A young smiling Black man holding a snake and standing near a city street.

If a kid can be a modern-day Renaissance man, 4-H member Krishton “Kris” Johnson of Jackson fits the bill.

A girl wearing denim smiles as she feeds her chickens.

Children who enjoy hands-on learning and want to showcase their accomplishments and compete against fellow participants can join the 4-H Poultry Chain Project.

A smiling woman, holding a bowl of rocks in one hand and a bowl of sandy colored dirt in the other, standing in from of paintings hung on a line to dry.

Robin Whitfield, who gave the child the paper, stands awestruck, watching her friend’s daughter use the flower to draw and color on the page.

 

A man, smiling, standing outside and wearing a blue suit with a white-striped red tie.

Andy Berry has many roles—Mississippi state senator for District 35, including Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson Counties; executive director of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association; cattle farmer; and former Lawrence County 4-H’er.Andy Berry has many roles—Mississippi state senator for District 35, including Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson Counties; executive director of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association; cattle farmer; and former Lawrence County 4-H’er.Andy Berry has many roles—Mississippi state senator for District 35, including Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson Counties; executive director of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association; cattle farmer; and former Lawrence County 4-H’er.

A woman standing beside the window of a house that has a sign with “Venisha’s Home” listed on it.

In Rolling Fork, the Mississippi town in Sharkey County devastated by a twister on March 24, 2023, despair was not an option.

A plate of strawberries and pretzels beside a glass 4-H emblem.

The 2023 4-H Day at the Fair, held annually at the Mississippi State Fair each October, hosted hundreds of Mississippi 4-H’ers at the Jackson fairgrounds. 4-H’ers participated in beef, pork, poultry, and omelet cooking competitions.

A man wearing overalls and standing in a blooming cotton field.

After graduating from college, David Hey got out of farming to be a truck driver, but before long he realized he wanted back in.

A large group of people standing on a covered patio.

In late February, Mississippi State University hosted the 2024 National Floriculture Forum, an annual conference held at different locations around the country. 

Two Black women smiling and standing in front of a hanging multicolored quilt.

Iris McGee always wanted to have a quilting group in Greenville like the one her twin sister, Janis Moore, belonged to in Los Angeles.

A man with a blue visor and T-shirt listing “Pearl Riverkeeper” and holding a clipboard in front of a waterway.

Billy Mitchell spent his childhood summers in the water and has lived at Pelahatchie Bay for more than three decades, so his dedication to protecting water resources now almost makes too much sense.

A mother embraces her son in a school hallway.

When Kash Barnett started preschool, his vocabulary consisted of just five words.

Six people, including two women, three girls, and one boy, wearing maroon polo shirts and smiling at the camera.

She knew she wanted to teach even when she was just a kid, but Dr. Molly Nicodemus also realized pretty quickly that she wanted to teach older students at the college level. Now an associate professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at Mississippi State University, Nicodemus has embraced a new teaching role with adolescents and teens as a volunteer leader for the Winston County 4-H Horse Club.

A woman, flanked by a young man and woman, holds a nameplate listing “E. Ruth Morgan.”

Edna Ruth Morgan’s family never would have guessed her chosen career would have been in entomology.

A man, smiling, wearing a hard hat and neon shirt with L&S Logging printed on it.

Folks expect the Outstanding Logger of the Year to have a stellar safety record, a powerful love of the land, and a passionate, resilient work ethic. What they may not expect is a logger who cares about the look of the job. 

A woman with a straw hat and round-framed glasses holding a bunch of flowers and smiling.

A broken-down car on a Sunday afternoon in 1983 led two attorneys to purchase forestland in Hancock County. Forty years and about 500 acres later, La Terre Farms in Kiln has wide-ranging industries that include a holiday greenery business and cut flowers grown for florists across the Gulf Coast and New Orleans.

Three women standing in front of a MyPlate banner.

Dining with Diabetes covers healthy eating, physical activity, disease monitoring, medication compliance, and risk reduction, and the course empowers participants by giving them access to nutrition knowledge and resources for food preparation. Classes include research-based education, cooking demonstrations, and healthy recipe tasting. These tools can help people make positive changes by planning menus, counting carbohydrates, controlling portions, and reading labels.

Two women standing in front of a flag, smiling.

Being a municipal clerk isn’t easy. In Mississippi, these city officers are appointed by local aldermen and the city mayor, who hire and fire these financial recordkeepers at will. When voters elect different leaders, those officials can appoint new municipal clerks, who may know only a little about what the job entails.

A young woman wearing a burnt orange and white striped shirt and smiling.

Just a few years ago, Chantel Stringfellow was a leader in Kemper County 4-H, and, now, she’s readying her leadership skills for entrepreneurship as she completes her studies for her Master of Business Administration at Mississippi State University. Stringfellow credits 4-H with helping her develop the skills she needs for success.

Sunset over a brick downtown filled with people milling about.

National Rice Month doesn’t just offer rice producers an opportunity to celebrate—it gives them the chance to enjoy the cooked and served finished products, too! There was something for everyone in Merigold on the third Thursday of September at the annual rice celebration in Bolivar County: Rice Fest.

A teen girl smiling, wearing sunglasses and holding a rowing oar.

Rainey Dunsford says she was shy when she joined Jackson County 4-H in 2022, but those closest to her would say one year has made a big difference.

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Extension Matters Issues

About Extension Matters Magazine

Extension Matters magazine is the premier publication of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, telling our clients’ own stories of success through Extension education.

“We are excited to have our clients tell their stories, and we are thankful for the opportunity to interact with Mississippians through our local offices in all 82 counties across the state,” says Dr. Gary B. Jackson, director of Extension.

Extension Matters profiles people just like you, men and women who want to expand their knowledge base and learn about the latest innovations. Families, farmers, business owners, and government leaders are benefitting from the educational opportunities Extension agents and specialists are bringing to people and communities just like yours. Extension Matters shares our clients’ successes to show how you, too, can succeed through Extension.