SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Three outstanding local 4-H supporters were honored during a ceremony held on August 11 at the Illinois State Fair. Two local supporters were inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame, and one local volunteer was chosen for the national 4-H Salute to Excellence Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer award for the North Central Region.

The Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame recognizes 4-H supporters who have a track record of exemplary service to 4-H or outstanding career and community achievement.

This year’s Illinois 4-H Fall of Fame inductee from Logan County is Amy Hyde. For twenty years Hyde was employed with University of Illinois Extension as a 4-H program coordinator in Logan County. She worked with countless youth, volunteers, teachers, and community members while assisting with 4-H Shooting Sports, Teen Teachers, 4-H Ambassadors, and the 4-H shows. She was also especially well known for her work as an ag literacy coordinator with the Ag in the Classroom program. “Seeing these children excited to learn about ag and seeing that I had an impact on them is the most rewarding part,” said Hyde. She was loved by students and teachers alike for the engaging lessons that helped students connect agriculture to the real world.

The Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame inductee from Sangamon County was David Mendenhall. Mendenhall is a tireless advocate for 4-H in the community, sharing with others why 4-H is so important and the impact it makes on youth. He is a volunteer that always answers the call to help, and he goes above and beyond to offer his time and leadership in a variety of roles. He has also been excellent at helping to recruit new volunteers and reaching out to 4-H alumni whenever help is needed.

The 4-H Salute to Excellence awards are selected at the state level. Local volunteer Jerry Hicks was chosen to receive the Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award for Illinois, which is given to an individual who has spent 10 or more years as a 4‑H volunteer. Hicks was also honored as the top Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer for the entire North Central Region of 12 states.

Hicks has been a dedicated supporter of 4-H for nearly 43 years. As an Illinois 4-H alumnus, he is a lifetime believer in the tremendous impact 4-H can have on the lives of youth. He credits 4-H for putting him on a lifelong path to career success, and he wants every child in Illinois to have that same opportunity. Through his work as a 4-H volunteer on the county, multi-county, and state level, Hicks has gone above and beyond to make that happen.

Hicks’ commitment to 4-H has allowed Illinois to continue educational efforts, hire youth development staff and expand programming. He helped secure funds during a crucial time, when funding and staff cuts would have drastically reduced opportunities for growing the 4-H program and reaching new audiences. Not only did Hicks find the dollars to maintain 4-H programming in his state, but he secured enough funding to increase staffing that would support reaching underserved audiences.

To learn more about the opportunities available to local youth through the 4-H program, please visit extension.illinois.edu/LMS/4-H-youth-development.

ABOUT ILLINOIS 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H grows true leaders, youth who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. The hands-on approach in 4-H gives young people guidance, tools and encouragement, and then puts them in the driver’s seat to make great things happen. Independent research confirms the unparalleled impact of the 4-H experience, demonstrating that young people are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.