July 30, 2020
Arkansas 4-H member appointed to national 4-H advisory committee
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Sara Gardner of Fayetteville one of 11 alumni nationwide named to national advisory committee
- 4-H alumna plans to advocate for youth opportunities
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LITTLE ROCK — The 4-H National Council has selected longtime Arkansas 4-H member Sara Gardner of Fayetteville to serve on its Young Alumni Advisory Committee, where she will help guide the national organization.
Gardner, a graduate of Fayetteville High School, is a junior at the University of Arkansas, where she is pursuing a double major in agricultural economics and international economics with minors in agricultural leadership, international economic development and Spanish. Upon graduation, she plans to attend law school and become an attorney for veterans or agriculture.
She is one of 11 young 4-H alumni nationwide appointed to the advisory committee, which works to support National 4-H Council and advise the Board of Trustees.
“This is a big honor for Sara and a great recognition for Arkansas 4-H,” said Martha Ray Sartor, associate vice president – family and consumer sciences and 4-H youth development for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Gardner was a 4-H member for 11 years and worked on numerous citizenship, leadership and public speaking projects. She said she plans to use her position on the Young Alumni Advisory Committee to advocate for civic engagement, increased international opportunities and more youth engagement with veterans.
“4-H has shaped my values, established my dreams, and inspired me to turn vision into reality,” she said. “What began as a flag etiquette speech at the age of 8 has become a foundation of ambition and the source of my desire to make a difference. I am forever indebted to 4-H for making me the young woman I am today, and I am eager to give back to this organization through my role on the National Young Alumni Advisory Committee and throughout my lifetime.
“I hope to use my voice to tell my story, share the stories of Arkansas 4-H, and hear new stories of how 4-H is changing lives in our nation and world.”
Arkansas 4-H is the youth development program offered by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture. Programs are offered free in every county in Arkansas and serve more than 100,000 youth.
To learn about Arkansas 4-H, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit http://www.uaex.uada.edu/counties, or visit Arkansas 4-H online at http://uaex.uada.edu/4h-youth/. Follow the Cooperative Extension Service on Twitter at @AR_Extension.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact:
Tracy Courage
Director, Communications Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
tcourage@uada.edu