Farm City Week Starts the Giving Season in Richmond County

Abby Hamilton helps Mr. McInnis's goat feel at home.

 Each November, we as a country are asked to return our thanks for the many blessings that we each have. As President Abraham Lincoln stated, "To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God."

I simply can't state it any better than that!  And in Richmond County, one of our biggest gifts is the relationship between our agriculture community and our business interests.  Each year during the week of Thanksgiving, Richmond County takes time to celebrate Farm-City Week.  We have both a wonderful farming heritage and a motivated business sector that must work together to understand one another and work towards the county's best interests on all fronts. 

To start the week off with some fun, the annual Farmers Parade is held in Ellerbe.  This year the parade route allowed tractors, floats, horses, people and even a goat or two to travel down Main Street.  The 4-H Livestock Club members could be seen waving and taking care of a couple future producers (goat kids) on a float being driven by their constant supporter, John McInnis (and Mrs Velma is always supporting them too.)  The parade saw more than 130 entries of all types and crowd estimates are that over 1,000 people came out to enjoy the show & shop at the many venders who set up shop for the day.

Chris Yaklin, Farm Bureau President

Monday saw the annual Farmer's Luncheon held at the Agriculture Services Center.  Several wonderful cooks volunteer their time to provide wonderful food for the event which saw well over 100 people coming together to celebrate our county's farmers.  They included:  Earl Graves, Gerald Littlejohn, Bob Hill, Gene Shaw, David McCoy, Myers Waddell, Helen Goodman and Betty Wilson.  Several businesses also assist with the event geared towards helping recognize the hard work and dedication it takes to provide food and fiber products to citizens of North Carolina including PeeDee Electric Membership Cooperative, Perdue and FirstHealth.  In addition to updates from the agencies housed at the Agricultural Services Center, Luncheon Attendees also got to hear from Chris Yaklin, President of Richmond County Farm Bureau.  Chris shared that he knew he wanted to farm from a young age and that it has helped make him who he is today and the important role Farm Bureau plays in the community; it's not just an insurance company.

The final event of Farm-City Week 2010 was the Farm-City Banquet.  The Banquet was held at the Cole Auditorium on the campus of Richmond Community College in Hamlet.  The banquet featured great fellowship and reconnecting with friends of both the farming and urban communities in Richmond County.  We started the night with our own Carol Capel singing with Miss Sarah Yaklin.  They sang "Mary Did You Know?" and did a fantastic job!  Commissioner Thad Ussery read the Farm-City Week proclamation from the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.  A.J. Outlaw, who works in the agricultural sector, provided entertainment for the event.  AJ is also an Elvis impersonator and provided us with his best impressions of The King, including my two favorite Elvis tunes:  Blue Christmas and An American Trilogy.  We ended the evening listening to Miss Molly Stutts of Ellerbe.  Molly is the NC Peach Queen and she shared some of her experiences during the course of her year.  She has had many chances to reach out to the community and enjoys each chance to help expand the understanding people have about agriculture.  She also made sure that everyone had some yummy peach recipes to take home to try for the Holidays.

We had a wonderful Farm-City Week in Richmond County!  Here at the Extension Office we are grateful for many things, including all of the wonderful people who make these events possible.  Special thanks & congrats to the staff of Farm Services Agency in Richmond County for all of the hard work they put into planning this year!  To see more pictures from this year's Farm-City events, click here. 

Camp for Christmas!

It’s that time again!! No, not for snowflakes and Santa, but for thinking about canoes, crafts and Richmond County 4-H Camp! What better present under the tree than a week of fun and excitement this summer? Forget about enduring the day after Thanksgiving crowds & visit the Agriculture Service Center to do your Christmas shopping this year. If you pay the deposit before Dec. 17th, we will make your child a certificate to open on Christmas (maybe wrapped inside a new sleeping bag, etc?!?)

We will be camping at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC. We will depart on Sunday, July 24th and return on Friday, July 29th, 2011.

The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is staffed by trained and dedicated young men and women from across the country and around the world.

