Skip to main content

The Faces of Iowa 4-H: Holly Bignall


Name: Holly Bignall

Current Position: 4-H Program

E-SET Coordinator

Birthplace: El Paso, Texas

Other Locations: Illinois, Germany from age seven to eleven, and Iowa

Education: Undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa. Master’s in Women’s Studies, Philosophy, and Religious Studies from Iowa State University.

Past Work Experiences:

University of Northern Iowa - Cedar Falls, Iowa as a water quality project research assistant

Fort Dodge Animal - Fort Dodge, Iowa as a lab technician

The Imaginarium (hands on science museum) - Waterloo, Iowa as a science education director.

Hobbies/Interests: Being a mom, reading, biking and dancing.

Ultimate Goal in 4-H: Have a positive impact on kids by providing them opportunities to discover the fun and excitement of science, engineering, and technology. Help them become well-rounded citizens of this country, their communities, and their families because of the growth they experienced in 4-H.


I had the opportunity to interview Holly and I was extremely impressed by the way she spoke about her career and the 4-H program. What really left an impression on me was how fascinated she is with her job and how much she respects the people she works with everyday. Holly told me, “I love the people I work with! I work with the best people, and I have the best job. Everybody here genuinely wants to serve the youth, and we all care about each other. Everyone wants to be here, and we all believe in what we are doing and what 4-H is about!”


Like me, Holly was not a member of 4-H growing up and didn’t really know anything about it. She has now been working with 4-H for two and a half years. She helps run the E-SET program which stands for Extension Science, Engineering, and Technology. E-SET provides support to people doing science, engineering, and technology with youth. The goal is for the kids to have positive experiences so that they are excited to learn about and possibly go into science, engineering, and technology fields.


I asked Holly what she liked best about her job and she said, “I like that everything is different. I always have new projects and while it is hard it is exciting to pull it off in the end. It is so rewarding and I love having a part in that!”


What does 4-H Mean to Holly?

It means positive youth development and helping kids become healthier adults!


Holly and Antarctica Climate Secrets


Erika Pletcher

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome!

Welcome to the beginning of the Iowa 4-H Foundation Blog. In hopes to connect former 4-Hers, the Iowa 4-H Foundation is excited to hear stories, how 4-H has impacted your life, and just things you want the Iowa 4-H Program to know. Discussions will be posted every so often, and feel free to bring up any topic or memory you have of 4-H. Keep in mind future contests which may include videos, pictures, and personal 4-H stories. Check out the following other ways you can connect with 4-H online: Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/ ): Search Iowa 4-H Foundation and be apart of our group as well as our fan page! We will keep events updated here as well as current 4-H news. http://www.iowa4hfoundation.org/ is our website and a great way to donate to the program and find out what is currently going on with 4-H. Visit this address ( http://www.extension.iastate.edu/mt/fordtruck/ ) to see the details of last summers 4-H Truck Raffle. Pictures, videos and blog posts can all be found.
Post a Comment
Read more

4-H News

Calling all Iowa 4-H Alumni: Alumni 4-Her’s Got Talent! A Share-the-Fun competition for all past 4-H’ers! Former Iowa 4-Her’s are invited to participate in the 2nd Annual Alumni Share-the-Fun competition, Alumni 4-H’ers Got Talent! On the evening of Thursday, August 13th, 2009, former 4-H’ers from across the state will perform a variety of acts on the Main Stage of the 4-H Exhibit Building at the Iowa State Fair. We’re looking for talent in all ages, shapes, and forms, to apply today! As long as one member is a former 4-Her, anything goes! A committee will review the applications, due July 20th, 2009 and select a variety of performers. To apply go to: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4H/StateFair/Documents/2009AlumniTalentShow.pdf 2009 4-H Research Studies Last month we announced the updates to the 4-H research. The national longitudinal study of the Positive Development of Youth called Waves of the Future is now available online. Find out how 4-H is making a difference across the nati...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Special Week - Just for Volunteers!

As the 2010 National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, comes to a close, it is nice to look back to see how counties have recognized those that put their time and effort into helping Iowa’s youth. These volunteers give to 4-H all year long, and it is great to have a week dedicated to their hard work. Here are a few counties that have made the extra effort to show their volunteer appreciation: With a “driving” theme, Muscatine County handed out cards at a recent leader’s training. “Thank you for Driving Muscatine County 4-H Youth to a Successful Future!” was written on the front, with 4-H member’s individual impact statements on the inside. The county also included a $5 gas card to fit the theme. Some quotes found in the card were: “My 4-H leader helps me to work towards my goals, learn how to write presentations/other communication, and to learn how to contribute to my community.” “Our leaders make meetings fun and educational.” “[Leaders] have shown me to grow as an individual an...
8 comments
Read more