CayliJo Giard, Sophomore
CayliJo Giard's first trip to the Bonner County Fair was when she was an infant—just 3 days old.
Now a sophomore at Sandpoint High School (SHS), CayliJo is a proud member of Bonner County 4-H and participates in numerous activities, showing horses, dairy goats, swine and pet rabbits, as well as competing in Dutch Oven cooking.
"Participating in 4-H is exhilarating," CayliJo described. "There is nothing like waiting for the judge to come up to you to talk about your animal; no way to explain how your fingers start tingling when you're on deck to go into the ring."
CayliJo has been showing animals from the time she started walking and later became an official member of 4-H at the age of 9.
Some of CayliJo's past projects include pygmy goat, pack goat, sewing and leather craft, and she has gone to both state and national competitions for her horse project.
Moving up to high school was a big step for CayliJo last year, but she has been able to excel in the classroom with the help of her peers and teachers.
"Since being at SHS I have learned a lot about people, and I feel like I have learned a lot about myself, in how I interact and work," CayliJo said. "The people that have influenced me the most have been teachers."
Three teachers who have been especially impactful for CayliJo are Jake Stark, Steven Wimer and Malia Meschko.
"All of them have either been there for me on a bad day, taking time out of their day to make sure I was alright, or taught me something that I never would have learned in a regular class," CayliJo recalled. "All three of those teachers have shown belief in me and pushed me to be a great student."
CayliJo noted that she appreciates classes that teach real-world technical skills like welding and 3D design.
Currently, CayliJo's potential future plans include going to college to become either a large animal veterinarian or an electrician, although she is still undecided.
Aside from school and 4-H, CayliJo enjoys hobbies like snowboarding, hunting, fishing, camping, reading and baking. She also appreciates the beauty of Bonner County, the proximity to the mountains and the numerous 4-H opportunities she is afforded by living here.
Ultimately, competing at the county fair and showing animals is a big part of who CayliJo is, and she is thankful for the many memories she has made there over the years.
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