Enrollment for 4-H is Now Underway
Each August, a massive campaign for 4-H enrollment takes place across the country. The 4-H year goes from September 1st to August 31, and we welcome all youth! Current members must re-enroll each to keep membership status, and new members are encouraged to join. It’s really quite simple, but there are a few things to keep in mind.
There are currently 5 clubs in Hopkins County: Dike (meets in the Dike Community Center); Infinity (meets at the Extension Office in Sulphur Springs); Miller Grove (meets at the Miller Grove School); Paws (3rd & 4thgrade school based club at Sulphur Springs Elementary campus); and Stars of Texas (meets in the Arbala area). Clubs meet once a month, with exception of summer months, when numerous county-wide 4-H opportunities take place.
All students grade 3 through 12 are welcome to join our 4-H program! Enrollment is easy. Both new and returning members will access the 4-H Connect on-line system at: http://texas.4honline.com
New members will set up a family profile (name, address, phone number, emergency contacts, etc.) and follow the on-screen instructions. Select “adult” or “youth” from the drop-down menu and click add member. You’ll go through Personal Information, Additional Information, Health Form, and Participation areas of enrollment (select at least 3 projects), then continue to the Invoice page. Enrollment fee is $20 prior to November 1. Starting November 1, enrollment fee goes up to $25. This fee is good for the entire 4-H year (September 1 through August 31). Review your invoice, then click on Payment screen. Select the appropriate method of payment, then click.
Returning members simply log on using their username and password, edit information to update it, and make the payment. Do not establish another family profile if you already have one in the system.
With more than 550,000 Texas youth involved in 4-H, it is the largest youth organization in Texas! By participating in 4-H, these students are statistically 5 times more likely to graduate from college, 4 times more likely to actively contribute to their community, 3 times more likely to be physically active, and 2 times more likely to pursue a career in science, engineering, or computer-related fields. Our own Hopkins County youth have excelled in school and two have earned $10,000 scholarships from the 4-H & Youth Foundation in recent years.
If you would like to get a glimpse of our Hopkins County 4-H program in action, come to our annual 4-H Achievement Banquet, on Saturday, August 29, at League Street Church of Christ. Numerous youth will be recognized for project completion, special awards, and outstanding 4-H contributions. Call our office for details or to find out more about our Hopkins County 4-H program – 903-885-3443.
Exciting Upcoming Events
- Friday, October 9 – If you enjoy good food, home decorating, and fashion accessorizing, you don’t want to miss “Fabulous Fall Friday.” I’m joining forces with Denita Young (Rains County) and Angie Monk (Wood County) to bring this fun, informative program to East Texas. The event will take place at Emory Baptist Church, 260 N. Planters Street, just off the square, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The cost is $10, which includes a cookbook, door prizes, refreshments, and gift bags. Vendors will also be on hand. To sign up, drop by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office in Hopkins, Rains, or Wood Counties, or call and I’ll e-mail the registration form to you – 903-885-3443. The Deadline to sign up is Friday, September 25.
- Monday, November 9 – the annual “Christmas Joys” Extension Holiday Program will take place at the Southwest Dairy Museum. Two identical sessions are being offered to fit your schedule, so when calling to reserve a seat, please indicate if you want to attend the 1:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. session. This exciting program will include gift bags, demonstrations, gift-giving ideas, and holiday management tips by Extension agents from Hopkins, Hunt, Collin, and Van Zandt Counties, as well as booklets of all the instructions and recipes included in the demonstrations. Wonderful refreshments will be provided by the Southwest Dairy Museum staff. Cost is $5, payable at the door, but you MUST call to reserve a seat. Seating is limited to 80 per session due to fire codes. When calling, we need a name and phone number for each person attending.
- Next week’s column will focus on two popular events: Hopkins County Fall Festival Creative Arts Contest and the Fall Festival Arts & Crafts Show.
Closing Thought
“Life is divided into three terms – that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit in the present, and from the present to live better in the future” – William Wordsworth
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
