cassandra Jimmie (Immokalee), 201.
Third Class: Adrienne Cypress (B.C.), 210; Robert Parker (Brighton), 212; Marissa Sanchez (Immokalee), 212; Nina Frias (Immokalee), 213; Alexis Martin (Immokalee), 215; Tylor Tigertail (B.C.), 217; Lorena Puente (Immokalee), 217.
Fourth Class: Steele Gopher (Brighton), 218; Deidra Hall (Immokalee), 218; Nathan Gopher (Brighton), 219; Hali Garcia (Immokalee), 220; Ragon Osceola (B.C.), 225; Cody Motlow (Immokalee), 226; Brianna Nunez (Brighton), 227.
Fifth Class: Kandice Victory (B.C.), 230; Kerwin Miller (Brighton), 230; Destiny Nunez (Brighton), 231; Frankie Marrero (Immokalee), 232; Christopher Briscall (Immokalee), 232; Andre Jumper (B.C.), 232.
Sixth Class: Catlin Tommie (B.C.), 232; J.T. Smith (Brighton), 233; Ethan Gopher (Brighton), 235; Mallorie Sanchez (Immokalee), 232; Andre Jumper (Immokalee), 239.
Seventh Class: Clint Bowers (Brighton), 241; Terrance Billie (Brighton), 246; Chebon Gooden (B.C.), 246; Shyanna Osceola (Hollywood), 247; Ethan Billie (Immokalee), 258.
Eighth Class: Stevie Brantley (Brighton), 261; Devin Billie (Immokalee), 263; Joey Simone (B.C.), 265; Chad Motlow (Immokalee), 265; Brandon Billie (Brighton), 266; Hillard Gopher (Brighton), 273.
Ninth Class: Lois Billie (Brighton), 278; Kiylier Baker (Brighton), 279; Joel Arreguin (Immokalee), 279; Kendra Frank (Immokalee), 293; Clsrissa Garza (Immokalee), 294; Ashton Baxley (Brighton), 324.
Steers (Judge Dallas Townsend)
First Class: B.C. steer club, 907; Immokalee steer club, 913; Jewel Buck (Immokalee), 974; Tommy Benson (Immokalee), 983; Seth Randolph (Brighton), 1024; Shelby Osceola (Hollywood), 1028; Adam Osceola (Brighton), 1035; Allison Garza (Immokalee), 1035.
Second Class: Lazara Marrero (Immokalee), 1043; Nathan Billie (B.C.), 1044; Miranda Osceola (B.C.), 1062; Kim Victory (B.C.), 1070; Christian Benson (Immokalee), 1082; Justin Osceola (Brighton), 1091.
Third Class: Jaryaca Baker (Brighton), 1139; Leanna Billie (Brighton), 1150; Morgan Frank (Immokalee), 1156; Tracy Victory (B.C.), 1165; Jodi Simone (B.C.), 1178; Trina Bowers (Brighton), 1179; Kari Kroeplin (Brighton), 1193.
Fourth Class: Ayze Henry (B.C.) 1205; Jessica Lopez (Immokalee), 1231; Keifer Jumper (B.C.), 1259; Victoria Hernandez (B.C.), 1253.
Pee-Wee Show
Ducks: Hanni Jumper (B.C.); Rabbits: Rodney Mercer (B.C.); Beef Calves: Chief Billie (B.C.), Courtney Gore (Brighton); Shawn Osceola (Brighton); Chelsea Williams (B.C.); Chickens: Beyvins Jumper(B.C.); Goats: Chelsea Williams (B.C.).
Seminole Indian 4-H Club Officers
Brighton Swine Club: President Steel Gopher, Vice President Kerwin Miller, Secretary Bo Parker, Treasure Lois Billie.
Brighton Steer Club: President Trina Bowers, Vice President Adam Osceola, Secretary Kari Kroeplin, Treasure Leanna Billie.
Big Cypress: President Victoria Hernandez, Vice President Nathon Billie, Secretary-Treasure Ayze Henry.
Immokalee: President Josie Davis, Vice President Johnathon Rodriguez, Secretary Joseph Rodriguez, Treasure Bonnie Davis, Sergeant of Arms Frankie Marrero and Jordan Rodriguez, Reporters Devin Billie and Mallori Sanchez.
Record Book Recognition
Junior Winners: 1. Lois Billie, 2. Candace Cade; 3. Tracy Victory.
Senior Winners: 1. Kimberly Victory; 2. Leanna Billie; 3. Steele Gopher.
Steer Project Merit Awards
Grand champion steer: Jessica Lopez; Reserve grand champion steer: Victoria Hernandez; Showmanship: Jaryaca Baker.
Swine Project Merit Awards
Grand champion steer: Catlin Tommie; Reserve grand champion steer: Cody Motlow; Showmanship: Destiny Nunez.
Special Recognition to Cattle Owners
Grand champion steer: Mike Smith (B.C.); Reserve grand champion steer: Jonah Cypress (B.C.).
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