Friday, September 27, 2024
On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court honored several high school students with Coryell County’s Texas A&M AgriLife extension of 4-H by declaring the week of October 6-12 as National 4-H Week.
County Judge Roger Miller read the proclamation for National 4-H Week in the county, which highlights the importance of the program for youth across Texas.
“Whereas the Coryell County Commissioners Court is proud to honor the Texas 4-H Youth Development Program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for 115 years of providing experience-based education youth throughout the Lone Star State,” Miller said. “And whereas this admirable program, which seeks to provide learning experience for all youth through their head, heart, hands, and health helps young Texans to acquire knowledge and develop life skills and form attitudes to enable them to become self-directed, productive, and contributing members of our society.”
For this year’s National 4-H Week theme of “Beyond Ready,” Coryell County 4-H extension agent, Becky Coward, asked students from freshman to seniors to share a highlight of their accomplishments inside and outside of the program.
“The theme this year is ‘Beyond Ready.’ Our 4-H kids have been empowered to be leaders throughout the county, but they've also been encouraged to do career investigations, to do job shadowing, to be ready for the next step,” Coward said.
Each high school senior with 4-H told the Commissioners Court which universities and programs they have either been accepted to or plan to attend, which include major state institutions like Texas A&M University. The entire group of students and ambassadors from ninth through 12th grade also shared the variety of leadership projects they are involved in through 4-H.
Coward said she aims for the students to be recognized for their role in leading and guiding the program’s diverse community service projects. On average, the students participate in over two or three events per month that serve the community, she adds.
“Look for us at the community events, helping serve and develop those servant-leadership hearts as we pursue futures for these guys in an excellent way,” Coward said. “I think they're ‘beyond ready,’ and 4-H has done that for them.”
The 4-H program is the largest youth development program in Texas that offers various projects and activities for ages 5 to 18 years, including agriculture, family and community health, STEM, leadership, and more. As the Coryell County extension, the local 4-H team represents communities throughout the county.
“I appreciate all of the leadership that we have within the county that pour into these guys,” Coward said. “We can’t do it without our volunteers and the support that comes from Commissioners Court – commissioners and the judge – we appreciate you very much.”
