My 4H Shooting Sports Story and Photo Portfolio. My name is Justin Fitzsimmons. I am 17 years old and participate in 4H events

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1 My 4H Shooting Sports Story and Photo Portfolio My name is Justin Fitzsimmons. I am 17 years old and participate in 4H events as a Senior 2. It is hard to believe that I have been shooting for eight years. I attend Richard King High School in Corpus Christi and will be a Senior in the fall. My shooting year began in February. In Texas, the weather is never predictable. In years past it has been below freezing and rain, but this year the temperatures were above normal in both San Antonio and Houston. However, in May, I shot whiz bang in a driving rain at the Victoria County 4H shoot. This has been the biggest challenge even more so than the freezing weather I shot in 2014, because I couldn t see the targets with the rain hitting my glasses! The San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo Shoot Out was my first competition where I shot an 81/100 in Trap. The following weekend I shot Sporting Clays at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Young Guns Shoot. This was my third year shooting where I shot my personal best of 76/100, and was able to shoot 10 of 10 on two stations! This shooting complex has four courses and I have yet to shoot the same course so it

2 is hard to compare scores based on the courses but I look forward to next year with my goal of shooting 90 or better. I enjoy the Sporting Clays game and at the end of the day, I was happy with my scores and proud of myself. This shoot has been a great experience and I look forward to competing in it next year with the goal of winning a scholarship and prizes for my college education. With each practice and competition, I have improved my shooting scores because I want to win. Each year I work on something new to help me shoot better. Slowing down and focusing more on the targets and hold points has improved my aim. I love my Beretta 12-gauge over/under and how well I perform with it. I have become more proficient in skeet shooting having done very well boosting my confidence in my skill. Last year I placed 3rd in skeet at the Guadalupe County 4H Shoot and was very proud! This year I placed 3rd in skeet at the Victoria County 4H Shoot with a 49/50 score. My first round was a perfect 25!

3 I have mastered cleaning the automatic shotguns, taking them apart piece by piece, thoroughly cleaning and putting back together. There are many pieces to an automatic shotgun and the cleaner it is on the inside the more proficient it shoots. I have held a gun cleaning workshop for the past three years. This year we had a lot of new shooters who joined our club and who are using the club shotguns. I taught more than ten 4Hers and parent s how to take apart and put together a gun. I really enjoy teaching the shooters how to take each piece apart, cleaning it, and then putting it back together. My coaches also asked me to help assist with teaching the new 4Her s on gun safety and how to shoot. Some of these 4Hers have never shot trap or skeet so it was rewarding to be able to show them the things that I ve learned in my eight years shooting experience. My biggest recognition has not been winning a competition but to be selected by my club coaches and managers as the 4Her of the Year for our club. This achievement has been the best reward I could ever earn. I earned this award not because I shot the

4 most targets but because my leaders felt I exhibited the 4H Motto and Pledge that 4H represents. I am very proud of being the first in the Trap and Skeet club to be selected for this award! I was asked by the Nueces County 4H extension agent to share with others the shooting sport program at the Nueces County 4H Fun Day. I set up my display demonstrating how to hold a gun safely and also the shells and clay targets we shoot. I was one of five stations at the Fun Day where I spoke and answered questions for fellow 4Her s, adults, and those kids who are thinking about joining 4H. It was a great experience and I look forward to participating in the Fun Day again next year. I love being outside and another one of my projects is Wildlife and Fisheries. I have been hunting since I was six. I have shot bucks, spikes, and does with Doe Permits at my Grandpas ranch. Hunting is only a part of it as I have learned how to process a deer skinning and cleaning along with

5 deboning for processing in sausage. My uncle taught me over the years how to process a deer for maximum meat harvest. Along with hunting I like to fish. I took up a fishing project two years ago continuing to learn the sport. I have a subscription to Outdoor Life magazine and in it I read articles about fishing in different types of waters and what tackle is best to use. One of the most challenging experiences is to go out kayak fishing. Maintaining balance is the challenge and on my first encounter I was successful. However, on another outing while I was fishing a boat wake rocked the kayak and tipped me. Unfortunately, I lost my rod and reel to the lake but learned what not to do next time! I was able to go to a Fish Camp in Louisiana this past June where I caught the biggest Red Fish ever! I also caught Speckled Trout. It was a great time! I have lived and grown up in Corpus Christi but my Grandpa lives out in the country in DeWitt County. My mom and I go as often as possible because we both love the outdoors. I love to hunt and have been hunting since I was eight. My grandpa is a part of the Wildlife