Youth aged 9-14 participate in horseback riding, canoeing, archery, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. Adventure programs offer older youth (13 and 14 year olds) opportunities to gain compass, GPS and other outdoor living skills, plus participate in rock climbing, swift water canoeing and more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends from across the state.

If you are interested in more information about 4-H Camp, and to pay a $50 deposit or the whole camp fee of $325, call 997-8255 or email michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu for a copy of the camp form! You can also check out what happened at camp this year by scrolling down to July. There will be an opportunity to receive $50 -$200 Camp Scholarships this year, and the application will be mailed to those having paid their deposits before March 1st!!! Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas & Happy Camping!!

4-H Farm Credit Circuit Ends With a...Banquet!

Another year has come & gone for the 4-H Farm Credit Show Circuit.  We could not be more proud of the more that 80 showmen, 20 from Richmond County, we dedicated themselves to caring for and showing an animal this show season.  It takes time, compassion and commitment to participate in a fall of livestock shows across the region.

Richmond County was wonderfully represented at the Banquet in Sampson County!  Many families made the trip to help celebrate the accomplishments of our young people.  To see more pictures from the Banquet, click here.

The Goat Junior 9-10 year old category saw the following placings:

Brianna Hamilton	Richmond
Katie Edwards	Anson
Savannah Chappell	Richmond
Kristen DeBerry	Union
Maria Fehlman	Union
Faith Thompson	Richmond

The Goat Intermediate 11-13 year old showmen is always a competitive category.  It came down to the wire again this year too. 

Jordan Carroll	Richmond
Sarah Maske	Richmond
Bethany Thompson	Montgomery
Madelyn Chappell	Richmond
Michaela McInnis	Moore
Alana McQueen	Richmond
Peggyann Kennedy	Richmond
Jeremy Fehlman	Union
Kristi Reep	Richmond
Matthew Acorn	Hoke
Nathan Lemonds	Montgomery
Benjamin Herndon	Cumberland

Dixie Acorn of Hoke County receiving her Award.

The Senior 14-19 year old Goat division saw something that has never occurred to our knowledge in the past.   One person, Dixie Acorn of Hoke County, won both the Goat and Heifer categories.  We are very proud of Dixie & all of our Seniors for always being willing to help out younger showmen and lend a hand at shows.  The Senior Goat division ended up with the following placings: 

Dixie Acorn	Hoke
Nathan Ezzell	Richmond
Morgan Rockwell	Hoke
Grayson McQueen	Richmond
Santiago Acuña	Richmond
Darren Lefler	Moore
Catherine DeBerry	Union
Theresa Fehlman	Union

Our youngest showmen, the Cloverbuds, are 5 to 8 years old and do not show competitively yet.  They are using this time to get the basic skills they need to show in the future!  They have shown lambs, goats or heifers during the show season & they are: 

Shane Kendall	Sampson
Hunter Mercer	Sampson
Tate Naylor	Sampson
Hanna Naylor	Sampson
April Baldwin	Sampson

Marcie Harward	Stanly
Mattie Harward	Stanly
Luke White	Chatham

Brenon Bullard	Richmond
Taylor Chappell	Richmond
Eddie DeBerry	Union
Grace Fehlman	Union
Bryce Goodwin	Richmond
Abigail Hamilton	Richmond
Matthew Lemonds	Montgomery
Eli Maske	Richmond
Madison McInnis	Moore
Will Meacham	Richmond
DeLani Reep	Richmond
Garrett Thompson	Richmond

4-H Science Adventures

 

Recently Richmond County 4-H partnered with local professionals in various fields to offer 4-H Science Adventures for all the 5^th grade students in the county.  4-H Science Adventures is geared towards giving teachers and students a day of learning about natural resources and the environment in the natural beauty of Millstone 4-H Camp. 

650 students participated in the program with 100% of reporting teachers stating that both student’s scientific knowledge and skills were enhanced.  100% of reporting teachers noted improvements in class participation, goal setting, problem solving and critical thinking skills throughout the day.  Youth also participated in the National 4-H Science Day Experiment 4-H2O.  The Experiment helped youth to realize that actions we take can affect the world around us. 

