High 4-H Honors

Brunswick 4-H’ers Autumn Apple and Sydney Blair attend the NC 4-H Congress and are inducted into the prestigious 4-H Honor Club.

Contributed by Morgan King

Autumn Apple and Sydney Blair, Brunswick County 4-H members, attended NC 4-H Congress, which was held virtually this year. This year’s 4-H Congress, held July 19 to 22, attracted more than 200 youth and adults representing 4-H programs across the state. Conference delegates participated in general sessions, learned together in workshops, recognized award winners and elected State 4-H Officers for the upcoming year.

Apple, 17, of Ash, was inducted into the 4-H Honor Club, one of the highest honors a 4-H’er can achieve. Apple is entering her senior year of high school and has been an active 4-H member since the age of 5. As a young 4-H member, she dabbled in a variety of 4-H projects and programs. As she got older, she began to focus her efforts in the areas of environment, STEM and healthy living. As a youth volunteer she has taught thousands of youths throughout Brunswick County about stress management, healthy living and vermicomposting. Apple has served in numerous leadership roles at the county level and served as the Southeast District 4-H Vice President for year 2020-2021.

Blair, 18, of Shallotte, was also inducted into the 4-H Honor Club. Blair joined 4-H at the beginning of her freshman year at Brunswick Early College High School. As a new 4-H member she was eager to get involved in as many programs and projects as she could. As a youth volunteer, she taught youth throughout Brunswick County about the environment, robotics and healthy living. Blair quickly became a leader at the county level and served as the Southeast District Reporter for year 2019-2020. She was elected as one of only four members to serve on a team to lead NC 4-H on the state level, serving as NC 4-H State Reporter for 2020-2021. Her achievements in 4-H made her a competitive applicant for 4-H Scholarships; she was awarded the Edward Gore/General Hugh Shelton 4-H Leadership Scholarship worth $2,600, the Rachel Kirby Thomas and Dr. Frank Bancroft Thomas 4-H Food & Nutrition Scholarship worth $2,000, and the Robert N Wood Collegiate 4-H Scholarship worth $1,000. Blair will be attending NC State to study agroecology with a concentration in community food systems.

New Honor Club members were tapped during a candlelight ceremony on July 19. Membership in the Honor Club is based on service to the 4-H program, leadership, moral standards, 4-H activities and project achievement. Less than one-half of 1 percent of North Carolina 4-H’ers are selected for membership each year. Members must be at least 16 years old and have a minimum of three years 4-H experience.

4-H is North Carolina’s largest youth development organization, equipping more than 263,000 young people each year with the skills to succeed and improve the world around them. 4-H programs and camps encourage young people to “learn by doing,” helping them to develop into active, contributing citizens. NC State Extension and the Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T State University coordinate 4-H programs statewide.

To learn more:
Visit N.C. Cooperation Extension’s Brunswick County Center at brunswick.ces.ncsu.edu.