Growing Courtney Heritage didn’t know much if anything about 4-H. After graduating from Marbury High School, she quickly learned about the program.
After stints in the classroom, volunteering and living in an orphanage and working in a non-profit, Heritage wants to make sure everyone knows about 4-H.
“I grew up in Marbury on the family farm and didn’t know about 4-H,” Heritage said. “I grew up on a farm and I didn't appreciate the value of what my family does on the farm.”
Heritage has learned a lot since graduating from Marbury, going to Troy University and so on. She wants students to learn from her mistakes.
“One of my goals is just to make sure the kids know that 4H is important,” Heritage said. “If they don’t choose 4-H, I hope they get active in something and learn about it.”
According to its website, Alabama 4-H seeks to empower youth with the skills to lead our communities, our state, our nation and world. The program is administered through the Alabama Extension Service and is open to all youth ages 9 – 18. It is the largest youth development program in Alabama with more than 118,000 youth reached each year.
Heritage said 4-H is not just about agriculture. There are programs to help teach leadership, public speaking, sewing and more.
“We are encouraging growth and development,” Heritage said. “We want to develop the potential in students to become leaders.”
Heritage moved back to the area a few years ago, settling in Slapout. Her job with 4-H will have her in all Elmore County schools — and she has a plan to develop the Elmore County 4-H over the next several years.
“In speaking with other agents, they have encouraged me to set one-, three- and five-year goals,” Heritage said. “I will start small and grow from there.”
Heritage believes her background will help. She said she had to learn to do a lot that she didn’t learn when she was younger while living at an orphanage such as cooking, working with volunteers and organizing programs to benefit children.
“I just really feel like the things that I learned and being with the kids there is gonna be a perfect transition into teaching and educating the kids in our community,” Heritage said.
