In the News Spotlights

National 4-H Week Alumni & Program Spotlights

As we celebrate National 4-H Week, we are excited to share stories from 4-H alums who grew up in military-connected families. They share their ups and downs and how 4-H impacted their lives. We are also excited to highlight several projects and programs from Extension 4-H programs nationwide as we celebrate National 4-H Week. and our efforts to help military-connected youth be beyond ready. .Ready to lead, Ready to serve, Ready to build, Ready to imagine, And ready to succeed.

Wayne County, Kentucky, 4-H Ambassadors Beyond Ready to Serve

When Toni Humble, Wayne County Extension agent learned that National Guard members from her community had orders to deploy, she called together her 4-H Ambassadors and they pulled together to support the service members before, after, and during deployment. National Guard unit B Battery 1/623d BN FA (HIMARS) in Monticello, Kentucky includes men and women from 37 Kentucky counties and one additional solider from both Georgia and Ohio. The unit planned for a year's deployment and 4-H was with the group each step of the way. During Soldier Family Readiness Group meetings, 4-H provided assistance with serving meals, providing activities for kids, and resources for the soldiers and the family. Prior to deployment, they worked with each service member to record a bedtime story video and create soldier pillos for their children and provided other items including journals, letters of support, contact information and other resources. The 4-H'ers were part of the team implementing the deployment ceremony handing out flags and taking family photos. While the unit served in the Southeast Asia region, monthly newsletters were sent to families and additional support given as needed. And when the troops came home, 4-H was back with welcome bags, signs, and support. The ambassadors shared that the impact of working on the project made a tremendous difference to them as well. While they were beyond ready to lead and serve, they were also changed by the experience.

Heather Williams

Heather accompanied a friend to a 4-H meeting in Liberty County, Georgia. While she came just to have something to do she stayed because of all 4-H had to offer her and because of the commitment and caring of Denise Everson, her 4-H educator. Heather, a military-connected kid, joined Operation Military Kids and served her community of Hinesville, Georgia that includes Fort Stewart. Heather served as a 4-H officer for her local program and the region, worked as a summer 4-H camp counselor and was active in college 4-H at UGA. The variety of programs an opportunities offered kept Heather engaged and she sees how those opportunities developed skills for her to be beyond ready for what was ahead. Heather shared, "most specifically, I participated in programs like Operation: Military Kids, eventually did the Purdue University Extension Military Internship and NCSU’s Project YES! Internship and those really helped with my career working for the Army. More broadly, the servant’s heart and all the skills (effective communication, critical thinking, public speaking) have been vital to my success." Today, Heather is one of the clinical supervisors in the Family Advocacy Program through Blanchfield Army Community Hospital on Fort Campbell (Kentucky). She supports service members and their families who have been involved in an incident or abuse or neglect. As she describes the job "involves a lot community and collaboration with community partners and senior leaders, for which 4-H definitely prepared me." The daughter of an active duty army member, Heather had no idea how attending that meeting would impact her life or how she would impact others. Through her experiences, she is beyond ready.

Tay Moore

Growing up in the small town of Ringgold, Louisiana, Tay didn't know a lot of other military kids, in fact, he really didn't think of himself as military until his father, a National Guard member, was deployed twice to the middle east. Tay already worried about lots of things and has a young elementary student having a dad fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom was anything but freeing. Tay worried a lot about what was happening across the globe and what it meant to his family. He also worried about school, about friends, and as he says "just about everything." Things took a turn for Tay when the local 4-H agent visited his classroom and he along with all of his classmates enrolled in 4-H. He was elected president of his first 4-H club, a feat he would repeat for the state of Lousiana, and with the encouragement of his 4-H leader competed in his first 4-H competition. While Tay was still anxious, still nervous, and still unsure, he kept joining, kept trying, and kept leading. As Louisiana State 4-H president he led his peers as they navigated 4-H competition and opportunities during a pandemic. Tay recently graduated from Louisiana State University's Ogden Honor College with degrees in political science and music. During his college years, he was selected to serve as a member of National 4-H Council's Youth Alumni Advisory Committee & the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees. Through 4-H ,Tay Moore is beyond ready for what his future holds, even though he still worries. Tay currently is Truman Scholar working at the Aspen Institute using his voice to make a difference in public policy.

Matthew Letourneau

4-H military camps, like Teen Leadership Summit, have played a big role in Matthew's life. He started as a camper one year hs since returned as an adult leader volunteer for seven more summers. In 2021, Matthew and his younger brother both were accepted to attend Teen Leadership Summit at the Georgia 4-H Center, Wahseaga. For Matthew, it was an incredible week learning about leadership, conquering fears, and making new friends with other military kids who had been through similar life situations. He recalls, "That year, camp was held over the 4th of July, and I will never forget everyone getting up on their own accord during the fireworks to put arms over each other’s shoulders and sing “God Bless The U.S.A.” together. We had been total strangers a few days before, but at that point, we were family in a giant semicircle singing about how much we loved our America; the one our parents, family, and friends work hard every day to keep free"

When Matthew had the opportunity to serve as an adult leader, he was thrilled. He recognizes that "being an adult leader is a lot of work," but cherishes the rewards of making individual connections, helping campers find their groove, and finding their way they way leaders did for him. "I have rarely felt more like I am reaching my full potential than when I am at camp helping those awesome teens connect, learn, lead, feel encouraged, overcame challenges, and try new things, " Matthew described the cool part about 4-H military camps, " even when you aren't the camper, you still find yourself growing as a person" He remembers fondly being a 4-H'er in Virginia competing in performing arts with a group cast in a Saturday Night Live skit but its camping that remains true to his heart especially now as an adult where he helps prepare other youth to be beyond ready.

Matthew's Air Force dad is retired. His brother (who attended 4-H camp with him that first summer) and sister-in-law have carried the tradition as Air Force members and after several Department of Defense contractor positions, Matthew has moved to the office of Government Publishing.

Ryan Walker

Growing up in a Navy family, Ryan moved 11 times during her childhood. She has called Germany, Singapore, and countless states home. During one of those moves, Ryan joined 4-H at her installation CYP Youth Program and loved the 4-H activities in STEM, Wellness, and Service. She mentored younger 4-H'ers as they took on STEM activities and was part of the teen team that hosted a career day, led hand-washing tutorials and talked about the science of cooking while making ice cream.

Ryan attended 4-H STEM camps which pushed her out of her comfort zones as she collaborated with STEM. These opportunities made learning math and science fun which Ryan especially appreciated since she found those areas challenging. Whether studying marine biology and march ecology at Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island (Georgia) or building an underwater sea-perch in Maine, her 4-H STEM experiences made a difference for Ryan and stand out as some of her best memories.

Ryan graduated from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualize Study with a concentration on the intersection of Photography and the Themes of Justice and a minor in Print Journalism. Today, she is part of Major League Baseball serving as a photo coordinator in the New York City office.