And when “county pride” is the subject, the County Fair is the coin of the realm. The State Fair has become almost a competition among 4-H county educators and county volunteers. Countypride trumps 4-H pride every time. Of course, when there are elections and county commissioners have to vie for voter attention, having the county bring home those blue ribbons provides innumerable photo-ops. Beaming young people and proud volunteers (who just happen to also be candidates for office) are free publicity that is irreplaceable. The state 4-H Director, Joe Smiley, has long had no control over the process, at most capturing personal stories and vignettes tobring to the state legislature.
TheWake-Up Call
Born and bred on a large family farm in the state anda product of the LGU system, Smileyhas been 4-H Director for 20 years, and before that was Assistant Director for tenyears. In fact, except for a short stint on the farm after graduation, 4-H is the only job he has known. Two months ago, he was admitted to the LGUMedical Center withchest pains. With more pill bottles than coffee cups on his kitchen shelf, he has decided that it is time to retire, to pivot toward his family and his 16 grandchildren. The search for a new 4-H Director resulted in over 40 applications from around the country. Perhaps the two-year national battlewith COVID-19 played into the considerations of many Directors who saw the continued rural health and calm, somewhat isolated setting of the state tobe an attractive family alternative to the pressures and increasing insecurityof life in the big city. Two-thirds of the applications came from the coasts. Amazingly, one of the applicants was BeverlyDuncan, 4-H Director in Tampa, Florida. Nationally within 4-H leadership, Bev is The Face of 4-H. She has won national awards for her leadership, has chaired virtually every 4-H and ECOP-4-H committee around, and is on a first name basis with top brass at the USDA. And she opted to keep her name in the candidate pool even after the interview process. In that process she askedhard questions and got even harder answers. Or rather, a very hard lack of answers. Discussionduring the interview regarding 4- H’s organizational health reveals that the current State 4 -H Director has, effectively, no idea how 4-H is doing overall. Neither does the state ExtensionDirector. There are overall numbers that are reported regularly, but it is very difficult to tell what exactly programming looks like and where the content emphasis is. Upon taking t he job, Bev asks for a meeting with the university’s multi -campus faculty council. She is told that the agenda is really pretty full for the next severalmonths. Lots of issues todiscuss and items to decide. Really, really sorry, but there is just no slot. Maybe next year. We’ll put you on the list and be back to you. Not used to taking no for an answer, Bev reaches out to the President’s office at the main campus. Sorry, who are you? What program? Sorry, he is very, very backed up. Let me put this on a list of things I need to talk to him about. I’ll be back to you. Crickets. Bev reaches out to the chancellors of five of the decentralized campuses withwhat appear to be the strongest 4-H programs, at least in terms of numbers. Three never return the call. Two assistants call
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