6 Management Association and due to his herd count has doe permits allowing for doe management. Managing the deer herd for the DeWitt County Wildlife Management has become a learning experience. I want to shoot the big buck but I ve learned that if there is a spike, he goes first. Last season I had an opportunity to shoot a big buck. I am very proud of it having it mounted to hang with other bucks killed at my grandpas. I have learned to take shots that do not destroy large meaty areas of the deer so to protect as much meat as possible. I was very proud of my shot and my first big buck! One of my other projects is Food and Nutrition. I have entered the Nueces County Junior Livestock Stock Show with cakes, candy, cookies, and breads. I have won multiple Award of Merits as judges best. I also like to cook and grill. Grilling rib eye steaks is my most favorite to grill and knowing when to take it off to be medium rare takes practice! My mom grew up in DeWitt County and was an active 4Her. She hopes that I can experience the same fun plus develop lasting new friendships. My goal is to be a Go-Texan Scholarship recipient so that I can participate in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo like my mom did. My college goal is to go to Texas A&M. I want to study mechanical engineering but agriculture or a gun-smith

7 career are also areas I m interested in. I love wearing my club s pink 4H t-shirt and cap. The band went on a trip to Disney and I wore my cap with my club s logo the entire trip! I see my future in 4H as becoming a better leader and citizen as I say the 4H Motto and Pledge at my 4H meetings. Being a 4Her has enhanced my natural instinct to help and be a part of community groups. I volunteer in support of many events including school, church, and 4H club events. This summer I am working at Hermann Son s Youth Camp (HYSC) as a Junior Counselor. For the past two summers I was chosen to be a counselor-intraining 1 and 2. After my second summer with HSYC I had the opportunity to apply for a junior counselor position. I had to complete the application online, contact three references, and interview for the position. I was hired receiving my letter in March. This leadership experience has been very valuable putting me in a position to guide and teach younger campers. Community service is very important. When my uncle asked if I would help with a Boy Scout Troop I gladly volunteered. The troop of 48 boys from Austin came to my grandpas in the country and spent the weekend. I helped cook, work with some of their projects, and participated in their closing ceremony. I had a great time meeting and making new friends.

8 This summer I also helped my grandpa build a step and install a handle for a 91 year old lady. This made me feel good helping someone who needed assistance so to be safer when she goes into her home. I am very proud of being in the band. The band has taught me self-discipline because I have to practice along with marching. I also volunteer and help the band parents. This year I was selected Band Member of the week. I appreciated being recognized for my hard work! am proud to say that I am a member of the German National Honor Society (GNHS). I am proud because my German class has taught me to appreciate my heritage. My Mom s maiden name is Waskow and my grandparents to the third generation came from Germany. I hope to be able to travel to Germany in the future to learn more about my German heritage. My GNHS group has gone to two middle schools to mentor eighth graders in German. We also went to the Ronald McDonald house taking food for the families and then played games with the kids. This was rewarding because these families are staying away from home and it is nice to be able show kindness.

9 As I said in my story, I want to be a Go-Texan Scholarship recipient and go to college because I have big dreams of what I want to do as an adult. My goals for include shooting at least two rounds of four straight 25 in Skeet at state as well as compete for top scores in Trap and Sporting Clays. Next year when competing at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Young Guns I plan on a 90/100 or better. I also look forward to again participating in the Nueces County 4H Fun day to demonstrate shooting sports to new 4Hers and those who may be interested in 4H. Family has taught me that working hard not only helps get you what you want but also makes you feel good about what you have done. I know where my mom got that idea because I see my Grandpa working just as hard. My mom knows that I love the outdoors shooting, hunting, fishing and my newest conquest bow hunting. With her support I will continue to participate in shooting sports in my 4H career.