Numerous volunteers make 4-H Science Adventures possible by donating nearly 250 hours of service to the students of Richmond County, valued at over $5,000. Volunteers include:  Brad Allen and Matt Gordon with the NC Forest Service, David Auman, Jeff Smart and William Trivette from the Beekeepers Association, Victoria Hudson with Environmental Health, Krista Long with Morrow Mountain State Park, Jackie McAuley with Soil & Water, Jeremy Martin and Mark Thompson with Sandhills Research Station, the staff of Weymouth Woods State Park, Cathy Brown, Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Shea Ann DeJarnette and Lauren Irby with NC Cooperation Extension.  Special thanks also goes to one of our own Goat Showmen, Sarah Maske, for letting us borrow your goat for the event.  Special thanks to these amazing people and to the United Way of Richmond county for providing monetary support for 4-H programs.

Celebrating What Is GREAT In Richmond County!!!

Written By:  Michelle Stumbo, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development and Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Extension Agent, Livestock. 

The theme at this year’s NC State Fair was “Celebrate What’s Great!” and Richmond County 4-H’ers should have great reason to celebrate after their strong showing at events this year!  Youth exhibited in the Junior Meat Goat Show, Junior Meat Goat Showmanship, Junior Doe Goat Show, and Junior Doe Showmanship during the NC State Fair. 

The 4-H Livestock Club was busy for several days at the fair. During the Junior Meat Goat Show, 20 Richmond County youth displayed their finished products.  They have been working with their animals since early July and sold their goats during the Fair.  Youth competing in the Junior Meat Goat Show included Santiago Acuña Robinson, Brennon Bullard, Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, Vance Goodwin, Nathan Ezzell, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Peggyann Kennedy, Alana McQueen, Grayson McQueen, Eli Maske, Sarah Maske, Will Meacham, DeLani Reep, Kristi Reep and Faith Thompson.  These young people did very well, bringing home one 1^st place ribbon, two 2^nd place ribbons, one 3^rd and 4^th place ribbons and three 5^th place ribbons during the Junior Meat Goat Show. Nathan Ezzell had one goat in the Grand Champion drive while Jordan Carroll and Will Meacham both had goats in the Reserve Champion drive.    

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club was again working hard during the Junior Commercial Doe Goat Show and Showmanship.  Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, and Nathan Ezzell all competed in the Junior Commercial Doe Show.  Richmond County brought home two 4^th place ribbons and one 5^th place ribbon during the Junior Commercial Doe Show.

Several youth received Showmanship Pins for their outstanding ability to show their animals to the best of its ability.  These youth included:  Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Eli Maske and Sarah Maske. 

Richmond County 4-H volunteers even got into the action of the State Fair! John & Velma McInnis, Richmond County goat producers who continually support the 4-H Livestock Program, had animals on display in the State Fair Ark.  John had a doe, an adult female, and two kids, baby goats, which were exhibited in the Expo Center at the State Fair.  We are very proud of the McInnis Family for being awarded this honor!

Congratulations to all of these young people and special thanks to all of the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and community members who traveled to the fair to support these youth as they strive “To Make The Best Better” in Richmond County!  To see pictures from the State Fair, click here!

Great Things Happening in Richmond County!

 Written by:  Michelle Stumbo, Extension Agent, 4-H & Youth Development and Gene Shutt, Millstone 4-H Camp Director

Phone:  997-8255/652-5905

Upon first arriving at Millstone 4-H Camp and seeing over 250 youth walking around carrying guns and bows, I thought how some might be scared of the scene.  Many people fear any and all weapons because of the highlights on the news each night.  These young people, however, are not to be feared, they are to be applauded for their efforts in the recent North Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament held in Ellerbe, NC. 

The purpose of the NC 4-H Shooting Sports program is to develop caring, capable youth by enabling young people to become responsible self-directed members of society, offering young people of our state a positive experience in the shooting sports program, and promoting the safe sport of hunting and shooting. 

