Muhlenberg County teen making a difference through 4-H

Bobbie Hayse, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Mar. 9—Being involved in 4-H has opened a lot of doors for Muhlenberg County High School senior Susan Newbury.

The 17-year-old Greenville native is a part of several clubs within the organization, and most recently she received the Gold Award in the 4-H Achievement Program, which allowed her to travel to Atlanta, Georgia.

Mackenzie Pogue, Muhlenberg County Extension 4-H youth development agent, said it's an honor to earn a Gold Achievement award.

The 4-H program "encourages young people to set and achieve their goals," and to that end, "the Kentucky 4-H Achievement Program was created to reward ambitious and accomplished young people throughout the state."

Each Kentucky district can submit 10 applicants for the Gold Award. Of the 70 applicants, 30 are selected, she said.

Traveling and meeting new people is something Newbury especially enjoys about 4-H. She also loves to participate in 4-H camp.

Through 4-H, she also has been able to volunteer throughout her community, and enabled her to create a local group called Hearts 4 Health.

"This project is a community effort," she said.

Community members are asked to donate hygiene products to the 4-H extension office, or students may donate to their school's family resource office.

"I have a drop off bin that I will collect and then take it to my extension office to sort," she said. "We collect a variety of things from women's sanitary products to hair ties and deodorant."

Her purpose behind creating Hearts 4 Health is to help anyone in the community who may not be able to afford the much-needed products.

After she collects the items, she donates them to a local organization that will get them into the hands of people in need.

"I like including the schools because it gives school-age kids a chance to help their community and let's them have the opportunity to learn about what 4-H does and means to both me and others," she said. "I am incredibly grateful to be involved with this organization and it gives me a bigger and brighter perspective of the world."

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315