UGA Cooperative Extension
Sumter County Extension Office:
News & Events
Sumter County 4-H’er, Morgan Bowen, was recently recognized as a Youth Service America (YSA) Everyday Young Hero, an award reserved to only the top 50 youth service leaders in the country.
“I was very honored to receive the award. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for your work. It also gives me the opportunity to tell others about my project so I can encourage them to help,” explained Morgan.
One of Morgan’s largest service contributions is Operation Desert Support, a service project that has sent over 800 Christmas stockings to deployed troops since Morgan founded the project three years ago. Because each Christmas stocking is hand sewn, decorated, and stuffed with donated items, the project outlasts the holiday season. Morgan must spend her entire year planning the project, advertising, and recruiting volunteers and donors. Much of the work is completed at her 4-H office, where her agent Mrs. Keri Hobbs serves as an advisor and mentor to the project. The work is well worth it, as Morgan has received many responses from the brave men and women who received the stockings during their deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition to her work with Operation Desert Support, Morgan has completed various service projects, including a mission trip to Taiwan and weekly project club meetings at the local Boys & Girls Club. At her project club, Morgan teaches Boys & Girls Club youth to dance various folk dances such as the Philippine Tinikling dance. Morgan even prepared the club to perform a dance in front of legend football coach, Bobby Bowden, at an annual Boys & Girls Club fundraiser.
Morgan is an 18 year old home school student of Americus, Georgia and Sumter County 4-H. She also serves as County Council President for Sumter County and the Southwest District Leadership in Action Winner.
Sumter County 4-H Junior and Senior Teams competed at the Tift Area 4-H Poultry Judging Contest Wednesday, April 13, 2011. Morgan Bowen was recognized as the eighth highest individual in the Senior Contest. Zafar Alam ranked 12th out of 169 Juniors. Junior Members included Zafar Alam, Anjum Alam, Sherdica Dugger, and Anna Moates. The Senior team consisted of Morgan Bowen, Alyssa Tu, Drew Barrett, and Matthew Bowen. The team was coached by Keri Hobbs, Sumter County 4-H Agent. Pictured: L-R (Front): Sherdica Dugger, Anna Moates, Zafar Alam, and Anjum Alam (Back): Keri Hobbs, Matthew Bowen, Drew Barrett, Morgan Bowen, Alyssa Tu
Sumter County 4-H Poultry Judging Team.
Sumter County 4-H hosted the Southwest District Cloverleaf Project Achievement on Saturday, March 19th at Sumter County Middle School. Twenty-one counties brought Cloverleaf 4-H’ers to compete in contests ranging from public speaking to foods and performing arts. Twelve Cloverleafs competed from Sumter County and brought home awards! Please join me in congratulating the following Sumter County 4-H’ers for a job well done:
From Sumter County Middle School
Jada Boyd – 1st place in Sports
Kai’Lynn Bridges – 1st place in Public Speaking
NaCharlesia Floyd – 1st place in Geology
Katti Ingle – 2nd place in History
Aurion Tommie – 1st place in Workforce Preparation and Career Development
LeAnn White – 1st place in Food for the Family
From Staley Middle School
Tanesha Barner – 2nd place in Human Development
Mikessia Reese – 3rd place in Food for Health and Sport
From Sumter County Elementary School
Kyndal Worth – 3rd place in Entomology
From Southland Academy
Anjum Alam – 1st place in Food Safety and Preservation
From ARCHE Homeschool
Anna Moates – 1st place in Health
From Schley County Elementary
Joseph Crumbley – 1st place in Cat Care
A special thanks goes to the Sumter County Board of Education and Sumter County Middle School for allowing us to use their facility and to all the Sumter County 4-H volunteers, teen leaders, parents, and staff. Event leaders and volunteers included: Bill Starr, Keisha Wise, Kristin Strickland, Kelby and Keri Hobbs, April Bowen, Farrah Alam, Jean Moates, Tammy Crumbley, Zafar Alam, Demetrius Gurley, Matthew Bowen, Morgan Bowen, Shazia Alam, Drew Barrett, Jenni Gossett, Christopher Fraser, Sherdica Dugger, Leigh Crumbley, Kevin Pine, and Melvin McCluster.