4-H’ers from across the state participated in both team and individual contests in the following categories:  shotgun, small-bore sporting rifle, small-bore match rifle, air rifle, air pistol, black powder, recurve archery, compound archery, and hunting and orienteering skills.  More than 25 counties were represented at the event this year.   

During their stay at the historic site in Ellerbe, youth used over 7,000 rounds of .22 ammunition, almost 5,000 shotgun shells, and around 200 round balls for muzzle-loading, ammo for air rifle and air pistol and numerous ends of arrows for archery.  Participants also got to experience the numerous renovations that have been done at the Camp over the past 3 years, including heated/air conditioned cabins, state of the art septic system, new roof & windows in the Dining Hall and a brand new kitchen.  More changes are quickly on the way at Camp as well!  Ground has been broken for a Courtyard which will eventually be part of the NC 4-H Museum at be housed right here in Richmond County. 

To see pictures from the day, Click Here , for results from the contest, check out the Shooting Sports section of www.millstone4hcamp.org.  If you are interested in developing safety, ethics, personal responsibility, and lifetime recreational skills in youth that you know, contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H & Youth Development Agent with NC Cooperative Extension at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu.  For more information on Millstone 4-H Camp and the Museum Project, contact Gene Shutt, Millstone 4-H Camp Director with at 652-5905. 

YouthVoice 2010

August 27-28 marked the inaugural North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Youth Summit –YouthVoice 2010, which was held in Greenville, North Carolina.   Held in conjunction with the annual county commissioners meeting and sponsored by the NCACC, over 80 youth and adults from 74 counties attended the event.  During YouthVoice 2010, attendees had a chance to interact with County Commissioners, attend the annual Horn of Plenty event sponsored by NC Cooperative Extension, participate in workshop sessions and attend NC SPIN. 

In addition, the youth attendees debated and decided on the top ten issues facing youth.  These issues stemmed from ones that 4-H’ers and youth in every county identified and compiled.  Youth then met in groups to prioritize the top ten issues in their Extension district.  One youth from every county was invited to attend YouthVoice 2010.  The Richmond County delegate was Nathan Ezzell, son of Randy & Tracy Ezzell of Rockingham.

One youth per county was invited to attend YouthVoice 2010 and bring their district issues. From over 60 issues, the delegation attending YouthVoice 2010 determined the top 10 issues facing youth in North Carolina.  The State 4-H Council officer team shared the top ten issues with the County Commissioners.

YouthVoice 2010 was developed because of NCACC’s 2010 President Mary Accor’s commitment to youth and to developing youth leaders.  The event was sponsored by the NCACC. North Carolina 4-H Youth Development and North Carolina Cooperative Extension were the lead partners and led the efforts to plan the conference and organize YouthVoice 2010. 

North Carolina 4-H has over 240,926 youth enrolled in the program as well as 21,200 youth and adult volunteers. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

- Written by Sarah Kotzian, State 4-H Office, NCSU -

Running with the Pack

It's football time again & recently 2 Richmond County 4-H'ers got to see just what that entails during a NC State University football game.  4-H’ers from across the state took part in this year’s Run with the Pack in Raleigh.  DeLani Reep of Hamlet and Makayla Wilson of Rockingham represented Richmond County 4-H at the event.  
 

On Saturday, September 4, 12 excited 4-H’ers from across the state took the field at Carter Finley Stadium with the N.C. State football team to kick off their first game of the season - a matchup against Western Carolina University. North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives sponsored the game and this once in a lifetime opportunity for the  4-H’ers. The electric cooperatives have a long-standing relationship with the 4-H program, and these students were chosen based on an application.

In addition to running on the field with the N.C. State football team, each 4-H’er also received tickets to the game for themselves and their family. This was a wonderful experience for the youth who were chosen to participate as well as for their families.  Richmond County 4-H sent two representatives to Run with the Pack this year.  They were DeLani Reep of Hamlet and Makayla Wilson of Rockingham.  Congratulations ladies!

