Berny Unruh Biography

Berny Unruh has been the 4-H youth development agent in Barton county for 17 years. During her time in Barton, Unruh has seen countless children grow into capable young adults and gain knowledge to prepare them for the future. Her path has been an interesting one, but it has led to countless memories and great opportunities in her field. Throughout her childhood Unruh was an active member of the Munden 4-H club in Republic county. As she entered her teens, Unruh found a passion for teaching from an incompetent home economics teacher. She quickly found herself taking control and actually teaching her fellow peers how to sew. Despite graduating, she could never forget what it was like to teach someone a new skill. Unruh attended Kansas State University and majored in home …show more content…
Unruh claims that the main mission of the job is to “Manage the 4-H program and find volunteers. More volunteers equal more activities available.” The job involves promoting 4-H developing youth and ensuring that everything runs smoothly in the assigned county. Like anyone who stays in the same field of work for an extended time, Unruh has undergone many experiences and suffered through crippling lows. Whether it is a mom complaining about her child’s placing, or a dad making excuses for his kid’s absence; Unruh says that the worst part of her job comes when the parents do not make their children step up. In a perfect world, all 4-H members would be high-achieving leaders that finish their record book on time, but there are so many things you cannot control. While there are some low points, the highs of the job vastly outweigh the upsets. She states that “seeing little people who are unsure grow into a confident leader” is her favorite part of working for KSRE. Realizing that “not everyone is in this (4-H) to win a ribbon” meant that she understood the value that the program actually has when it comes to growing true