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“Flattening the curve” is an important concept in discussions about the coronavirus, but what does it really mean?
“Flattening the curve” refers to the lines on a graph documenting the number of cases compared to the timespan of an outbreak. Normally, when a virus or illness hits a community, there is an early peak in cases (the number of people who get sick), and then the rate of infection slows down, causing the peak to drop. But if that first peak is high, the number of people needing treatment can overwhelm the healthcare system.
RAYMOND, Miss. -- Rylee Plemons was one of several Mississippians who met at the Mississippi State Capitol Feb. 26 to tell their stories and raise awareness about living with a rare disease.
The 10-year-old Stone County 4-H member was diagnosed with Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia, or Fairbank’s disease, five years ago. He began sharing information about the degenerative joint disease through the Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H program.
The romantic idea of owning and riding horses often does not match the costly and time-consuming reality of maintaining them, a discrepancy being addressed in workshops aimed at making horse ownership more rewarding.
Clay Cavinder, horse specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, offers a one-day workshop and a six-week program to address the tremendous amount of information that a horse owner must absorb.
Did you know February is Heart Health Month? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that around 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year. That’s one in every four deaths!
JACKSON, Miss. -- Melissa Tolar was hopeful that her daughter, Emmy, would be featured in this year’s Dixie National Sale of Champions, but she admitted to some uncertainty about her chances at first.
Emmy, a 12-year-old 4-H’er from Marion County with autism, had difficulties with communication and presenting her animals dating back to when she began showing livestock four years ago. To advance to this year’s sale, one of the goats she showed had to place first in the Dixie National Junior Round-Up.
Success Stories
Cloverbuds in Grenada County develop STEM skills
Story by Leah Barbour • Photos by Kevin Hudson
It was the summer of 2018. Grenada Elementary School teacher Dianne Brewer—a classroom veteran of more than 25 years—was working at the local Yalobusha County library, and she saw a group of 5-year-olds enthusiastically participating in a 4-H LEGO Engineering lesson.
While the children were too young to be considered 4-H’ers—5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds who participate in the youth development program are called Cloverbuds—they were not too young to learn and apply...
4-H'er learns life lessons in national competition
Story by Leah Barbour • Photos by Kevin Hudson
4-H S.A.F.E.T.Y. is Mississippi 4-H’s biggest program. Competitors in the Safe Archery and Firearms Education and Training for Youth program are immersed in essential firearm-safety training to learn maturity, self-discipline, responsibility, and sportsmanship.
More than 700 adult instructors support the thousands of Mississippi young people enrolled in 4-H S.A.F.E.T.Y. When the competition cycle begins, the young people and the adults teaching them put on...
Photo by Kevin Hudson
Cousins Tredell and Anthony Meeks brought home top honors at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championship in Georgia in 2019. The pair has participated in the family pastime since they were small children but decided to join 4-H 6 years ago to meet new people, learn new things, and compete among their peers.
Q&A by Jessica Smith Roebuck
Neal Smith grew up in Picayune in Pearl River County and has lived in Ohio for 27 years. As the chief executive officer and executive secretary for the American Jersey Cattle Association, Smith has been able to stay connected to the reason he joined 4-H as a child—his love of dairy cattle. He first joined 4-H because he wanted to show his Jersey calf at the Pearl River County Fair.
Q: What 4-H projects did you do? Any activities that were your favorites?
A: Showing dairy cattle at county, district, and state fair. Dairy...
4-H blends hobby with skill-building for Meeks cousins
Story by Susan Collins-Smith • Photo by Kevin Hudson
Tredell and Anthony Meeks have been riding horses since they were small children. But 6 years ago, they decided they wanted to join 4-H in Holmes County and participate in competitions. “We saw other 4-H members who were doing horse competitions, and we thought it looked like fun,” says 18-year-old Anthony. “We wanted to try it.”
By all accounts, the pair are something to see atop their horses; they often draw a crowd at events. Tredell with horse...
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