Two 4-H members from Sevier County have been named Arkansas 4-H Teen Stars for their outstanding achievement in 4-H projects and activities, leadership, and community service.
This year’s honorees are Brayden Frachiseur and Alec Frachiseur.
Brayden Frachiseur is the son of Katrina Frachiseur and the late Jeremy Frachiseur. He is a member of the Goin’ Showin’ 4-H Club and has been active in 4-H for ten years.
Alec Frachiseur is the son of Tyler and Kimberly Frachiseur and the late Sonya Turner. He is a member of the Chapel Hill 4-H Club and has been active in 4-H for six years.
Brayden and Alec are two of 57 4-H youth selected for the honor this year. This year’s recipients represent 32 counties across the state who were selected from thousands of 4-H members statewide.
“The Teen Stars program recognizes youth who are making a difference in 4-H and in our community,” said Rex Herring, Sevier County Extension Agent-Staff Chair. “Both of these boys are go-getters and have been consistently working on developing knowledge and skills in their project areas and have proven themselves to be service-minded and capable leaders. We look forward to seeing how far they will go.”
Arkansas Teen Stars are selected based on their leadership ability, integrity, high moral standards and high goals, outstanding achievement in both project and service activities, their ability to work with others, a positive attitude, interest in the 4-H program and a general interest in organizations and activities for youth development. To be considered, a member must have completed a minimum of two years of 4-H work and be an active member.
Honorees are usually recognized during the Teen Star/Hall of Fame banquet at the statewide Teen Leader Conference, usually held at the Arkansas 4-H Center.
“Because of COVID-19, things will be a little different this year,” said Ashley Dingman, a 4-H program associate. “We’ve moved the Teen Leadership Conference online, and we’ll be recognizing each of our outstanding youth with a video specifically for our 2020 Teen Stars.”
The Teen Star recognition paves the way for youth to later apply to be 4-H Ambassadors who then become eligible to run for state officer positions. Any Teen Star who is graduating high school can also apply for the $1,000 Zack O. and Jennie D. Jennings scholarship.
4-H is the youth development program of the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Participation is free to youth in every county.
To learn about 4-H and other Extension programs in Arkansas, contact the Sevier County Cooperative Extension Service at (870) 584-3013 or visit www.uaex.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @UAEX_edu.