4-H Day at the Capitol brings civics to life for more than 500 Arkansas youth
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Looking out over a sea of green framed by the white marble of the Capitol Rotunda, Attorney General Tim Griffin called the more than 500 4-H members before him “the single largest group ever assembled in the Arkansas Capitol.”
Despite stormy weather, youth from 54 of Arkansas’ 75 counties traveled to Little Rock on Tuesday for 4-H Day at the Capitol. The event is held every other year when the Arkansas Legislature is in session. It gives 4-H members a chance to meet their legislators, learn about the legislative process, and share how they are making a difference in their communities through 4-H. They also got a sneak peek inside the State Treasurer’s vault.
Members of the House and Senate read resolutions proclaiming March 4 as 4-H Day.
“It’s encouraging to see this many young people turn out on a day like today concerned about their own personal development and the development of their community and state,” said John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service, which oversees 4-H. “Our programs are grounded in the belief that young people learn best by doing. Today is an example of that engagement.”
Madison County 4-H member Vallie Yancey,16, was attending her second 4-H Day at the Capitol event. With 11 years of 4-H experience, Yancey has a sheep production project and is a member of a 4-H leadership team that plans and coordinates all 4-H activities in Madison County — from 4-H camps for younger Cloverbud 4-H members to the county’s annual 4-H banquet.
“I love how we get to talk to our legislators and meet people who run our state,” she said.
Tribute to 4-H
Several of the state’s elected officials welcomed the 4-H delegation and praised their community service, leadership skills and work ethic.
“I love the 4-H motto — to make the best better,” Lt. Governor Leslie Rutledge said. “That’s what every Arkansan should strive to do.”
State Treasurer John Thurston encouraged the youth to register to vote when they turn 18 and to participate in the political process.
Griffin commended 4-Hers on being leaders in their communities and offered some advice: “Keep feeding and clothing and leading and building and doing all the great things you do, but make sure you stay up with who your elected officials are. Take the opportunity to know them and their staff.”
Later in the day, 4-H groups from Benton and Union counties attended Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ news conference about two pieces of legislation — the Grocery Tax Relief Act to repeal the state grocery tax, and the Good Neighbor Act that would expands protections for food donors and food banks.
New opportunities
Many 4-Hers were visiting the Capitol for the first time, including Mariah Valentine, 15, of Pea Ridge. She was excited to see inside the Capitol and was looking forward to “meeting my legislators from Benton County and learning about the process.”
Craighead County 4-H member Maggie Hutton, 15, met with Rep. Frances Cavenaugh, who is a 4-H alumna.
“It went really well,” Hutton said. “We told her about our projects and found out we have a lot in common. She really supports 4-H in our county.”
For her service project, Hutton compiled a list and location of food banks and hunger relief organizations in Craighead County to help food-insecure families find assistance.
Investment in the future
More than 120,000 Arkansas youth are involved in 4-H, which fosters civic engagement, leadership skills, community service and life skills gained through project-based work.
Deacue Fields, vice president for agriculture with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said 4-H is one of the best career and workforce development programs.
“Legislators, if you want a strong return on investment in Arkansas’ future workforce, invest in 4-H,” Fields said. “4-H has a strong track record of using results-driven educational experience to help youth reach their full potential. I have no doubt that in this group today, we have future entrepreneurs, future community leaders, future state legislators, U.S. Congressmen and leaders of the Division of Agriculture.”
The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
To learn more about 4-H, visit [email protected] or contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
Obituary: Charles Keith (1957-2025)
Charles Darrell Keith, who resided near Charleston, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was born on November 22, 1957, in Ozark, Arkansas, to Leon and Wanda (Mantooth) Keith. He was 67 years old. He was preceded in death by his father, Leon Keith.
Darrell was a retired measurement technician at CenterPoint Energy. He was a 1976 graduate of Charleston High School and served 15 years on the Charleston School Board. He enjoyed camping, Bluegrass music, and each year, attending the Turkey Track Bluegrass Festival in Waldron. His biggest pride and joy was his grandchildren and loved spending time with family and friends. Darrell was a faithful member of Vesta Methodist Church.
Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 3rd at Brotherton Funeral Home Chapel in Charleston, with Pastor Eric Marsh and Rev. Geral Holloway officiating. Burial will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Charleston, under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home and Flower Shop in Charleston.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Myra (Gann) Keith; two daughters, Mandy Murray and husband Michael and Becky Dodson and husband Brad, all of Charleston; a son, Derek Keith and wife Melanie of Charleston; his mother, Wanda Keith of Charleston; his sister, Sharrell Merritt and husband Jay; six grandchildren, Drake Dodson, Billie Murray, Kyleigh Murray, Ella Dodson, Isaac Dodson, and Tatum Keith.
Pallbearers are Michael Murray, Brad Dodson, Drake Dodson, Isaac Dodson, Josh McRorey, Jake McRorey, and Josh Underwood.
Honorary pallbearers will be the 1976 graduating class of Charleston High School and employees of ARKLA Gas Company.
The family will visit with friends from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vesta Methodist Church, P.O. Box 625 Charleston, AR 72933.
To place an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.
UAFS Fall 2024 Chancellor’s and Dean’s List Announced
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith has released the Dean’s List for the fall 2024 semester, according to Dr. Shadow Robinson, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Students with a 4.0 (straight-A) grade point average are included in a unique list called the Chancellor’s List in addition to the Dean’s List. Students who earned Chancellor’s List honors are marked with an asterisk.
Booneville: Allie Baptiste*, Jonathon Barnes*, Camdyn Dove*, Linley Garrett*, Justin Goff, Abigail Henriquez*, Emma Kennedy, Jozelyn Porter, Viviana Preston*, Rachel Robertson*, Diamond Scoma, Emily Smith, Seth Wester, Cole Wright*
Branch: Lillian Turner
Cedarville: Emily Brown, Margaret Burris, Cynthia Inge, Christopher Mendoza, Molly Self, Briley Small, Elizabeth Terry*
Central City: Neika Denney*, Douglas Haulmark*, Logan Lundquist, Willow McFerran, Elijah Walton*
Charleston: Hayden Claiborne*, Hannah Cousins, Brodrick Grantham, Destiny Keolaphan, Hunter Little, Whitney McCoy, Ellason Meador, Billie Murray, Christopher Neissl*, Brayden Ross, Rylee Ross, Zachary Rytting*, Brandon Scott*, David Taylor, Sandra Torkelson*, Heather Tygart*, Peri Tygart, Marissa Villalobos
Greenwood: Averi Abbott, Bryce Barentine, Thomas Bartok*, Alex Beherns*, Joshua Berg, Sarah Beshears, Connor Bibiano, Jessica Black*, Benjamin Braswell, Aubree Cardwell, Kaitlyn Cobbler*, Denver Cooper, Brycen Cox, Christopher Daggs, Ty Davis*, Mckinley Driscoll, Sara Dungan, Cristin Eppinette*, Timothy Ewing, Prairie Farris*, Madison Faulkenberry, Lily Francis, Steven Gonzagowski, Taylor Hartsfield*, Kylie Hicks*, Victoria Howard*, Nathan Huff, Hunter Jeffcoat*, Trey Lewis*, Taylor Magness, Bailey Malenshek*, Gustavo Martinez*, Travis McAnelly*, Jaycee McBride, Hannah Minor, Clayton Mooney*, Rebecca Morrison*, Gracyn Newcity*, Steven Nhongvongsithi*, Maddalena Overturf*, Jordan Owens, Olivia Partin, Lillie Peeples, Samantha Pennington, Mubarka Pervez, Zoey Phillips, Jacob Reed, Ali Rhodes, Samantha Robison*, Beau Sampley*, Seth Secrease, Charley Sharp*, Anna Shirley*, Kiley Stanfill, Amie Taylor*, Cydney Taylor*, Payton Tedford, Yvette Tolentino, Fallon Van Lare, Veronica Vargas, Ruby Watson, Hayden Wells, Dalton Whittaker, Rachel Wiginton, Sarah Williams, Alyssa Wilson, Brett Woolsey, Brooklyn Woolsey, Shayla Woolsey, Madison Yancey, Raven Yates, Carolyn Young
