By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FERNDALE, Ark. — Arkansas 4-H, the state’s largest youth program, could use your help on March 17, a day when people are thinking about all things green.

“Green is our color,” said John Thomas, managing director of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation. “Having March 17 as our fourth annual ‘giving of the green day’ seemed to be a great reminder that we need your support.

“Each year, Arkansas 4-H distributes more than $150,000 in college and activity scholarships,” he said. “You can be sure your donation goes to a good cause. Please support us.”

Thomas said donations can be made online, or donors may text AR4H to 44321. He notes that when texting, donors will be asked to give a $44 default gift or donate a custom amount.

Arkansas 4-H members can attest to the personal growth opportunities the organization offers. There are some 130,000 youth involved with 4-H in Arkansas.

Arkansas 4-H awwards some $150K in scholarships each year.

“My experiences taught me a lot about seeing the whole picture and really understanding other perspectives,” said Jack Berryhill, a past Arkansas 4-H president. 4-H “gave me great insight into how others think and feel and how things affect them. That gave me understanding and compassion for wanting to work with others”

Diamond Jones, the current Arkansas 4-H president, said, “If you want a group of people who believe in you, who back you up, and who offer to teach you, I say join Arkansas 4-H. It’s definitely left a huge impact on the way I socialize with others, and I’ve learned so many skills that I wouldn’t have before."

Learn more about the Arkansas 4-H Foundation at arkansas4hfoundation.org.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

LITTLE ROCK — Two members of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation board of directors are among those named as the state’s 250 most influential people by Arkansas Business.

Making this year’s list were Marvin Childers, president of The Poultry Foundation, and Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.

Ward and Childers serve on the board’s resource development committee. Ward is also on the asset management and operations committee. Both joined the board in 2019.

NAMED MOST INFLUENTIAL — Marvin Childers, left, and Wes Ward, right, both members of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation Board, have been named to this year's Arkansas Business list of the 250 most influential leaders. (Images courtesy The Poultry Federation and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture)

“We’re proud of all of our board members and their support of Arkansas 4-H, and we’re always glad when their role in Arkansas is recognized like this,” said John Thomas, managing director of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation. “Mr. Ward and Mr. Childers have both served on our board for several years and have been great champions for Arkansas and Arkansas 4-H.”

Marvin Childers has been federation president since January 2007. Before joining The Poultry Federation, Childers also served in the Arkansas House from 2001 to 2006 and has practiced law with Friday, Eldredge & Clark since 2000.

A native of northeast Arkansas, Wes Ward was appointed head of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture in 2015. An attorney, he has an LLM in agricultural and food law and a master of science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas. Ward also serves in the Marine Corps Reserve.

The Arkansas 4-H Foundation supports the youth development efforts of the Cooperative Extension Service by raising funds for scholarships and programs and to maintain the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center. The center is not only a hub for youth activities, but also a conference center that hosts corporate, non-profit and other organizational team-building and education activities.

In 2023 alone, the 4-H Foundation has provided just over $100,000 in scholarships for college and other learning activities.

“I want to congratulate Marvin and Wes for making Arkansas Business' 250 Most Influential Leaders,” said Bob Scott, director of the Cooperative Extension Service. “Well done gentlemen, and we are grateful for your leadership on the board as well as all the other interactions we have throughout the Division of Agriculture.”

Debbie Nistler, who heads the 4-H program in Arkansas, said, “We are blessed with an abundance of good people helping our cause. We appreciate both Wes and Marvin for investing their valuable time, expertise and enthusiasm in our efforts to help Arkansas youth make the best better.”

The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Visit the Arkansas 4-H Foundation online to learn more about its activities or donate.

Arkansas Business released its list on Tuesday.

March 17: Giving of the green for Arkansas 4-H

Childers, Ward named to ‘Most Influential’ list