Alliance Bank in Sulphur Springs

National 4-H Week, By Johanna Hicks

National 4-H Week

For the 75th consecutive year, millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni across the country will be celebrating National 4-H Week during the first full week of October.  Hopkins County 4-H will leverage National 4-H Week this year by showcasing the incredible experiences that 4-H offers young people , and will highlight the remarkable 4-H youth in our community who work each day to make a positive impact on those around them.

We invite you to join us on Monday, October 2, 4:30 p.m. at the Hopkins County Courthouse.  Judge Robert Newsom will read the National 4-H Week proclamation on the courthouse steps.  Refreshments will be provided, and information about joining 4-H will be available, along with a display of photos of various 4-H events.

4-H alumni around the country are always the first to acknowledge the significant positive impact 4-H had on them as young people and how the  opportunities and experiences that 4-H provides youth empowers them to become true leaders.  In fact, research has shown that young people in 4-H are almost four times as likely to contribute to their communities, and are twice as likely to engage in science, technology, engineering and math programs in their free time.

In Hopkins County, more than 160 4-H youth and volunteers from the community were involved in 4-H during the 2016/2017 4-H year.  Enrollment for the 2017/2018 4-H year is now underway, and we hope to surpass the 200 mark.

4-H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now.  In the United States, 4-H programs empower six million young people through the 110 land-grant universities in more than 3,000 local offices, serving every county and parish in the country.  4-H is not just for United States citizens.  Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4-H organizations work with one million young people in more that 50 countries.

To learn more about 4-H, go to: https://texas4-h.tamu.edu.  And to set the record straight, you do not have to have an animal project to be a member of 4-H!  Actually, the most popular projects are foods and nutrition, horticulture, STEM, shooting sports, and photography, followed closely by public speaking, livestock projects, and leadership.  The cost to join is $20 before November 1st.  (After that date, the fee is $25.)  The 4-H year goes from September 1st thru August 31st each year, so now is the perfect time to get on board!  Contact our office to learn about the various 4-H clubs in Hopkins County.

 

4-H Project Show

All Hopkins County 4-H members are encouraged to enter the 2017 4-H project show!  Entry categories include: crafts, holiday corner, art, needlework, clothing, decorated accessories, general sewing, jewelry, design, woodworking, leather crafts, scrapbooks, metal work, baked goods, canned goods, horticulture, photography, poetry entomology, exhibit boards, and dolls.   Entries will be taken October 2 thru 5 at the Extension Office and judged on Friday, October 6.  Entries will then be on display to the public October 9-11 during regular business hours.

4-H members may also enter the same items in the Hopkins County Fall Festival Creative Arts contest later in contest at no charge.  Age divisions are:  Juniors (grades 3-5), intermediates (grades 6-8), and seniors (grades 9-12).

 

Christmas Joys Holiday Program

Wow!  What great response we received about the 44th annual “Christmas Joys” holiday program!  The 1:30 p.m. session is full, but don’t be disheartened!  Seats still remain for the 5:30 p.m. program which will include the exact same demonstrations and recipes.  Cost is only $5, payable at the door, and each person will receive a goody bag and booklet of all the demonstrations and recipes in the program.  The Southwest Dairy Museum will provide delectable refreshments, and you might even want to do a little early Christmas shopping.  I almost forgot to mention that we will also have door prizes!  You must call our office at 903-885-3443 to sign up.  We need a name and phone number for each seat reserved.

 

Closing Thought

Don’t educate your children to be rich.  Educate them to be responsible so that when they grow up, they’ll know the value of things – not the price.  Unknown

 

 

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]

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