Friday, April 25, 2025
The Texas 4-H Youth Development Program held 4-H Day at the Texas State Capitol on March 19, where 253 youths and their family members, alongside Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service employees, spent the day at the state capitol in Austin. Attendees gathered to learn from speakers, explored the capitol, and met with their representatives and senators.
4-H Day at the capitol is held every two years as an opportunity for 4-H members in third through 12th grades.
Speakers for the event included four Texas 4-H alumni who serve in the capitol and in the state 4-H program: Representative Trent Ashby; Conoco Phillips Lobbyist, Kari Gibson; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Associate Director for Health, Youth, and Families, Dr. Courtney Dodd; and Texas 4-H Youth Development Program Director, Dr. Montza Williams. In Representative Ashby’s address to the attendees, he encouraged them to consider service as part of their future, building upon the values they are learning in 4-H today.
“There are people in here that are going to one day serve in elected roles. Part of that is because of what is being instilled in you today as young leaders. You hear a lot the cliché of “leaders of tomorrow” and that is so true, but we need leaders today, too,” Representative Ashby said.
Coryell County 4-H Ambassadors participated in the 2025 Texas 4-H Day at the Capitol. The youth who attended Charles Yarbrough, Kylie Caraway, Troy Ponder, Makaylie Williams, Lily Neilsen, Mary Mitchell, Chelsea Johnson, Mia Conley, Braidy Lusk, Colt Brookshire, Kinsley McPherson, Jeret Burks, Thomas Belt, Dutch Neilsen, Allie McPherson, Cooper Dickey, and Lane Brookshire
These youth and their chaperones, 4-H Leaders Candance Lusk, Ashlee Brookshire, Denise and Aristotle Ponder, along with 4-H Agent Becky Coward, had the opportunity to speak with Representative Shelby Slawson about their 4-H projects and express appreciation for the support from the Texas Legislature.
