Caroline Garrell, center, is a Haslam Leadership Scholar and Peyton Manning Scholar.
There was never a question of whether Caroline Garrell would be in 4-H. As her mother and three sisters before her, the Lincoln County native and sixth-generation farmer began her 4-H career as soon as she could.
“Even before I joined 4-H and had my own projects, 4-H was always a part of my life,” she says. “I was always taken everywhere my sisters went, doing activities for their portfolios; whether that was watching them lead an afterschool class, doing service projects or speaking at local meetings. I would sit in on their livestock judging practices and even memorize my sisters’ speeches just by hearing them so much.”
Cloverbud to Champion
Throughout her 4-H career, Garrell excelled in every area she pursued and won several project areas, including Level I and II Leadership, Level I Beef, Level I Citizenship and Level I Veterinary Science, plus the state public speaking title her senior year.
“When I won my first silver bowl for Leadership Level I, I got to put my silver bowl on the mantle at home right next to my sisters’ awards, and I felt like I was finally taking my place in the family,” Garrell says. “That sounds silly or like we put too much emphasis on winning, but the truth is, my family emphasizes the knowledge and skills we’ve gained, the friends we’ve made and the places we’ve traveled.”
Caroline Garrell with two of her older sisters and mom.
Outside of her active leadership and citizenship projects, Garrell owns more than 30 purebred Hereford, Black Hereford and Simmental cattle, which she manages, breeds and sells the calves each year.
Garrell took this work ethic with her throughout her entire 4-H career and into her pursuit of starting college. Currently, she is in the throes of her freshman year at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK), majoring in Natural Resources and Environmental Economics, with the intent of going to law school. She hopes her agricultural passion, experience and knowledge will pair well with this degree to make her a helpful resource for farmers.
“4-H has been instrumental in preparing me for that career,” she says. “Through portfolio contests, speeches and interview competitions, 4-H has shaped me into a young professional who is prepared to face challenges head-on and succeed in the career I am pursuing.”
How Scholarly
Her hard work truly paid off as her senior year came to a close, and she was encouraged to apply for the Haslam Leadership Scholar (HLS) award, a prestigious honor that only 15 students earn each year. Out of more than 6,000 applicants, Garrell was selected as a finalist and invited to the Haslam Leadership Scholars Selection Weekend. She felt prepared for the stressful days ahead because of her time in 4-H.
“Over the weekend, we would have three interviews, consisting of a large group interview, small group interview and an individual interview, not to mention mingling with deans, department heads and Honors College staff. The event finished with a formal dinner with the Haslam family,” Garrell says. “It is because of 4-H that I could present myself with poise and confidence in every part of Selection Weekend.”
After a grueling process, Garrell was named a Haslam Scholar and later a Peyton Manning Scholar.
Caroline Garrell’s family came to support her at a scholarship reception.
“I could not be more grateful. Being selected as both a Haslam Leadership Scholar and a Peyton Manning Scholar is incredibly humbling, deeply inspiring and truly a dream come true,” she says. “When former 4-H’er, Alex Crockett, won the Peyton Manning Scholarship in 2014, it left a lasting impression on me and motivated me to strive for greater growth in both leadership and citizenship. Then, when former 4-H’er, Cade Simmons, was awarded the scholarship last year, it reaffirmed my belief that 4-H has the power to shape the lives of its members in remarkable ways.”
See more: Tennessee 4-H Alumnus Named Peyton Manning Scholar
According to the program, students earn an 18-credit minor through an “intimate, four-year cohort-based enrichment program that honors the Haslam family’s legacy of developing community-minded and intellectually gifted young leaders.” Each year, a select group of the HLS cohorts is selected to be Peyton Manning Scholars, based on the merits of achievement, leadership and community service.
Because of this scholarship, Garrell receives a full ride for her entire tuition as well as a spot in a mini-term education abroad program and a local internship. Garrell consistently credits 4-H as the reason she has been so successful beginning her college career.
“4-H was my home and my proving ground; it shaped me into someone stronger and more determined than I ever could have imagined,” Garrell says. “Saying goodbye to my 4-H career is heartbreaking. But the truth is, 4-H will never really leave me, and I will never leave it. Its lessons, memories and people will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
