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Ohio 4-H Youth Development

Ohio State University Extension

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Faces of Ohio 4-H — Ren Hopkins

Ren Hopkins

Each month, we highlight an Ohio 4-H alum who has an amazing story to share—from their personal experience in 4-H, to how they have given back to the program. This month, we feature Ren Hopkins, a proud alumna of Vinton County 4-H who recently joined the Ohio 4-H team as the Ohio 4-H Foundation associate.

4-H has always played a significant role in Hopkins’ life. As a child she spent summers at the Vinton County Fair watching livestock shows with her family, and as soon as she was old Hopkins watching a livestock show with her grandparents.enough to join 4-H as a project member, she joined the Jolly Farmhands 4-H Club where she completed livestock projects of her own.

Over the years she focused on sheep and cattle projects, but she also brought market hogs and rabbits to the county fair and completed a variety of special interest projects ranging from cats and photography to creative writing.Hopkins smiling for a photo with her sheep, Luna, during her last year in 4-H.

As a youth exhibitor, Hopkins dealt with anxiety in the show ring, which meant she struggled as a showman for many years. “I had no issues working with my animals at home, but the moment I got in front of the judge, I would find myself anxious and that nervous energy was easy for my family to see from the audience.” It took her years to overcome these feelings, but with the help of her family and 4-H advisors, she was finally able to relax in the ring and win senior showmanship with her lamb during her final year as a 4-H’er.

Throughout her tenure in 4-H, Hopkins volunteered as a camp counselor and served as a Junior Fair Board leader, but one of her most memorable 4-H Hopkins posing for a photo as the 2013 Vinton County Jr. Fair Queen.experiences was serving as the Vinton County Jr. Fair Queen in 2013. “I loved traveling with my court to various fairs and festivals where we had the chance to promote the Vinton County Jr. Fair and 4-H. We had a blast at every parade, festival, and fair, and representing Vinton County 4-H and our fair was truly an honor,” she said.

4-H also brought Hopkins closer to her family, particularly her cousins Ashley and Ryleigh. “They are like sisters to me, and we grew up together in 4-H,” said Hopkins. “Some of my best memories from childhood include exploring the fairgrounds with them, listening to the radio while washing calves inHopkins with her cousin, Ryleigh, during a beef show at the Vinton County Fair. the mornings, and enjoying the annual Jolly Farmhands club cookout meeting together.”

Since aging out of the 4-H program, Hopkins has had wide-ranging career path, with many of her choices being influenced by her 4-H experiences. After graduating college, she worked at Walt Disney World as a character attendant and later, thanks to a love for animals she developed through 4-H, went on to serve as a seasonal keeper for the Columbus and Cincinnati zoos.

She believes neither of these careers would have been possible without the confidence and public speaking skills she gained through 4-H. “4-H taught me a wide range of skills, from leadership and time management to preparation and organization,” said Hopkins. “My time asHopkins and Nia the cheetah at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. a camp counselor taught me how to communicate with younger audiences and the experience of training livestock also helped me transition to working with a wide range of exotic species at zoos.”

In September of 2024 Hopkins brought her 4-H experience full circle as she joined the Ohio 4-H Foundation team as the Foundation associate.

“Working with the 4-H Foundation has given me the incredible opportunity to give back to the 4-H program that had such a positive impact on my childhood. While I loved my careers at the zoo and Disney, joining the 4-H Foundation and The Ohio State University is truly a dream come true,” said Hopkins. “I’ll continue to volunteer and work toward conservation whenever I can to stay connected to my animal experience, but the opportunities that the university offers—and the chance to support and inspire other youth in Ohio—are invaluable.”