Era — When he was 9 years old and in the third grade, recent Era High School graduate Stephen Wallace began a venture that would take him through the next 10 years — Cooke County 4-H.

Now, with a wall covered with ribbons and awards, he has a life grounded in confidence and achievement.

Wallace is eager to share his experiences and life skills cultivated through his 4-H journey with others. He has worked long and hard to learn from and complete his many projects with the program and said the results of his goals and hard work have been worth it.

One of Wallace’s passions in 4-H has been passenger safety.

His “Buckle Bear” Program is an education program he created for young children for the use of safety belts. He also made the bear character which visited many Cooke County schools, preschools and daycare centers and was a major accomplishment. He was awarded first place in the state for his project.

“Buckle Bear” is one of many projects and experiences that helped prepare him for a dream he’s had since he was 9 years old — to serve on the Texas 4-H Council. Because of his background and training experience he was appointed as the Health and Safety Officer on the council for the 2009-10 year.

Wallace said the opportunity to serve as Health and Safety Officer for all of the 600,000 youth in Texas 4-H has broadened his leadership and communication skills and brought many opportunities for him.

During the last year, he has helped to plan and create many events and made decisions with fellow council members, such as the Texas 4-H Roundup and the Texas 4-H Congress. Through these events he met with First Lady Laura Bush and many leaders in the country, which he said really thrilled him. He also received the coveted green jacket for his service on the council.

Community service has been a huge part of Wallace’s history with 4-H and he has had many important and life-changing experiences in the process.

He and fellow 4-H members have participated in the Medal of Honor Week events when the Medal of Honor recipients come to Gainesville each year.

“In April, Cooke County 4-H had the honor of being in the agenda for the Medal of Honor recipients,” Wallace said. “We planned a ‘USO’ show for them to sit back, relax and enjoy some entertainment during the week...I served as Bob Hope and the emcee for the night...The night was a huge success and all the Medal of Honor recipients were very pleased and loved the show and hospitality.”

His Cooke County 4-H group has also had the opportunity to serve the community through working with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) on two annual events.

“One benefit is a formal dinner held in mid-November and is called ‘Justice is Served,’” he noted. “Cooke County 4-H was responsible for plating food and desserts for the evening as well as cleaning up plates from the tables. The second benefit is held in the summer in the month of June and is called ‘Cowboys for CASA’...Both benefits are held for a great organization and are both instrumental in raising funds for children who have been removed from abusive homes and are in foster care,” he said.

Another 4-H project that has had a huge impact on Wallace came from a citizenship project.

“Three summers ago I attended the Citizen Washington Focus, which is a week long youth leadership conference held, in our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. Going on this trip helped me become a better citizen and a better leader,” he noted. “It also opened my eyes to what happens in our daily lives and how our nation is run. I especially learned a lot of how our nation’s founding fathers lead our country so that we could be free and live without fear in the nation that we live in today.”

Some of his projects have centered around his culinary interest.

“I have always liked to participate and broaden my culinary skills and culinary interests in the kitchen,” he said. “Some of my most memorable times have been spent in my grandma’s kitchen. My mom, grandma and great-grandma are all great cooks and hands-on teachers and I have always wanted to be just like them.”

Other projects include “Healthy Lifestyles,” which he said has been his favorite program. He also made a five-peice tuxedo and has been involved with livestock and has raised, worked with and shown heifers, goats and lambs.

He encourages others toward being involved in Cooke County 4-H.

“I was the kid in the back of the room in the corner. I didn’t want to come out. I was shy,” he said of his days before 4-H. “But, one of my greatest mentors, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent Phyllis Griffin, she was kind of the one who helped me get to where I am today. She said, ‘You can do this’ and she stood behind me, just pushing me saying, ‘look into this, you might want to try this.’ Just through her encouragement, her saying, ‘I believe in you’ and just standing behind me and helping me get there I got one of my goals and one of my dreams and that was serving on the State Council this year.

“So, if I had to give advice to anybody, this is a great organization. It can help you be a better leader, a better speaker but in all, a better person,” he added. “Through community service you feel good about yourself by helping others. It’s often the little things you do for people that can help you be a better person. Seeing the look on people’s faces and how happy they are to see that we’re there to help. It helps make your heart better.”

Wallace said Cooke County 4-H has helped him decide his future career choice: law enforcement. Through his projects and community experience, he has been able to meet people and see many entities and organization and to get a look at what is available to him.

His future is looking bright as he begins a new chapter in life with college and he received several scholarships.

His next move is to attend North Central Texas College where he will earn his associate degree. Then it is on to Tarleton State University in Stephenville to earn his master’s degree in criminal justice. He then plans to join the U.S. Marshall Service.

This week, Wallace returned from Lubbock where he attended the Texas 4-H Council meeting and leadership training. He worked with incoming officers and also saw the new officers installed.

He said that while he will miss the 4-H, because they all become so close as a family as they work together through the years and are such a huge support system.

While one story cannot tell the whole of Wallace’s 10-year journey through 4-H, he was excited to share his experiences and the huge impact 4-H has had on his life and can have on the lives of youth involved in the program.

“I feel that 4-H has given me the answers and the help to keep my life successful and the best it can be,” Wallace noted. “The things you learn in 4-H really help to build yourself.”