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She has been active in the organization since age 10, after all — the first year the county found a home for 4-H at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds in 1961.

“That was exciting. I had foods, clothing and swine,” she said of the small apron, cookies and animals she entered. “I remember the swine barn was the only barn out there at the time, and we showed in a tent.”

Formerly Susie Fountain, Cessna said growing up on a farm with two brothers made joining 4-H seem natural. Her older brother John participated in his first fair at Emerson School in Mitchell in 1960, and she followed suit the next year. Her younger brother Jerry later joined and the three of them completed the experience as 10-year members.

“Back then you had a boys club and a girls club for 4-H,” said Cessna, 60, a graduate of Shawswick High School. “Our home (economics) teacher, Mary Plake, was in charge of the Shawswick girls 4-H club. If you wanted to take a boy project you had to join the Shawswick boys 4-H club led by John Stipp, who was the Ag teacher at that time.”

In the early days of the 4-H fair, boys’ projects dealt with animals; girls’ projects concentrated on clothing and cooking.

“I think those positions could have been paid partially through the federal government,” Cessna said. “But as that funding phased out, it became more of a volunteer thing, and girls got more involved in everything. Clubs combined and blended.”

Cessna also showed poultry and enjoyed competing against her brothers, but remembers the Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation’s poster contest being one of her favorite events.

“Back then they gave jackets for grand champions for Soil and Water Conservation, and I think I have four. That was really one of my fun projects.”

When it came to showing chickens, Cessna added, “My brothers would always get first choice of all the animals and I’d get last choice. Then I’d win and they’d say ‘it’s because you’re a girl that you won.’ It was fun to compete with the brothers.”

She did spend a few years away from the 4-H scene, including a move far north.

“I took a break after college and got married,” she said. “We were gone about 13 years when we moved to Alaska. We would go to the state fair up there. It was more like a county fair here. They didn’t have 4-H to the extent we had it. I didn’t participate in anything, but when we came back (in 1988) our daughter was about the age to start 4-H, and so we got her involved.”

The Cessna’s daughter, Heather Stigall, also became a 10-year member and looks forward enrolling her daughter, Heather Haley, into 4-H when she is old enough.

“It was a great experience. I wouldn’t change anything,” Stigall said of her mother’s encouragement to join 4-H. “She was a very big influence on what I did and how I got the job done ... and once I got started I didn’t want to quit.

“I have a 3 year-old and my plan for her is to be involved as much I was and as much as my mom and dad were.”

Now Cessna manages meetings and oversees 4-H enrollment and programs in her second year as council president. She presides over a 15-person board that meets each month at the Lawrence County Extension office and also has served as council treasurer and secretary for several years.

She also leads the Mitchell 4-H Club — one of the largest in the county with more than 30 members.

“I think she’s done a wonderful job. She’s been a leader in Mitchell for years,” said county 4-H coordinator, Pat McKnight. “She’s great to work with and does a super job with the 4-H council. She has a huge club in Mitchell and has to be a great leader for that many kids to be involved. She’s very dedicated.”

Cessna estimates averaging 20 hours a month working on 4-H club and council projects, noting that picks up through the summer at fair time and as 4-H’ers prepare for state competitions in August.

“Susie is a very active and amazing volunteer,” said Lawrence County 4-H youth educator Megan Hawk, who is in her third year in the position. “She definitely is a big asset to me in the 4-H program and has been a mentor helping me learn the program over the years.”

“I got to be acquainted with Susie when my daughter Betsy joined 4-H 10 years ago because she was one of the leaders, and now is the only leader, for the Mitchell 4-H club,” said Nancy Mundy, a junior leader volunteer for four years.

“She has been so helpful and has given so much encouragement to Betsy through the years. Three years ago I became the buyer for the Junior Leader food stand, (and) Susie is always there to answer (our) questions and (give) encouragement.”

Changes to curriculum and advances in technology have been the most notable changes Cessna has seen over the years.

“They go more to workbooks and in-depth reading,” she said. “Now you have to interview people and do research on the Internet. We didn’t have those possibilities. But the curriculum has changed to keep up with the times. We have more technology and we have added projects like recycling that have a little more significance now than they had back then.”

Three years ago, Cessna received an engraved, gold letter opener from the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service Director Charles Hibbert during the Indiana State Fair for her 20 years of volunteer service. She also has traveled to Washington, D.C., each of the last four years as a citizen advocate and president of Purdue University’s branch of the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (PCARET).

Beyond 4-H, Cessna teaches visually handicapped children for South Central Special Ed in Paoli. She has a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University in speech and language pathology and a masters degree from Indiana University in education, and has been teaching in Paoli since 1988.

And she plans to remain active in 4-H indefinitely.

“It’s just wonderful that 4-H has touched people in a positive way. I’ll continue as long as I can,” Cessna said. “Once it gets in your blood, and you see the kids grow up and progress, it’s amazing. ... It is probably the greatest satisfaction anybody can get.”