Submitted Photo

Crossfield-Madden 4-H members J.T. Ross and Raymond Gallelli wowed the judges at the Alberta 4-H Provincial Presentations Finals in Edmonton, April 14. The duo won first place in the senior's category for their project on how to be a gentleman. They are pictured with Cameron Horner, 4-H representative.

view all photos (-count-)

Crossfield youth win gold at 4-H Finals

You won’t catch Crossfield-area youths Raymond Gallelli, 17, and J.T. Ross, 16, spitting, making obscene gestures or letting the door slam in someone’s face.

The duo gave an award-winning presentation entitled How to be a Gentleman in the senior’s category at the Alberta 4-H Provincial Presentations Finals, which took place in Edmonton on April 14.

“It is really exciting to win something like this,” said Ross. “It wasn’t even a chore, we had fun doing it.”

Gallelli and Ross have been working together for three years, but had never made it past the regional level until this year’s topic, delivered humourously by the red smoking jacket-clad teens, impressed the judges.

The eight-minute slide and speaking presentation touched on the history of the word “gentleman,” as well as manners, etiquette, how to dress and how to avoid rudeness. The Crossfield-Madden 4-H Beef Club members competed against 13 other award-winning teams from across the province to win first place.

Gallelli said he and his partner, both Grade 11 students at Olds High School, were motivated to research the topic by their families.

“We figured our parents are always nagging us about manners, so why not learn about them?” he said.

Ross said he learned a lot about what constituted common courtesy, such as opening the door or taking someone’s jacket for them, while conducting research for the presentation.

“What we found is a lot of people don’t do these things anymore,” said Ross. “We thought we might try to bring it back.”

Now the young men try to use their newfound skills daily.

“At school, I always hold the doors for people behind me,” said Gallelli. “Simple things that don’t take much effort at all. It shows what kind of person you are and if you do good things, good things will happen to you.”

Ross’ reasons for practicing being a gentleman are more pragmatic.

“Chicks dig it,” he said.