By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Kacie Clark of El Paso is the third member of her family to be a finalist for the Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award, and on July 24, she clinched the highest honor awarded in Arkansas 4-H and received a $3,000 scholarship.

WINNER — Kacie Clark of Faulkner County is the 2024 Arkansas 4-H Governor's Award winner. Left to right: John Thomas, managing director of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation; John D. Anderson, Cooperative Extension Service director; Debbie Nistler, assistant vice president for 4-H and youth development for the Division of Agriculture; Joel Anderson, chancellor emeritus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and award sponsor; Kacie Clark; and Deacue Fields, vice president of the Division of Agriculture. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Clark, 18, as the winner in a recorded message played during the Arkansas 4-H Awards of Excellence ceremony at the University of Arkansas.

More than 250 4-H members from across the state are convened on the campus for the annual Arkansas 4-H State O-Rama. During the week-long event, 4-H members elect new officers and participate in more than 30 competitive events, ranging from archery and ATV safety to public speaking, poultry judging and performing arts.

“I feel like I’m going out with a bang,” Clark said of her 13 years in 4-H. “I feel very honored. All of us have done so much in 4-H. Any one of the other finalists would have deserved it.”

Three other 4-H members were finalists for the award with Clark: Connor Henry of Arkansas County; Josiah Lillard of White County; and Zach Gardner of Washington County. They each received a $1,000 scholarship.

“All four of you have achieved amazing things for yourself and your communities,” Gov. Sanders said. “I’m proud of each of you.”

Finalists are chosen based on their accomplishments in leadership, citizenship, community service, 4-H projects and activities, and overall contributions to Arkansas 4-H. The four scholarships are sponsored by 4-H alumni Dr. Joel Anderson, chancellor emeritus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The 4-H Governor’s Award winner’s silver tray is sponsored by former 4-H member and agent Darlene Millard.

A winning spirit

“I am struck by the level of passion and excitement each of our finalists demonstrated,” said Debbie Nistler, assistant vice president for 4-H and youth development for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “They are amazing examples of the spirit of 4-H, and Kacie truly embodies that spirit.”

Earlier Thursday, Clark competed in the performing arts vocal competition, singing “Deeper than the Holler” by Randy Travis. After she took her seat, she clapped and called out encouragement to her competitors.

The 4-H way is to learn by doing through project work, and Clark has learned something new every year. On Thursday, she competed in interior design for the first time.

Clark joined 4-H when she was 5 years old, and she showed a pig at a county fair during her first year. She has had projects in healthy living, fine arts, performing arts-vocals, public speaking, forestry and poultry. She helped organize the first 4-H Food Challenge team to compete in culinary skills and has served as a 4-H camp counselor and a Teen Leader. For the past year, she has served as vice president on the 4-H State Officer Team.

Clark plans to attend Arkansas State University-Beebe this fall and then transfer to ASU-Jonesboro or the University of Arkansas to pursue a degree in agricultural business.

That doesn’t mean she’s done with 4-H. Clark said she plans to remain active in 4-H as a volunteer and wants to lead a Cloverbud Club in Faulkner County.

Clark’s two older brothers, Brent and Travis, both previously served as 4-H state presidents and were finalists for the Governor’s Award.

Shortly after Clark received the award, text messages began arriving from her family watching via livestream.

Her brother, Travis, texted his one-word congratulations: “Nice!”

To learn about 4-H, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit 4h.uada.edu.

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.

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — A member of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture family and her husband and children who died suddenly in December will be memorialized by the Arkansas 4-H Foundation.

BRAGGS — The Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship Fund honors Hope and Don Bragg and their children. (UADA photo)

The foundation has created a scholarship in memory of Hope and Don Bragg, as well as their son Kenny, 22, and daughter, Elizabeth, 19. The four died December 30 in a house explosion while visiting family in Michigan. Their son Stephen, 16, and Hope’s father, Richard Pruden, survived.

On Friday, the Division of Agriculture announced a $5,000 donation to the fund.

The Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship Fund honors Hope Bragg who was a 4-H STEM instructor with the Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service. Her husband Don was a project leader for the U.S. Forest Service with an office at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

“I want to thank John Thomas and the 4-H Foundation for quickly establishing a scholarship in honor of Hope and the Bragg Family,” said Deacue Fields, head of the Division of Agriculture. “This scholarship will honor their memory for years to come by helping young people achieve their college goals.”

The Braggs were beloved by friends and co-workers, many of whom have donated to the fund. With the Division’s gift of $5,000, the foundation has now raised $16,000, said John Thomas, the foundation’s managing director. The foundation needs $25,000 to endow the fund, so that scholarships can be awarded from interest earned on the money while preserving the capital, he said.

“Losing a beloved colleague so suddenly has been a shock to all of our 4-H, extension and Division of Agriculture family,” said John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service. “We all wanted to do something that would honor the Bragg family and their love for Arkansas 4-H, education and particularly the sciences. We hope this scholarship will enable 4-H members to further their education and pursue their own passions for the sciences.”

The scholarship will be awarded annually to an Arkansas 4-H member high school senior who plans to pursue a college degree in natural resources or in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. Archaeology will also be an eligible field of study.

Both Hope and Don were members of the Arkansas Archaeological Society, and their son Kenny was on track to graduate this spring with an archeology degree from Michigan Tech. Their daughter, Beth, was a freshman at the University of Arkansas, and Hope was pursuing a Ph.D.

"This is our way of ensuring that the passions these Bragg family members had for 4-H will not only be remembered but also will be passed on to future generations of Arkansas 4-H youth," Thomas said.

Both Hope and Don shared a profound love of education.

“They were both so focused on educating youth,” said Debbie Nistler, assistant vice president for 4-H Youth Development with the Division of Agriculture. “If you had the opportunity to see either one of them work with youth, you couldn’t help but get excited. We want to make their passion for education a legacy.”

For more information about the Arkansas 4-H Foundation and the scholarship, visit https://www.arkansas4hfoundation.org.

Faulkner County teen wins Arkansas 4-H Governor's Award

A winning spirit

Arkansas 4-H Foundation creates Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship Fund