Two children kayaking on the water.

When the Mississippi State University Extension Service started organizing 4-H Kayaking Clubs, Kim Gowdy, Extension agent in Jackson County, was convinced it would be a great fit for local youth.

A man standing behind an archery target and surrounded by six children, all smiling.

When Johnny O. Scott was approached 5 years ago about volunteering to lead a group of young people interested in practicing archery, he jumped at the chance.

A woman, smiling, sitting with her arms around a large dog.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are important, and so is knowing where your food comes from, how to grow it yourself, and how to harvest and prepare it. Veteran educator Jana Everett believes children need to learn all these lessons.

A keeling man wearing glasses and a kilt, holding an archery bow.

“Slow down. Relax. Focus. Find your balance. Imagine your problems are the arrow, but you are the bow. The string is God’s power, handling all the work. The bow holds the string that shoots the arrow.”

A man, smiling, standing in front of a candle centerpiece and behind a table with bows, evergreen door swag and evergreen garland.

Dr. Jim DelPrince is taking care of what matters this holiday season, and you can too!

A woman, smiling, holding a 4-H flag and 4-H trophy and standing in front of several 4-H plaques affixed to the wall.

She grew up in the 4-H youth development program in Indiana, and her husband was in Ohio 4-H. Fast-forward a few years, and Inez Saum became a volunteer leader for Mississippi 4-H.

A woman standing outside beside flowers wreathing a door.

Missy Brandon remembers gathering countless bouquets of the tiny blue-eyed bluets that grew in her parents’ yard when she was a child. She would place them in a miniature pottery vase made by her mom, who taught art and ceramics. Growing up, Missy gathered and arranged any and all kinds of blooms she could find.

: A man with a blue cap and glasses grabbing a blue bag of coffee for a blonde, smiling woman.

Bricks to Clicks provides free, low-cost, and easy-to-use marketing resources to help small businesses grow their audiences and income. Free marketing resources include a website course, one-on-one coaching, webinars, podcasts, a blog, and a bimonthly newsletter. With these marketing resources, business owners can get personalized guidance backed by decades of marketing experience to drive online awareness and engagement to increase sales.

A young man wearing a green 4-H blazer stands smiling on a running track.

Jacob Turner has been a 4-H member since he was old enough to join.

A standing woman smiling and wearing a Tennessee 4-H polo.

Oktibbeha County native and former 4-H’er Janiece Pigg has a passion for Extension and 4-H that continues to grow in her current role with University of Tennessee Extension. Her experience in Mississippi 4-H allowed her to build a career devoted to understanding different people and how culture impacts education and leadership.

A man standing in a harvested field.

Sledge Taylor is no stranger to cover crops —he first planted vetch on 100 acres of his Panola County farmland in 1979—but he has ramped up his cover crop usage and added other sustainable agricultural practices over the past 15 years.

A sign with green text that reads, “To Make the Best BETTER” with 4-leaf clovers on either side.

The 2023 Dixie National Junior Round-Up, held annually in February at the Jackson fairgrounds, hosted 1,257 young people, including more than 1,000 4-H’ers, showing 2,153 head of livestock. Animals shown included beef and dairy cattle; meat, dairy, and Boer goats; hogs; and lambs. In addition, 4-H hosted its first-ever rabbit show.

Three men and one woman standing inside.

Rev. Dr. Manney Murphy has known for years that serving his community is his calling. Even after years of making a difference in Warren County, Murphy recently felt led to return to his father’s hometown of Yazoo City. Now, he’s working to change how Mississippians of all ages in the Delta are accessing and receiving healthcare.

The grant was awarded to Dr. Eric Sparks, director of the MSU Coastal and Marine Extension Program, and a team from the MSU Extension Service, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, The Nature Conservancy, Harte Research Institute, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant, and the PEW Charitable Trusts.

Mississippi State University and partners have been awarded a grant of nearly $6.6 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation for shoreline restoration work on the Gulf Coast.

A man wearing a denim shirt and a Master Gardener nametag smiling with a table frame around him listing #1,000 on wood.

Paul Cavanaugh became a Master Gardener when he came off the road as a truck driver and his wife encouraged him to find a hobby.

A professionally dressed woman standing in front of many rows of food cans and beside a sign that lists “HOPE.”

Imagine what Mississippi might look like if everyone had access to healthy foods. The state could set an example for other rural states in using existing resources, collaborating with officials and stakeholders, and creating solutions that have measurable impacts for individuals and families.

A smiling woman stands beside a museum display.

Former U.S. senators, award-winning authors, and influential musicians have called Carrollton home, so it makes sense that town leaders lean on those credentials to lure visitors to the town to generate revenue.

A smiling man with a polo listing his name as “Dr. Eddie Smith” is surrounded by colorful flowers.

Thanks to Dr. Eddie Smith for taking care of what matters to all the Southern Gardening fans out there!

A man standing inside in front of the Southern AgCredit wordmark on a wall.

The 4-H Poultry Chain Project regularly receives generous donations from organizations across the state, but the project has never received a donation quite like Southern AgCredit’s pledge of $25,000 over 5 years.

A man and woman standing in front of steps, smiling.

When Kathryn Reed saw that young people in her community needed more opportunities to participate in activities to help them grow spiritually and personally, she took action.

“We have a lot of activities for adults in our community, but there was nothing for our pre-teens and teenagers,” explains Kathryn. “We are losing them when they get to that age.”

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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.