Jessica Rayburn Reflects On The Best, Worst Of The Year
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
PARADISE (Lancaster Co.)
“It’s been the best and worst year
of my life with daddy leaving
and not being able to do some
things... but it’s also been a won
derful experience to have repre
sented my state at the National
Grange,” said Jessica Rayburn.
Poised, fluent, strong, talented,
and patriotic are some of the
words that describe Jessica Ray
burn.
Although only 16 years old,
Jessica appears to be much more
mature. Perhaps that’s because
she has needed to assume more
responsibility since her father
was sent to Germany as a mem
ber of the National Guard.
“Our family has always been
there for each other, and Daddy’s
leaving has even brought us
closer,” Jessica said. “We’ve han
dled this as a family.”
It tears at Jessica’s heartstrings
to watch her 2-year-old sister Syl
via and 11-year-old brother Ben
deal with the sadness of separa
tion.
Jessica helps her mom with
parenting and home responsibil
ities. She said, “Since daddy has
left. I’ve had to mature. I’m prob
ably more serious than my peers
because this has forced me to ex
perience sadness and realize the
value of money.”
Grandpa and Grandma Coates
have always played a major role
in Jessica’s life. It was through
them that Jessica became ac
quainted with the Grange. She
attended local and county meet
ings with them, and as soon as
she was old enough to become a
member, Jessica joined the
Grange.
She sometimes plays the piano
at local Grange events. But this
year, for the first time, Jessica
competed in the regional talent
contest. Although an accomplish
ed pianist with six years of les
sons, Jessica wowed the judges by
playing a sonatina by Clemete by
memorization.
Judges expressed that they
thought the ability to play the
piece through memorization
rather than reading the music
made Jessica appear more pro
fessional. The talent competition
is divided into three categories:
instrumental, vocal, and other
acts. A best of show is selected
from the first-place winner in
each category.
Jessica was surprised and
thrilled to be selected at the re
gional competition, and even
more delighted to be selected as
the state winner. This qualified
her to attend the National
Grange Convention in Oregon.
Expenses were paid by the local
Elizabethtown and state Granges.
Her grandfather Robert Coates
flew to Oregon with her.
“Playing at the national
The year 2002 has been an emotional roller coaster ride for 16-year-old Jessica Ray
burn. She bid her dad farewell when his National Guard Unit was sent overseas. “We
have always been a really close family, and this has really changed us,” Jessica said.
Recently, Jessica won “Best of Show” for her musical talent in regional and state
Grange competition, which enabled her to represent Pennsylvania in the National
Grange Convention in Oregon. Shown with Jessica are her mother Janice and Grandfa
ther Robert Coates.
Grange is not for placement but
the privilege of providing part of
the entertainment,” Jessica said.
“I was very relaxed and not ner
vous at all.”
Jessica also serves as a Grange
ambassador and attended work
shops where she developed
friendships with people from all
over the U.S.
According to Grange rules,
Jessica will not be able to com
pete at next year’s talent compe
tition.
“The Grange teaches agricul
ture history, leadership, and giv
ing back to the community. The
Grange wants youth to become
future leaders just like 4-H,” Jes
sica said.
She is also very active in 4-H,
where she won county talent
competitions for reciting the
poem, “The Flag,” an appropri
ate poem for her.
Jessica’s dad had served in the
Armed Forces for three years
when Jessica was a baby. The
family has always been strongly
patriotic. After the Sept. 11,2001
terrorist attacks, Jessica’s dad (a
medic at a veteran’s hospital) felt
he should do something to help
the country. He joined the Na
tional Guard, which hadn’t been
stationed outside the U.S. since
the mid 19505. However, in July
2002, his unit was sent to Ger
many, where they serve in
“forced protection,” described by
Jessica as securing entry points,
power plants, bases, and airports.
On Veteran’s Day, Jessica
helped to raise and lower flags to
be retired at the Veterans’ Hospi
tal, Coatesville.
