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Brittany Hyland knows that no one will have the same dress as she does at her high school homecoming dance in October.

She made her royal blue gown with the low back and twisted front herself.

The gown is one of the many things the 17-year-old Mount Airy resident has made through her participation with the Unionville 4-H Club, she said.

Hyland, in her 10th year of 4-H involvement, will participate in the Great Frederick Fair and plans to compete in the sewing segment of 4-H, as well as showing dairy goats.

Hyland's favorite part of the fair, which starts Friday, is entering her items and seeing how well they do. "I love competition, so it's interesting to see where my stuff stands," she said.

Hyland plans to show her goats — 2-year-olds Sandy and Taffy — at the fair this year in addition to her homecoming dress and a wool jumper that she made.

"We went to the fair one year, and I just wanted a goat as a pet and I wound up getting into 4-H," she said. "We used to live at the beach, and I wasn't interested in agriculture until we moved here."

The family moved to Mount Airy in 1999, said June Hyland, Brittany's mom. "We love it here," she said. "It's our permanent home."

Hyland has competed in both the Maryland State Fair and Frederick County fair.

Hyland, the 4-H Fair Queen for 2007-08, will hand off her crown Friday at a ceremony. To be queen, Hyland said she had to write an essay, submit a resume, and participate in interviews and a public speaking competition.

"I had to take off a full week off school," she said. "I went to events at the fair: parades, luncheons and handing out ribbons." 

Donna Inskeep, Hyland's 4-H leader, said Hyland,  who is president of the group, is devoted to her activities and the fair. Inskeep said that Hyland's participation with the group has grown over the years.

"A lot of people think it's all about the animals, but 4-H is really now a leadership group," Inskeep said. "4-H is about educating kids. It's about the youth preparing for life."

In addition to the dairy goats and sewing, Hyland has also been involved in gardening and fishing with 4-H.

Inskeep said the group is a "diverse club" where members pursue what they want to do. This has led to 4-H members to work on nutrition, engineering, gymnastics, music and swimming endeavors.

"I encourage the kids to do whatever they want to do, whatever their passion is," she said. "We'll get the paperwork on it."

Hyland is no stranger to involvement in multiple activities. The Linganore High School senior is involved in the French, English, and National honor societies, as well as French Club and FFA.

"4-H is more youth-oriented and FFA is more high school-oriented," she said, adding that FFA is based more on leadership and public speaking.

Hyland is also involved in leadership with her Girl Scout Troop 81796, earning her Gold Award in Girl Scouts this past year. Hyland sewed 30 pillows for wounded soldiers recovering from injuries at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Hyland also serves as delegate for her area of troops and the larger organization, said Mount Airy resident and Girl Scout leader Debbie Lambert.

"She's agreed to take the next step up," Lambert said. "She'll learn a little more inside on Girl Scouts."

Hyland plans to take her Girl Scout, 4-H, and fair, experiences with her in the future. The senior, who is looking into military academies with the Coast Guard as her top choice, said the skills she has learned will come in handy.

"I hope I'll be able to use my leadership skills at these academies," she said. "It's taught me a lot."

Hyland's father, Bernard Hyland, is a U.S. Army colonel who works at the Pentagon. "I've wanted to be in the military since I was three," she said, adding that her father's career influenced her. "He's always been an inspiration."