According to Kwarteng, Smith, & Miller (1988), volunteer recognition is defined as "formal and informal favorable attention given to an individual to provide a sense of appreciation.”  Recognition is vital to sustaining volunteers in the roles in which they serve, and it encourages volunteers to expand responsibilities into other areas.  The Kentucky Volunteer Forum has grown exponentially since its inception in 2000.  Since then, multiple sub-committees have developed to execute what has become the largest volunteer event in the nation.  With one of the objectives of the Kentucky Volunteer Forum being to serve as the nation’s premier recognition opportunity for a diverse group of 4-H and Extension volunteers, the Kentucky 4-H Hall of Fame Recognition Committee, who served the Forum during 2023-2024, exhibited exemplary teamwork.  Their collaborative efforts resulted in state level recognition of more than 229 4-H youth members, 4-H teen and adult volunteers, dedicated Extension staff and award supporters across the Commonwealth.  The KVF Hall of Fame Recognition Committee consisted of an interdisciplinary team of four county 4-H agents, two county FCS agents, two county 4-H volunteers and the State Specialist for Volunteerism totaling a dedicated group of nine individuals.  Kentucky 4-H and Extension teen and adult volunteers were recognized for their dedication to the youth and clientele of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Programs and in 2023-2024, the Kentucky Volunteer Forum Hall of Fame Recognition Committee worked to recognize a record-breaking number of individuals totaling 85+ teen and adult volunteers, Extension staff and supporters of the Kentucky 4-H Program.

In addition to recognizing 4-H teen and adult volunteers, this recognition committee worked to provide an opportunity to honor and recognize 10 year 4-H members statewide.  This was accomplished through an application process and the applicants were compiled resulting in recognizing 140 ten year 4-H members in February 2024.

The uniqueness of the Kentucky 4-H Hall of Fame is that award recipients are nominated by a group of peers from the local level, selected by a committee consisting of volunteers, extension professionals and past winners and are sponsored by state level supporters.   This in turn involves individuals on a local, regional, and state level to recognize the work by 4-H youth and adult volunteers that often goes unnoticed.  The brief spotlight the Kentucky 4-H Hall of Fame gives to these deserving individuals fails in comparison to the life changing contributions they make in their communities as well as the impact that they make on the lives of youth.