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Two past 4-H educators are inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame.

Tom J Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer

October 15, 2021

1 Min Read
4-H kids showing hogs
RECOGNIZE 4-H: Some of the members recognized by the Indiana 4-H Foundation with scholarships have based their 4-H careers on livestock projects. Tom J. Bechman

COVID-19 brought many things to a halt in 2020, but it didn’t stop the Indiana 4-H Foundation from awarding scholarships. These scholarships are based on career-long achievements by young people in their 4-H careers. In addition, two recent inductees into the National 4-H Hall of Fame are being honored.

Both 2020 and 2021 Indiana 4-H Foundation scholarship winners will be honored together. That includes 34 students from 2020 and 40 students from 2021. In partnership with the Indiana 4-H Foundation, the Indiana 4-H Youth Development Program awards more than $125,000 annually to 4-H members seeking post-secondary education.

The awards program will be held on Oct. 23, from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT at 502 E. Carmel Dr. in Carmel, Ind. If you wish to attend, you must RSVP

Hall of Famers

Robert “Bob” Ritchie and Darrell Thomas already were inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame during ceremonies in Washington, D.C. They will be recognized during the awards program.

Ritchie grew up as a 4-H member in Tippecanoe County, Ind., received a degree in animal science from Purdue University, and then served as Grant County 4-H Extension educator and director. Later, he became a member of the Indiana 4-H state staff, responsible for developing programming and conducting contests for 4-H members. Although he retired in 1998, he is still a lead judge in the 4-H photography project every year at the Indiana State Fair.

Thomas was a 4-H member in Vigo County, Ind., and graduated from Indiana State University. He was part of the Fountain County Extension staff before serving in Vietnam. Later, he was 4-H youth educator and then Extension director in Putnam County, covering a span of 31 years.

Information supplied by the Indiana 4-H Foundation was used in this article.

About the Author(s)

Tom J Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer

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