Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. J.D. Ragland, 806468-5543, j-ragland@tamu.edu
CANYON – The Randall County Dream Team Program has received the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Superior Service Award for Diversity.
The award was presented Jan. 8 during the agency’s Centennial Conference in College Station.
Recognized with the Randall County Dream Team Program were: Dr. J.D. Ragland, agriculture and natural resources agent; Leesa Wood Calvi, family and consumer sciences agent; Kim Peters, 4-H and youth development agent; and Shannon Walsh, program assistant for urban programs.
In 2009, the Randall County Judge approached AgriLife Extension agents Ragland and Calvi about starting a 4-H Club Program for at-risk youth who were being seen in the county’s Justice of the Peace Courts.
A committee of middle school principals, counselors and curriculum directors, along with the two Randall County Justices of the Peace, joined the AgriLife Extension staff to become the Randall County 4-H Dream Team Leadership Advisory Committee.
The program’s goal for the youth selected is to obtain and maintain a 4-H swine project, attend training meetings teaching the six pillars of character, feed and care for the animal twice daily, seven days a week, for a four to five month period, and exhibit in the Randall County Junior Livestock Show.
Since the program’s inception, the Randall County Dream Team has awarded this unique opportunity to 17 at-risk youth. The total processed from livestock sales for youth was $12,000, and participant scholarship funds were $7,200.
“Most importantly, participants have raised school grades, advanced development in communication skills and have no repeat offenses through the Randall County juvenile court system,” the nomination stated.
Superior Service awards are presented to personnel who demonstrate outstanding performance or provide exceptional service to AgriLife Extension, an educational outreach agency of The Texas A&M University System.
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