North Carolina 4-H has over 240,926 youth enrolled in the program as well as 21,200 youth and adult volunteers. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

Still Showing Strong!

Richmond County 4-H'ers recently made the treks to Lee and Moore County Goat Shows.  The Lee County results are listed below, as well as a link to the pictures taken at the Lee County Show. 

Mrs. North Carolina even made an appearance for pictures!

Great job & have a great rest of the season!  Click here for pictures!

Cloverbud - Non-competitive

Ages 5-8 (as of Jan. 1)

Exhibitor Name	County
Abby Hamilton	Richmond
Delani Reep	Richmond
Bryce Goodwin	Richmond
Isabella Evans	Lee
Grace Fehlman	Union
Madison McInnis	Moore
Eli Maske	Richmond
Eddie DeBerry	Union
Matthew Lemonds	Montgomery

Junior Division

Ages 9-10 (as of Jan.1)

Exhibitor Name	County	Placing
Katie Edwards	Anson	1
Katie Heldt	Lee	2
Maria Fehlman	UNION	3
Kristen DeBerry	Union	4
Dylan Harrington	Lee	5
Brianna Hamilton	Richmond	6
David Heldt	Lee	7

Intermediate Division

Ages 11-13 (as of Jan. 1)

Exhibitor Name	County	Placing
Joel Dahms	Durham	1
Michaela McInnis	Moore	2
Jordan Carroll	Richmond	3
Sarah Maske	Richmond	4
Bethany Thompson	Montgomery	5
Kristi Reep	Richmond	6
Alana McQueen	Richmond	7
Jeremy Fehlman	Union	8
Matthew Acorn	Hoke	9
Nathan Lemonds	Montgomery	10
Cody Harrington	Lee	11

Senior Division

Ages 14-19 (as of Jan. 1)

Exhibitor Name	County	Placing
Dixie Acorn	Hoke	1
Nathan Ezzell	Richmond	2
Santiago Acuna Robinson	Richmond	3
Catherine DeBerry	Union	4
Darren Lefler	Moore	5
Morgan Rockwell	Hoke	6
Theresa Fehlman	Union	7
Grayson McQueen	Richmond	8

Richmond County "SHOWS" It's Pride!

Most people will tell you that “office hours” do not include Saturdays, but members of the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office were hard at work this past Saturday hosting the 2010 Richmond County Goat Show.  The Richmond County 4-H Show attracted youth from 7 counties, including Anson, Hoke, Moore, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly, and Union Counties.  A total of 35 4-H’ers brought approximately 60 animals to the farm of Dale and Melanie Dewitt in Ellerbe.

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club really showed their stuff on Saturday by competing strongly in every event. Richmond County 4-H’ers took home most of the major awards of the show.  The club members competing in the Farm Credit 4-H Showmanship Circuit are: Santiago Acuña Robinson, Brennon Bullard, Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Nathan Ezzell , Bryce Goodwin, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Peggyann Kennedy, Eli Maske, Sarah Maske, Alana McQueen, Grayson McQueen, Will Meacham, DeLani Reep, Kristi Reep, Faith Thompson, and Garrett Thompson.  Everyone in the club did a fantastic job and is looking forward to the rest of the show season. 

Sarah Maske

Nathan Ezzell

Brianna Hamilton

Morgan Rockwell was awarded the Senior Showmanship award, while Bethany Thompson was the Junior 11-13 Showmanship winner and Brianna Hamilton won the Junior 9-10 Showmanship division. Cole Mullis was awarded the Senior Showmanship 2^nd place award, while Sarah Maske was the Junior 11-13 Showmanship 2^nd place winner and Katie Edwards won the Junior 9-10 Showmanship 2^nd place.  The Showmanship classes are designed to gauge the 4-H’ers knowledge, skill with the animal, and hard work.   4-H’ers can be asked questions about their animals and how they are cared for while presenting the animal to the best of their ability for the judge. 

