Introduction

              Although 4-H is a large organization in Jefferson County, Indiana with many participants, many people overlook the fact that 4-H is also a community. 4-H consists of a large group of people who interact with each other and share knowledge about specific areas in 4-H. These specific areas in 4-H consist of people modeling their self-made clothing ,submitting various projects,  presenting agile dogs and participating in the cat show, horse show, and livestock shows. The livestock project in 4-H then breaks down into several other specific categories. A 4-H member can choose to show beef, swine, sheep, goats, and/or poultry. Each of these different areas in 4-H is a sub-community. As for these areas, communities are formed through participants or showers coming together in each area to compete for the Grand Champion that is given in each category. For those who do not win, they then learn from mistakes and try to make their future projects or animals better and more competitive. 

                As for who can join the community, anyone interested in 4-H is eligible to become a member. Once a person is a member there are certain things that become common knowledge to that person. For example, in order to participate, a person must join a 4-H club. There are many different clubs available to the members in Jefferson County. There is at least one 4-H club if not more in each town of Jefferson County.  Within the clubs, leaders will keep members updated on when projects are due, when animals must get their ears tagged prior to fair, and when paperwork and books are available at the 4-H extension office to be completed. In the beginning of each of these club meetings, the Pledge of Allegiance is said by all members and is followed by the 4-H Pledge. The meaning of the four Hs that make up the organization 4-H also becomes common knowledge to the member as well as the main colors of the organization: green and white. The four Hs stand for head, health, heart, and hands. As a person can see while reading this introduction as to what 4-H is and who can participate, the community as a whole has its own terminology and language that is used.

                As a tenure member in 4-H and in the sheep project, I am going to prove that the sheep project within the 4-H community is a community itself by analyzing the discourse that is shared only among the members of the sheep project.