MORRIS, Ill. – The 4-H program, Illinois’ largest youth development organization administered by University of Illinois Extension, prepares youth to be Beyond Ready for life by allowing young people to explore their interests, make mistakes, and learn in a safe and supportive environment. For Michael Galloway, a member of the Homes Cool Kids 4-H Club, showing rabbits helped him find his voice.
“I am autistic, and rabbit shows helped me learn to talk to people,” wrote Galloway in July during his first 4-H fair.
Now in sixth grade, Galloway, the son of Meagen and Mike Galloway of Morris, wants to inspire others by sharing his experiences.
“I am autistic:” Showing rabbits to overcome challenges
When first asked to share his experience, Galloway said "yes" because it might help, as his mom put it, “others who may have anxiety or autism gain the courage to try something new even if it is scary.”
“I would not speak or look at people in the face, I would look at the ground and whisper in my mom’s or dad’s ear to have them say what I wanted to say,” said Galloway. “I am autistic, so a lot of things are really uncomfortable for me, like some sounds, lights, or smells, and talking to people was one of those hard things.”
Galloway’s story started, as he tells it, four years ago. His mom started showing Californian rabbits – this sparked his interest, and he wanted to help:
“She told me she would register me for the youth show, but that she would not speak with the judge for me. I had to do that. I really wanted to show rabbits, so my mom gave me a few that were just mine and taught me how to pose them, and I started to show.”
This interest in rabbits helped spark Galloway to face the challenges he was experiencing head-on: “At first it was really hard, and I whispered a lot. But I really enjoyed caring for my rabbits, and the more I learned, the more excited I got about talking to people about them…I was excited to talk to the judge about my rabbit. Now, talking is not so hard.”
“I really like the friends I made:” 4-H connects youth with peers, helping them find their spark
In February, Galloway joined 4-H to explore more opportunities to make friends and learn more about agriculture and rabbits. What he found was a community of supportive peers who encourage and build each other up as they explore their own individual interests.
“I really like the friends I made [in 4-H],” said Galloway. “For example, I met a teenager at the 4-H fair who, when I was scared to stand up for the auction, told me she would make silly faces at me while I was up there to make me laugh and not be scared.”
“You just meet a lot of nice kids who don’t bully you in 4-H,” he said.
Within his first few months in 4-H, in addition to meeting new friends and trying new things, Galloway grew in his knowledge of rabbits. He learned about withdrawal periods, keeping good notes about each rabbit, how to breed rabbits for color variations, and more.
With more than 80 supported projects, 4-H empowers young people to explore their interests. For Galloway, that was rabbits. For others, it might be robotics or video games. In the future, Galloway wants to explore other projects, such as goats, sheep, nature, and woodworking. “I am excited to explore and learn new things,” he said.
“My mom won’t let me just give up:” 4-H is a family affair
Mentorship among peers is an important part of the 4-H program, but so are positive youth and adult partnerships that allow for mentorship and growth. Judges who are experts in their fields speak with youth about their projects, and volunteer 4-H leaders dedicate their time to help youth explore their interests.
For youth with supportive parents, this also means positive interactions with their children, as 4-H encourages families to be part of their child’s learning experience.
“My mom won't let me just give up if things get hard; she pushes me every day to do my best. She tells me it's okay to have a rough day, but a rough day doesn't mean giving up. My parents always do whatever it takes for me to be able to do things I enjoy. For example, I wanted to do shooting sports in 4-H, but there was not a coordinator trained. My dad went last weekend and took the first training course to become a leader, making it possible for us to do shooting sports now.”
“You are going to get through this:” Advice and the future
Things aren’t easy for Galloway, but his supportive network and newfound interests allow him to face challenges head-on: “A lot of things are hard for me; sometimes even being in the barns at the fair can be too loud or too many smells. But my parents help me when I need breaks to go somewhere calmer. My mom has a bag of fidgets and snacks for me when I need a distraction; that helps too. I think anyone can do anything if they have someone who loves them, helps them, and pushes them.”
When asked what advice he has for others with autism or anxiety, Galloway had this to say:
“It's OK, you’re going to get through this. I had some really bad days and even was in the hospital, but I have a lot of people who love me who help me through it. Find something you enjoy doing and use that to help when you feel anxious – like for me, I go to the barn and spend time with my animals. Even if you don’t feel like it, you have someone who loves you and wants to help you. Kids in 4-H will always help each other.”
To learn more about 4-H in your county, visit go.illinois.edu/About4HGKW.
Writer: Anthony Warmack, Communications & Marketing Coordinator.
Image credit: All images courtesy of Kayla Dunlavey Photography.
Media Access: The photos in this story can be downloaded for media use with appropriate credit. For press inquiries, contact Anthony Warmack, warmacka@illinois.edu, 217-244-5813. Want to keep in touch with news from Illinois Extension? Sign up for press updates.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.
About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.