Madelyn Chappell, a 4-H’er from Richmond County, showed the Grand Champion Doe. Jordan Carroll of Richmond County showed the Reserve Champion Doe.  Does are females who will be bred and will continue production on the farm.  Does are judged on their frame and structure based on how they would carry the extra weight of being pregnant and the stress of milking. 

Wethers, castrated male goats, are judged on the total marketability of the animal.  The Grand Champion Market Wether was shown by Dustin Helms of Stanly County.  Cole Mullis, also of Stanly County, showed the Reserve Champion Market Wether.

We would like to again thank our Richmond County 4-H Goat Show Sponsors who have already contributed: Richmond County Farm Bureau, Inc., Richmond County Tourism Authority, Iron Horse Auction Co., E.E. Vuncannon, Inc., Wal-Mart, Jordan & Jordan Enterprises, Carolina Farm Credit, Daniel Simmons, Carroll Farms, Jack & Mary Webb, Anne & Richard Thrower, Dale & Melanie DeWitt, King’s Septic Tank Pumping & Port-A-John, Jerry’s Inc., Maness Tire & Recapping Inc., BB&T, Bobby’s Furniture, Carroll’s Pantry, Ellerbe Pharmacy, Pee Dee Electric, Steve and Shelia Webb, Carey Thompson, John and Velma McInnis, and Rainbow Hill Farm.  Several individuals and businesses donated funds that were used to purchase pens to be used at the show, including:  John McInnis Farm, Danny & Glenda McInnis, Scotland Motors, Inc, Lee Howell & family, and Fidelity Bank.  Special thanks to Ricky Dewitt of Farm Bureau for awarding plaques and ribbons, John McInnis, Marv Powell, Cary Thompson, Brian Hamilton, and Duke Goodwin for setting up the ring and facilities and to Dale & Melanie DeWitt for donating outstanding show facilities. 

To see pictures from the Show, Click here!  Special thanks to Olivia Webb, Mayor of Ellerbe, for taking many of these pictures - they are wonderful!  For more information about 4-H Livestock, please contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H Extension Agent, or Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Livestock Extension Agent at 997-8255.  United Way of Richmond County also supports Richmond County 4-H Club activities. 

Way to go Courtney Miller!

Mr. Wells Hall, Mrs. Phyllis Stainback and Dr. Hugh Liner present Dixie Acorn, a Hoke County 4-H’er who will attend Sandhills Community College, and Courtney Miller, Richmond County 4-H’er who will attend East Carolina University, with the South Central District 4-H Development Fund Scholarship.

Courtney Shea Miller, 17, of Richmond County was recently selected for North Carolina’s 4-H Honor Club, one of the highest honors a 4-H’er can achieve.

Miller, daughter of Anne and Jeff Miller of Laurel Hill, was tapped for the club during a candlelight ceremony Monday July 19 during State 4-H Congress. Congress is the high point of the 4-H year, bringing young people from across the state to the North Carolina State University campus and Raleigh for four days of activity July 19-22. More than 500 4-H’ers, volunteer leaders and North Carolina Cooperative Extension agents attended 4-H Congress.

Membership in the Honor Club is based on service to the 4-H program, leadership, moral standards, 4-H activities and project achievement. Less than one-half of 1 percent of North Carolina 4-H’ers are selected for membership each year. Members must be at least 16 years old and have a minimum of three years 4-H experience.

Miller was also awarded the South Central District 4-H Development Fund Scholarship at the annual North Carolina 4-H Scholarship and Awards Reception and Partnership Luncheon held in Raleigh during North Carolina 4-H Congress.  The Scholarship and Awards Reception and Partnership Luncheon celebrates outstanding North Carolina 4-H’ers who have distinguished themselves through their long-term project work, as delegates to national 4-H events, and recognizes those youth who are awarded college scholarships.  This year 4-H honored over 137 4-H’ers and awarded over $66,000 in academic scholarships. 

The 4-H program is the youth education program of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, based at North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State universities. More than 240,000 young people between the ages of 5 and 19 participate in North Carolina 4-H activities each year with the help of 21,000 adult and youth volunteers.

- Written by:  Michael Martin & Dee Shore -