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Jorja Bessonett, Miller Grove 4-H Club, contributes items during the summer 2020 food drive sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. 4-H members learn to give back to the community through service projects. Courtesy/Johanna Hicks
For over 100 years, 4‑H has inspired families, shaped careers and impacted communities. On Oct. 4-10, we will celebrate the impact of 4‑H during National 4‑H Week. The theme for this year’s National 4-H Week is “Opportunity 4 All.” In the United States, 4-H programs empower six million young people.
With so many children struggling to reach their full potential, in 4-H we believe every child should have an equal opportunity to succeed. We believe every child should have the skills they need to make a difference in the world.
In Hopkins County, we are celebrating with a National 4-H Week proclamation signed by the Commissioners Court. Our 4-H flag will fly throughout the week at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office. TSC Paper Clover Campaign will take place at our local Tractor Supply, Inc. Wednesday, Oct. 7-Sunday, Oct. 18. Contributions at check-out made at that location will benefit our Hopkins County 4-H program, so give generously!
This fall, we are also introducing updates to one of our most popular 4-H projects: foods and nutrition. In September, 17 4-H members took part in the Fall 4-H Foods event. Each participant was given five separate kits containing supplies to complete five projects pertaining to measuring, setting a table, reading a nutrition label, experimenting with spices and herbs, preparing a meal in a slow cooker, and experimenting with various kitchen gadgets. From the responses received in our office, the projects were a hit! Another fall 4-H event is the 4-H Project Show. 4-H members may enter items through Oct. 8 by taking them to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office. Categories are: Art, Crafts, Clothing Construction, Decorated Clothing/Accessories, Food Preservation, Gen‑ eral Sewing, Holiday, Horticulture, Jewelry, Leather Work, Metal Work, Needlework, Photography, Poetry (original), Scrapbooks, and Woodwork.
Entries will be judged Friday, Oct. 8. Projects will be available for public viewing Oct. 12-16 at the Extension Office.
Enrollment for 4-H is now open for the 2020-2021 year by logging onto http://texas.4honline.com. We currently have five clubs in Hopkins County: Infinity, Paws (fourth- and fifth-grade campus), Equine, Miller Grove and Vet Science. Contact the Extension office at 903-885-3443 for instructions on selecting a club and projects. Membership is open to all youth grades 3-12.