Hackett: Catherine Acord, Brooklyn Black, Ashton Efurd, Linnie Hice, Katelyn Ledbetter*, Shawn Robison*, Whitney Silva, Isabela Suni, Talon Tuck
Hartford: Wyatt Hester, Emilie Nelson, Matthew Nolan
Huntington: Bianca Berryman*, Harlie Fuller, Madison McKusker, Dorian Mead, Sarah White, Mason Williams*
Lavaca: Kevin Allen, Journi Brown, Piper Brown, Joslyn Cooksey, Sydney Crabtree*, Caroline Cravey*, Parker Dempsey, Lyla Flint*, Mason Galarza, Eden Goude, Alexander Hobbs*, Katie Johnson, Taylor Lile*, Katlyn May*, Abigail Melton*, Briana Mudd*, Amy Murphy*, Ashley Murry*, Maddox Noel*, Canon Reed, Kyle Rushing, Josiah Stevens, Mallory Taggart, Kylie Teague*, Eli Thomas*, Anna Todaro*, Payhton Vereecke*, Samantha Wagner, Lily Williams, Timothy Willis
Magazine: Kaylyn Dickens, Ciera Grijalva, Arienne McCollum*, Kiara Vasquez
Mansfield: Kimber Campbell*, Christina Gregory*, Zachary Hayslip, Dakota Langford, Bethany Sartin, Victor Steffen, Kiara Thomas*, Alayna Turner*, Gary Vaughan
Midland: Skylar Cumbie
Paris: Bethany Koch*
Waldron: Eden Akins, Kailie Brewer, Payton Brown, Drake Carnley*, Tate Carnley, Erica Davis, Bayleigh Deramus, Destiny Gaston*, Taylor Horn*, Jayden Manning, Julissa Mejia*, Lane Metcalf*, Lupita Morales, Meagan Murdock, Tara Nix, Vanessa Orozco*, Harleigh Rice*, Alicia Sher, Korie Underwood, Kelsey Yother
Obituary: Gregory Owens (1966 – 2025)
Gregory Royce Owens of Waldron, Arkansas, also known as “Biggin”, passed from this life, Thursday, February 27, 2025 at his home. Greg was born July 29, 1966 to Royce D. Owens and Gloria June (Wagner) Owens. He was 58 years old.
Greg was a loving father and Papaw. He enjoyed watching his son and daughter play sports when they were younger and when he became Papaw he would go to games and was the biggest fan for his grands. Greg enjoyed being outdoors deer hunting and running dogs with his son, dad, grandson and friends. Field Trialing was his passion. He loved to gather around the fire with great friends and he always had a good story to tell everywhere he went. Greg was a good ol’ country boy and his heart was as big as he was tall. Everyone who knew Greg knew he was a bit of a gentle giant.
Greg leaves behind to cherish his memory, his father, Royce Owens, his children: Clayton Owens and wife Tesia and Caroline Pearson and wife Rachel, one sister Tammye Sherrill and husband Phillip. Papaw will forever remain in the hearts of his grandchildren: Natallie, Austin and Gracie Owens. Greg is also survived by one nephew Caleb Sherrill and wife Kishia as well as great nieces and nephews Clayton Miller, Ryleigh Sneed and Presleigh Sherrill. Greg will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of extended family, neighbors and friends he loved dearly.
Greg was preceded in death by his mother Gloria June Owens and grandparents Leonard and Mildred Wagner and Ules Pud and Willow Owens.
Greg’s life celebration will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 3, 2025 at the Mt. Moriah Community Church with Caleb Sherrill officiating. Interment will follow in the Union Hill Cemetery in Union Hill, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Greg’s pallbearers will be Jack Nix, Billy Chrisman, David Chrisman, Derek Barnett, Mark Defoor and Jeff Ridenhour. Honorary pallbearers will be Austin Owens, Gary Burnett, Tom Wagner, Dal White, Dalton Dozier and Brent Mays.
Greg’s visitation will be Sunday, March 2, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
