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Jeremy Withnell of Westminster is only 9 years old, but already he knows what he wants."My goal is to become Mr. 4-H someday," he said matter-of-factly, as if there were no doubt that one day he will beselected as Carroll County's top male 4-H'er.He has a good start toward earning the coveted title. Although this past year was only his first as a full-fledged 4-H'er, he plunged into so many projects that he had to keep a written list of things hewas doing.For instance, for this week's fair, Jeremy has 24 entries in seven divisions, and he is entered in the bike rodeo.

Monterey Jack just didn't want to play on the see-saw yesterday.The light brown and black llama balked and pulled every time the Finksburg Funnies 4-H club members tried to lead him over the board during a demonstration at the Carroll County 4-H/FFA Fair last night.But Bear Market was definitely ready to play. He readily went over the board, around the trail marked by plastic pipes and through the slalom course."This is their first time in public, and they're a little afraid," said the announcer.

Eight-year-old Jason Vanisko admitted he was a little sad about selling his 1,708-pound steer, Michael, at the 4-H livestock sale at the Howard County Fair. He had raised the animal for more than a year, bottle-feeding it when it was a calf. "I'm sad to let it go," he said. But he was happy to auction his lamb, a 122-pounder named George. "I'm not sad to sell my lamb," said the Ellicott City resident. "It's mean. It head-butts me, and it tries to get away." Jason's emotions about the animals didn't change anything.

WESTMINSTER -- Poised, smiling and articulate, Heather Hull of Westminster was chosen as the 1992 Carroll County Farm Queen Sunday evening.Miss Hull, 17, of the 1000 block of Sullivan Road, will be a senior at Westminster High School this fall.She won $250 and will represent county farmers during the next year as she speaks to community groups and attends the state fair."It's a great honor and privilege to represent the farmers of Carroll County. You guys are the hardest working business people I know," she said after being named farm queen.

IF YOU HAVE always believed that 4-H programs are related only to livestock and simple youth skills, read on, you'll find there is much more.Since 1914, when the 4-H began in Maryland, more than 38,000 young people have participated not only in livestock, food, nutrition and citizenship programs but also have learned money management, business skills, computers and, now, a program to inspire today's youth to become tomorrow's scientists.That program, 4-H Adventures in Science, began in 1990 with a goal of promoting scientific literacy and inspiring young scientists to prepare for careers as engineers, doctors and other math and science professions.

The West Friendship 4-H Club has come full circle in 50 years, from collecting tin cans for the war effort to collecting cans, bottles and jars to help save the environment.But the more things stay the same -- raising champion produce and livestock, canning preserves -- the more things change, hurtling what used to be a strictly rural entity into the Information Age."Probably over half of the members of the club have nothing to do with agriculture or livestock anymore," said David Nuenke, 13, a member since 1990 who lives near Glenelg.

Quiet, unassuming John Sies would rather have the young members of his 4-H Outdoor Fun Club take center stage than be there himself.But it has been primarily through his love of kids and the outdoors that the club has easily melded environmental education and fun."That is a club we are very proud of," said Robert M. Shirley, Carroll County Extension Agent in charge of 4-H programs. "They are addressing one of the real important issues for our country today." They are a bunch of young people and adult volunteers learning something about the environment and doing something about the situation in Carroll County and on a larger scale, said Mr. Shirley.

LE MARS, Iowa -- Kari A. Beitelspacher has been bringing home blue ribbons for years from 4-H club competitions at the state fair in Des Moines. But this year, even her well-received homemade salsa did not win first place.The 16-year-old was disappointed, but then so were thousands of other children who belong to 4-H, a rite of passage in rural America.In an experiment this year, 4-H gave 3,500 Iowa State Fair competitors the same multicolored ribbons recognizing participation, rather than awarding the traditional first-, second- and third-place ribbons.

It was a day for the good kids to shine. Some brought their container gardens, illustrations and crafts to the War Memorial in downtown Baltimore yesterday afternoon, while others performed in the plaza as part of the first 4-H Youth Expo. Walter Smith, 16, and Elihu Campbell, 12, put on their best shoes and did a tap-dancing routine inspired by their hero, Savion Glover. The urban location seemed an odd place for a 4-H event. The group is traditionally associated with farm kids showing prize beef on the hoof at county fairs.

Sarah Ballew's 4-H project is called Cookie Dough, but she isn't baking it.Cookie Dough is a llama.Sarah, 10, of Finksburg is training him to walk through an obstacle course, jump low barricades and tolerate a little whimsy, such as being dressed in a hat and costume for the entertainment part of the "Llama-rama," the first statewide 4-H llama show Saturday.The show will bring young llama trainers such as Sarah from Carroll, Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Kent counties to the Carroll County Agricultural Center from 11: 30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show is open to the public.