Excellence in 4-H Youth Programming Award

The Elliott County Cooperative Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Keith Center was presented with the 2018 Excellence in 4-H Programming Award at the Kentucky Association of County Agriculture Agents “KACAA” state meeting on June 27, 2018 at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort, KY.

Abstract 

The Elliott County 4-H Shooting Sports program participated with the Morgan County program from 2000-2015. During the 2014-2015 fiscal year (FY) the clubs dispersed and Elliott County started their own program. From July 1, 2015 through July 1, 2017 the 4-H position was vacant in Elliott County. During the 2015-2016 FY the program developed by-laws and a youth club. On June 4, 2016 the program hosted their first Invitational Shoot that consisted of eight counties. One hundred thirty-one youth participated in the event. On October 22, 2016 the program hosted their first Invitational Pheasant Hunt where twenty-three youth and twenty-four adult volunteers participated. On June 3, 2017 the program hosted their second Invitational Shoot that consisted of 168 youth from 10 counties that participated in 237 events. Coaches are certified in trap, .22 rifle, black powder, pistol and archery. The program currently has one volunteer who represents the state as a rifle instructor (Kim Horton) and one youth that represents District 1 as a Kentucky 4-H Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador (Timothy Gillum). In March of 2017 the club suffered the loss of a trap machine and due to numerous fundraisers purchased a new ATA-280 trap machine for $2,950.00. During the 2017 program year CEA for ANR Keith Center, applied for a grant through the NRA Foundation for supplies and the grant was rewarded on April 7, 2017 and totaled $3,406.79. The program is not just about learning to shoot, it’s about learning discipline, respect, team-work and an appreciation of firearms and bows and arrows. 

I would like to thank all the coaches, volunteers, parents and youth who made receiving this award possible. Without you awards like this would not be possible!

NARRATIVE 

4-H SHOOTING SPORTS

EXCELLLENCE IN 4-H PROGRAMMING AWARD (KACAA/NACAA)

The Elliott County 4-H Shooting Sports program participated as (cross county) with the Morgan County Shooting Sports program from 2000-2015. During the 2014-2015 fiscal year (FY) the clubs dispersed and Elliott County started their own program in the 2015-2016 FY. From July 1, 2015 through July 1, 2017 the 4-H Position was vacant in Elliott County and therefore, the ANR agent was responsible for the 4-H Shooting Sports program. During the 2015-2016 FY the program developed by-laws for the adult council and developed a 4-H Shooting Sports youth club. The by-laws were written to give full authority to the youth members in every aspect of the club except where financial decisions are considered. During the fall of 2015 the club had a considerable amount of interest in adding black powder as a discipline and therefore sent an adult volunteer (Jeff Barker) to Jabez, Kentucky to become a certified black powder coach. On June 4, 2016 the Elliott County 4-H Shooting Sports program hosted their first Invitational Shoot at the Elliott County Cooperative Extension Office that consisted of eight counties. One hundred thirty one youth participated in the annual event. The Shooting Sports Program during the 2015-2016 FY included seven certified coaches and 31 youth. During the 2016-2017 FY the program involved 61 youth ages 9-18 (4-H age), two cloverbuds age (5-8), eight certified coaches, two teen certified coaches and eight volunteer coaches. Coaches are certified in the flowing disciplines: Range Safety Officer (RSO), National Certified Rifle Instructor, trap, .22 rifle, black powder, pistol and archery. On October 22, 2016 the program hosted there first Invitational Pheasant Hunt at James K. Rice Farm in Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Twenty three youth and twenty four adult volunteers participated in the event. One cock bird and one hen bird were donated by (Kim Layne) owner of Fraley Ridge Pheasant Farm, located in Elliott County, Kentucky to all the youth members in the Elliott County 4-H Shooting Sports program. Adults that wished to participate in the hunt were allotted a discounted price of $10.00 per bird. Five adult volunteers brought pointing bird dogs to increase safety of the hunt. One dog handler, two youth and two adult volunteers went out at a time to hunt the birds. Birds were dizzied and placed in two overgrown hay/pasture fields and hunted until youth had the opportunity to harvest two birds. Over 70 birds were harvested and youth and parents that wished to have birds mounted were delivered to Life Like Taxidermy in Morgan County, Kentucky by ANR agent (Keith Center). From April 5-8, 2017 nine youth, District 1 4-H Sate Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador (Timothy Gillum), teen rifle range coach (Katie Moore), two adult volunteers (Jeff Barker and Kim Horton) and ANR agent (Keith Center) attended 4-H Shooting Sports Camp in Jabez, Kentucky and had the second largest camping group in the state. The program currently has one volunteer who represents the state as a rifle instructor (Kim Horton) and one youth that represents District 1 as a Kentucky 4-H Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador (Timothy Gillum). During the 2017 program year ANR agent (Keith Center) worked with the adult 4-H Shooting Sports and teen councils to apply for a grant through the National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation for supplies and the grant was rewarded on April 7, 2017. The grant included the following items: Remington model 870 20 gauge, Crickett .22 rifle, Smith & Wesson .22 pistol, Savage over under 12 gauge, Remington 11-87 20 gauge, two Ruger .22 rifles, 2,500 Winchester 12 gauge shells, 1,250 Winchester 20 gauge shells and H&H medical adult trauma response kit that totaled $3,406.79. In early March of 2017 the program suffered the loss of a trap machine. From March through April the youth did numerous fundraisers that included: Pampered Chef, RADA Cutlery, Scentsy, Car Washes, Festivals and private donations from parents and community businesses. On April 29, 2017 the club purchased a new ATA-280 Trap Machine from GP Traps that valued over $4,700.00 but was sold to the Elliott County 4-H Shooting Sports youth at a discounted price of $2,950.00 delivered. On September 30, 2017 the program hosted there second annual Invitational Pheasant Hunt at James K. Rice Farm in Sandy Hook, KY. Twenty five youth and twenty one adult volunteers participated in the event. The Hunt was filmed my Mountain Rural Telephone Company (MRTC) and aired on channel 2 throughout Eastern, Kentucky. Over the past three years the program has had youth compete in the state shoot where (Aaron Adams) won the state in black powder flint lock rifle 12-14 year old age division, (Nathan Sturgill) won the state in trap in the 9-11 year old age division and (Taylor Whitley) placed third in the world in trap shooting at the Grand in Sparta, Illinois in the 12-14 year old age division. The program for the 2018 program year currently involves seven certified coaches, five teen coaches, eight volunteer coaches and sign up’s will take place from March 5 through March 26, 2018.  The program is not just about learning to shoot, it’s about learning discipline, respect, team work and an appreciation of firearms and bows and arrows. With the primary focus on safety and youth development.