“We change the flags because
we never want a tattered flag to
fly,” Jessica said.
This year’s event was very
emotional, she said. In addition
to the personal connection with
having her dad serving the coun
try, a retired flag was presented
to a woman whose son is missing
in action.
Jessica would like others, espe
cially youth, to be more aware of
the sacrifice veterans have made
in protecting the country.
“Many of my peers have no
concept of what our veterans
have gone through,” Jessica said.
In public school during her ele
mentary years, Jessica was dis
tressed to notice that only a few
students actually recite the
Pledge of Allegiance.
“Most are not saying anything,
or they are gazing out the win
dow,” she said.
After the terrorist attacks,
many more recited the Pledge,
but Jessica fears participation is
dwindling off again.
Jessica cherishes the memory
of her dad visiting her at Camp
Manatawny in Berks County be
fore he left for active duty.
She said that the 150 campers
stood up and clapped for several
minutes when he entered the
meeting room.
The Rayburn family is also
sponsoring a military mailbag to
see that 38 men will receive at
least 8-10 letters.
Jessica has had a non-tradi
tional education. From kinder
garten through fourth grade she
attended public school, then she
attended a private school, and
later was homeschooled for sever
al years. Many people will be sur
prised to know that although Jes
sica is an excellent student she
has quit high school.
But that doesn’t mean she has
ceased her education. She ex
plained, “1 think there are other
ways to receive an education, and
I do plan to go to college.”
She has a plan. She will begin
taking classes at the local branch
of Harrisburg Area Community
College (HACC) in January. By
the time she is 18, she should
have 30 college credits, which
will automatically give her a
GED (general education diplo
ma).
With her dad absent, some of
her activities have been curtailed
because her mom doesn’t have as
much time to transport her to as
6 6 When you join
the Grange, you
don’t sit and listen.
You get involved.
Just because you
are a youth doesn’t
mean someone
older than you is in
charge. 9 5
Jessica Rayburn
National Grange Winner
many events. One of these was
the state 4-H Days.
Both Jessica and her mother
are deeply committed to local
4-H involvement. Her mom is or
ganizational leader. Her dad
taught riflery until he was sta
tioned overseas.
Jessica has been a member of
4-H for eight years, and has
served as president of the com
munity club and been active in
sewing, weaving, rug braiding,
blacksmithing, riflery, and square
dancing clubs. This is her fifth
year with the square dancing
club, but the first time the club
competed at the State Farm
Show. Her brother will also com
pete.
Jessica won a State Farm
Show prize for a 4-H project
gold leaf lettering on a clock, and
has participated in potato
judging. Most unusual was being
selected as an 11-year-old to
present a speech on E.coli.
Her interest in Exoli began
when her dad showed her how
the germs looked under a micro
scope. About the same time, three
boys died from contracting the e
coli bacteria through under
cooked meat.
“I thought others need to know
about E-coli so it doesn’t happen
to them,” Jessica said.
After winning local and state
speech competition, Jessica was
selected to present her speech at
the State Farm Show, where she
was congratulated by the former
Gov. Thomas Ridge.
She said that her parents al
ways motivate 4-H members to
give back to the community.
Some of the ways they have done
this was to plant flowers, paint
picnic tables, and pick up trash
on the Community Building
grounds.
“When you join the Grange,
you don’t sit and listen. You get
involved. Just because you are a
youth doesn’t mean someone
older than you is in charge,” Jes
sica said.
She sees Grange and 4-H activ
ities as developing good skills, es
pecially public speaking skills.
Jessica credits the 4-H motto
of “making the best better” as a
goal she strives to fulfill. “I al
ways try to give 100 percent to
everything I do. I want to present
the very best that I can,” she
said.
Recently that meant making
three no-sew blanket projects in
stead of one for 4-H, and sewing
eight shirts for other square
dancing club members.
“She’s an excellent daughter,”
her mom said. “I’m really proud
of her.”
Jessica Rayburn